Doug Bruce - Singer Songwriter Musician

Biography

Texas-born singer/songwriter Doug Bruce now resides in Bendigo, Australia. Doug’s career in country music has seen him move from behind the drums to front of stage, impressing die-hard country fans and new converts alike with his rich voice and natural affinity for the southern country sound.

With the release of his first full album, All I Need, Doug has been awarded 2009 Best Male Vocalist in the well regarded Tamworth Independent Artists Recognition Awards (TIARAs). Doug also took out Best Contemporary Song (for I Know About Lonesome) in the Professional section of the Tamworth Songwriters’ Association (TSA) National Songwriting Competition. He was also a top five finalist in the Traditional section (for Just Three Minutes). Doug was also a finalist in all six of his nominated categories of the prestigious Victorian & National Country Music Awards 2009, taking out Victorian Male Vocalist, Victorian Album of the Year and the Smoky Dawson Best Independent Release (for the album) in the National section. The first single, and title track, released from the album, "All I Need" was in the Australian Hot Country Top 50 for 15 weeks, reaching number 20, and also saw Doug placed as a finalist in the Americana section of the 12 Annual Unisong International Song Contest. He has also recently been inducted into the South Australia Country Music Hall of Fame, alongside the likes of Slim Dusty and Casey Chambers.

Doug recorded and produced All I Need from his own purpose-built Shoo Fly Studios, and wrote all the songs, with two songs also co-written by 2008 Victorian Entertainer of the Year, Harry Jon Nanos. The first single and title track from the album, All I Need, was released to radio (no. 20 on NFS 128) in December 2008 and has been well received by presenters across the country. The album has reaped significant praise in the country music and mainstream press. Described as producing ‘a fabulous album’ and ‘quite exceptional’, Doug has been described as having “a simply awesome talent to wring emotion from words and music” (Deborah Minter, Capital News, December 2008) and one who has “embraced the toe-tapping Australian beats to complement his smoky, Deep South voice” (Sarah Warne, Sunday Herald Sun, February 8, 2009). A music video for his second single, What I’m Drinkin’ About, was released in May 2009 to Australian Country Music Channel and available worldwide on YouTube (www.youtube.com/watch?v=xqyju1io814). The song has been 8 weeks on the top ten of the Kix Country Countdown (Australia). Just Three Minutes is the third single released to radio (Hillcrest 50 and NFS 135).

Born in Aubrey, Texas, Doug moved to Bendigo five years ago with his Australian wife and their young son. Whilst a relative newcomer to front of stage, Doug’s music career began almost 20 years ago, performing primarily as a drummer and backing vocalist for numerous bands in the north Texas area. He has also spent time in Nashville performing and doing studio session work as a drummer and backing vocalist. This afforded him many amazing opportunities, with highlights including live performances and radio broadcasts on The Grand Ole Opry and on The Midnight Jamboree at the Texas Troubadour Theatre with Grammy nominated singer songwriter and 2008 European CMA Male Vocalist, Billy Yates.

How he got from there to here...

Doug Bruce grew up in Aubrey, Texas , horse country U.S.A (picture circa 1972). At the time, it was a typical American small town - a tight knit rural community where everyone knew everyone and neighbours looked after each other.

Throughout childhood, music was part of being a Bruce, a very talented family of singers, songwriters and musicians. Doug's father, Dale Bruce (left of picture), is a bass player who toured with Texas legend, Red Steagall for many years, including a stint in Australia in the late 70's, and briefly with another Texas icon, Johnny Duncan. His uncle, Buddy Bruce (right of picture), penned songs for Red Sovine and Minnie Pearl in the glory days of country music and continued his writing until his untimely passing a few years ago. Buddy will always remain one of Doug's greatest musical influences. Doug's cousin, Kelli Workman, is a singer/songwriter in Nashville who has worked with some of the greatest talents of our time from Chet Atkins to Elton John.

In the mid 1980's, Doug began his career in country music as a drummer and backing vocalist with a handful of bands in the north Texas area. Later, Doug was recruited to the successful Dallas/Fort Worth band Cheyenne, performing in popular live venues, including Billy Bob's Texas (pictured left), and opening for national acts such as Travis Tritt, Jerry Jeff Walker and Rascal Flatts.

Cheyenne was awarded vocal group of the year in 1999 and the People's Choice award in 2000, at the prestigious Terry Awards in Dallas. Doug was nominated drummer of the year in 2000 and 2001.

At the end of 2001, Cheyenne disbanded. Doug moved to Nashville along with the band's front man, singer/songwriter, Brit Stokes (pictured right). Together they performed several showcases at Douglas Corner, The French Quarter and other industry venues in and around Nashville. Working primarily as a drummer for various bands, Doug also kept busy recording drum tracks in numerous demo sessions. Nashville is also where the writing bug bit harder for Doug and he became more serious about his passion for song writing.

In 2003, friend and singer/songwriter Billy Yates (pictured left) asked Doug to join his band for a number of shows, including live broadcast performances on the Grand Ole Opry, on the Midnight Jamboree at the Texas Troubadour Theatre, and opening for the great George Jones in Joplin, Missouri.

Doug met his Aussie wife in Nashville. She was visiting the U.S. when their paths crossed. After nearly a year of expensive, late night calls and a few trips back and forth from Nashville to Australia they made it official in a small ceremony with Doug’s family in Texas.

Seven months later they flew to Australia for a renewal ceremony with Jodie’s family and friends (pictured right). With each visit, Doug fell more in love with the country and the Aussie people. When their first baby came along the proud parents decided to relocate and now happily reside in Bendigo, Victoria. [Doug is now the proud parent of two rowdy boys].

Since moving to Australia Doug has devoted himself fulltime to the business of making music, delighting many an unsuspecting audience with his vocal talents front of stage as well as behind the drums. He has been enjoying the country music festival and club scene and has attracted a loyal and appreciative fan base since hitting the circuit as a singer.

Doug’s debut EP as a singer/songwriter, Brand New Memory, was released in October 2006. The CD includes Doug’s own songs as well as selected tracks written by Billy Yates, Buddy Bruce and Brit Stokes. Despite the lack of a full promotional campaign, many of these songs have enjoyed steady radio play.

In 2007, Doug started writing with Harry Jon Nanos, on the new Crakajak album - for release in 2008. The first single from the album, Somewhere Between the Truth and Goodbye, co-written by Doug, Harry and Donna Fisk, took out several awards at the 2008 Victorian and National Country Musicc Awards.
new album cover

Doug released his first full album, All I Need, in October 2008. With a more contemporary feel, All I Need still holds true to tradition.. Every track is self penned, two songs co-written with Harry Jon Nanos. There is something for everyone in this new album described by some in the industry as "stone cold country".