Doug MacLeod

Artist Information

Biography

Doug MacLeod is a singer-songwriter in the American tradition. He is a traveling artist that writes and sings original songs that are based on his own life and experiences. He learned from the old masters, lived the music, survived the life and carries forward a valuable tradition. MacLeod is known for his superb songwriting, guitar wizardry, warm soulful vocals, wit and unforgettable live performances. At the heart of this is his knack for storytelling, bringing characters-from the faceless to the legendary-to strikingly real life.

As a youth he overcame abuse and a crippling stutter by turning to music.
After he picked up a guitar, and tried to sing - he found his voice.

While he developed his rich, soulful singing style MacLeod also worked out a unique, unorthodox and powerfully rhythmic acoustic guitar style. The rage of his turbulent youth was eventually channeled through his guitar, using his relentless right hand to pound out an insistent, churning beat to complement his intricate bottleneck and finger-style technique.

MacLeod's playing landed him sideman gigs with George 'Harmonica' Smith, Big Joe Turner, Pee Wee Crayton, Eddie 'Cleanhead' Vinson, Lowell Fulson and Big Mama Thornton. Under their tutelage, he learned how to thrill and enrapture a crowd.

Over 29 years, 19 studio albums, several live records, compilations, a blues guitar instructional DVD and a live performance DVD, MacLeod has consistently earned raves. His songs have been covered by many artists including Albert King, Albert Collins, Joe Louis Walker and Eva Cassidy. He has co-written songs with Dave Alvin and Coco Montoya. MacLeod's songs have been featured in many TV movies and the hit show In the Heat of the Night. Two of his songs are on Grammy nominated albums by Albert King and Albert Collins.

From 1999 to 2004 he hosted Nothin' But The Blues, a very popular weekend blues show on Los Angeles' KLON-KKJZ. He has also been the voice for The Blues Showcase on Continental Airlines and contributed his soulful slide guitar playing to the Los Angeles opening of the August Wilson play "Gem of the Ocean". For ten years he penned "Doug's Back Porch," a regular feature column in Blues Revue Magazine in which he shared his humorous and insightful stories with thousands of readers. He won the Golden Note Award in 1997 for his AudioQuest album "You Can't Take My Blues". In 2006 Solid Air/Warner Bros. released Doug's guitar instructional DVD "101* Blues Guitar Essentials".

MacLeod signed with Reference Recordings in 2012. His new album "There’s A Time" will be released in March of 2013. In every note he performs and records, MacLeod subscribes to the rule-of-thumb learned from country bluesman Ernest Banks from Toano VA. who instilled in him to "Never play a note you don't believe", and "Never write or sing about what you don't know about."

Like the old masters who taught him, MacLeod's music expresses life and times via an intangible, elusive quality that may simply be a keen sense of what matters most. There is a philosophic and healing side to MacLeod's music and his stories that has helped others overcome the hardships of their lives. 

As Pee Wee Crayton's widow Esther once told Doug, "You have a message and you'll send that message mainly to the people who don't go to church." Amen.
 


?

Instrumentation

Doug MacLeod - One Guitar

Discography

Doug MacLeod has recorded 19 Albums and 9 EP's'

A live performance/interview DVD 'The Blues In Me'

A guitar instructional DVD '101 Blues Guitar Essentials'

-------------------------------------------

He has recorded with
Pee Wee Crayton
George Harmonica Smith
Frankie Lee
John Juke Logan
James Armstrong
Kid Frost

---------------------------------------

Have a look at his official website at the Store section

http://www.doug-macleod.ca/blues/Store.html

USA website : http://www.doug-macleod.com
Canadian website : http://www.doug-macleod.ca

Official Website

http://www.doug-macleod.com

Links

• Facebook
• VIDEO - THE LONG BLACK TRAIN
• VIDEO - 50$ WIG
• VIDEO - HORSE WITH NO RIDER
• VIDEO - SOME OLD BLUES SONG

Audio

• Brand New Eyes
  Listen  
• The Sun Shine Down My Way
  Listen  
• Dubb'sTalkin'PoliticianBlues
  Listen  
• Horse With No Rider
  Listen  
• The Train Of Change
  Listen  
• Midnight In Memphis
  Listen  
• Have A Little Taste
  Listen  
• One Eyed Owl
  Listen  
• Where You'll Find Me
  Listen  
• That Ain't Right
  Listen  

Lyrics

• Sun Shine Down My Way

Video

Doug MacLeod - The Sun Shine Down My Way

Doug MacLeod In Concert - My Necessary Clothes

Photo Gallery

Press

• Aside from being one of the finest guitar players in the business, MacLeod really connects with his audience. [+ Show ]
  

  Aside from being one of the finest guitar players in the business, MacLeod really connects with his ...Aside from being one of the finest guitar players in the business, MacLeod really connects with his audience. His sets are more than music. They are "homegrown lessons" in life and love. MacLeod is one of the finest songwriters, storytellers and performers in the blues. In a world intoxicated with electric-everything MacLeod is preserving a lost art... A must for any serious fan of the blues and any soul who needs the healing of the blues. - Sing Out
   
  Understanding the importance of restraint to the blues, he skirts the predictable with fresh imagery in lyrics and his music is barb-wire sharp.
  - Down Beat Magazine
  
  MacLeod identifies with the simplicity and honesty that characterized the country blues artists of the 30's and 40's... a wealth of blues feeling... compelling.
  - Alex Henderson, All Music Guide
  
  MacLeod is a talented instrumentalist and an impassioned singer, but what stands out is his well-turned lyrical phrases and intriguing musical nuances.
  - Living Blues
   
  In his CD, Where I Been, Doug MacLeod has produced a montage of fascinating stories that are insightful, introspective, entertaining and then some. The listener gets the immediate sense that this music comes from one who has a strong emotional and sentimental attachment to the themes or from one who has lived the life he sings about. Mr. MacLeod uses his unusual style of acoustic guitar playing to accentuate his remarkable story telling so much so that it seems that the guitar is an integral part of the tale. - Roots Music Report
  
  On his first visit to Australia, Doug MacLeod was the one act I was particularly looking forward to seeing. A contributing writer to our sister publication Blues Revue, MacLeod is a great storyteller, songwriter, and raconteur and, to say the least, one of the finest exponents of acoustic Blues and slide guitar around. He played songs, each accompanied by a story, from his albums Dubb and Where I Been, both highly recommend, as well as his recent live DVD release. - Blues Wax
  
  Doug MacLeod is an accomplished songwriter managing to imbue his autobiographical lyrics with humor and poignancy. - Juke Blues
   
  On this acoustic set of telling and effective songs, a sparse but striking guitar style and candid vocals combine to create a convincing showcase for his talents.
  - London Times
  
  In the tradition of songwriters such as J.B. Lenoir, Brownie McGhee, and Lightnin' Hopkins, he writes about what he lives... the total package: songs, voice and guitar playing. - Blues Revue

Setlist

Doug MacLeod
Master Of Original Acoustic Blues

45 - 90 minute sets

Doug never uses a set list. Every set is different.

Basic Requirements

PDF Rider

Doug MacLeod - Performance Rider

Calendar