Doug, virtuoso of the six-string, began playing in 1977 at the tender age of 15. He loved his instrument from the first time he handled it. His joy became complete when he began playing with the band, at a time when playing with himself seemed not quite fulfilling.
To hear him play, it is nearly impossible to believe that he actually has other activities, including a day job. As a computer techie for a Medical Insurance company, he gets involved in all sorts of high-tech adventures, from networking to massive hardware upgrades. He is proud of his role in the booming economy of the 90s. “The Y2K hoax. That was my idea. We fooled everybody.”
His talents range beyond music to writing. He has been published in the world-famous “MidRange Computing” magazine. Readers reported that they were “strangely yet pleasantly aroused” by his words, and raved at his ability “to cover technical material in such a sensitive manner.”
Lest he be classified as just another techno-nerd, Doug is also active in the motorcycling community. Over the years, he has taught thousands of novice and veteran bikers safe vehicle operation at Lakeland Community College and Lakeside High School in Ashtabula. “The teaching gig started out as a community service project after the ‘Wheelie Incident of 82’ at the Fairport Mardi Gras,” he recalls. “The judge wouldn’t buy my stuck throttle story, but it turned out all right. Compared to the treatment that Harley rider got in 1999, I really got off easy.”
Past musical adventures included the locally popular band Crystal Rain, the not so popular band Legynd, both of these bands way….way back in the 80’s and, most recently, the kind’ve popular Yard Rats. Doug’s major influence is Pink Floyds’ David Gilmour who, to quote Doug, “really rocks”.
Doug is also a licensed pilot and is hoping the band gets booked at some airports so he can fly the corporate plane to the gigs.
Doug currently resides in a dark corner in Perry w/ his wife and several species of small, furry animals.