D o u g c l a r k s t e i g e r . c o m

     Doug’s been referred to as a musician’s musician.   A gifted acoustic
guitarist and songwriter, Doug has been plying his trade since he first
took it on the road back in 1970.   He left his home in Utah and headed
east with his guitar in one hand and a Kirby vacuum in the other.   After
determining that Kirby wasn’t the key to his future, Doug struck out on
his own eventually finding his way to Toronto Canada.   It became
apparent to all who heard him that Doug was more than just a passable
guitar player.   His clear and insightful delivery of original material and
covers of other songwriters as diverse as Gordon Lightfoot, Fred Neil
and Jacques Brel made people take notice.

     Unfortunately, the pairing with his manager was less than successful.
After a couple of failed attempts to carry his career forward across
Canada and in Los Angeles they went their separate ways.   Doug
returned to the United States in 1977 after becoming disillusioned with
the business but his music wouldn't be dissuaded.   Doug enlisted in the
Marine Corps in 1978 and eventually met up with some Naval Officers
who had a group that played gigs both off and on base.   At least his
creative spirit had an outlet.   After being honorably discharged Doug
relocated to Houston, Texas in 1984 in search of a professional musical
career.   He hosted open mikes and has performed with people like (a
then unknown) Slaid Cleaves, even making the acquaintance of and
performing with U2’s Bono.

     In the years he spent in Toronto, his music was well received; Doug became appreciated both by his audiences and
industry people.   The CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) recorded "Goodnight World" and "Time To Love",
which received airplay in Canada and in Europe. Arpeggio records also recorded a 45 rpm of his song   "Is Someone
Listening" which was used as a soundtrack to a television show.   As a songwriter, Doug’s material was garnering
attention.   A lovely song called "Light Up My Lady" was recorded in the mid to late 70s by Jim Post (who later became
renowned for his stage portrayal of Mark Twain), then covered again by the duo Hamilton Camp and Bob Gibson, and
most recently by (veteran musician and founding member of the original Limelighters) Glenn Yarborough.

     In 1987, Doug accompanied a friend from Houston to the Kerrville Folk Festival. One evening around a campfire,
Kerrville’s founder-producer Rod Kennedy heard Doug playing "These Hands" and it impressed Kennedy enough that
he asked Doug to play Kerrville’s main stage the next year.   He even had encouragement from an enthusiastic Peter
Yarrow who backed him up on "Light Up My Lady".

     Doug did what most struggling artists do, he played evening gigs while holding down his day job.   Rod Kennedy came
calling again in 1993 asking him to join that year’s Nashville Reunion, where his music was introduced to a completely
new audience at Nashville’s renowned Bluebird Café.   However, knowing it would take a minimum commitment of a
year or two in Nashville (and with a young daughter back in Houston) he decided not to follow that path at that time.
Doug continued to play gigs in Houston where he was already a well respected and in-demand session musician.   He
recorded one of his gigs at Ovations, which resulted in his releasing that evening’s offerings on a CD called "Let’s Be
Friends".

     In 2000, Doug transferred to Austin’s Guitar Center and resumed his playing to new audiences.   He has been actively
writing and taking his music further ever since.   He is considered one of Austin's most knowledgeable acoustic guitar
specialists.

     In November 2003, Doug went to Vancouver BC Canada and recorded a (now released) CD of new material and
some old favorites titled "Take Me With You".   Its 14 songs are a worthy representation of Doug’s skill as musician,
gifted vocalist and songwriter.