COUNTRY singer songwriter Scott Douglas is an American with a drawl that sounds like it can hold a tune – broad, deep and reminiscent of the late Johnny Cash.
The Tamborine father of two spends most weekends gigging at music festivals, pubs and clubs dotted up and down the east coast of Australia.
He looks forward to showing locals what he can do at tonight’s free July 4 gig to open the Jimboomba leg of Logan Live music month at The Mustering Yard Bar & Grill, Cusack Lane.
Born and raised in a smalll US bible-belt town in Indiana, the only singing Douglas did as a child was in the Southern Baptist church he attended with his family.
His single Flesh’N’Blood, co-written with Bill Chambers, father of country favourite Kasey Chambers and currently charging up Australia’s country charts, is about what life was like growing up.
“I was raised in a little country town in a bible belt. My best friend was an Amish kid and we’d play in the fields and the corn silos,” he said.
Mr Douglas worked in an Atlanta, Georgia bar called Cowboys before he packed his bags and took off on a working holiday to New Zealand where he met Julia, the English woman who became his wife. The couple moved to Australia and bought at Tamborine where they raise twin seven-year-old daughters just around the corner from a pub called The Bearded Dragon.
“It was a real love story and, you’re right – I should write a song about it – am in fact. That’s something I’m working on,” he said.
Until five years ago, Douglas worked in marketing. He had not considered singing as a career.
“Mine is one of those stories … my wife convinced me it was time to get my singing out of the shower and try to do something more with it,” he said.
He entered a talent quest at Gympie Muster and “you know, it kind of snowballed from there”. A scholarship at the CMC Senior Academy of Country Music followed. There, he “made connections and started writing my own stuff”.
Mr Douglas now spends most weekends driving to rural towns dotted up and down the East Coast of Australia to perform in festivals, pubs and clubs. He has gigged everywhere from Tamworth to the Dalby Rodeo and the Ekka.
“I’ll set up and people usually come up and ask if I’ll sing them something by The Eagles or CCR (Creedance Clearwater Revival) and I tell ‘em, ‘Guys, I only do real country music – not country rock’. I tell them to stay and listen. A lot of them do and most of them like what they hear.”
Douglas describes his influences as Americana meets honky tonk.
A first album of covers name checked all his favourites – Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard, Randy Travis and contemporary artists like Josh Turner, Trace Adkins and Toby Keith.
Douglas released his self titled debut EP in September featuring songs he wrote alone and with co-writers including Chambers and watched it charge up country music charts.
“I can’t wait to play a gig so close to home,” he said.
“I’ve just had a weekend in Gladstone to perform a couple of shows. Tamborine to Jimboomba? That doesn’t seem like a long haul.”
Mr Douglas performs tonight at The Mustering Yard and later this month at Mondaze.
Logan Live Music Month
LEARN more about Logan’s amazing musicians during Logan Live music month.
Emerging and established musicians perform at local eateries that include Cafe on Cusack, The Mustering Yard and Mondaze, Jimboomba and Thom & Ann’s Restaurant Deli Shop at Yarrabilba.
Logan live launched on Sunday and continues until July 31.
Here’s a gig guide for the week ahead or visit loganlive.com.au to plan ahead.
Today (July 4)
Scott Douglas: The Mustering Yard Bar and Grill, 6pm
Hannah Grace Longeran: Beenleigh Bowls Club, 6pm
Tomorrow
Sierra Faith: Logan Central Library, 4pm
Brown Suga: Greenbank RSL, 4.30pm
Friday
Twist of Blue: Little Cove on Chambers, Waterford West 1pm
Joel Hoolihan: Monkey Tree Brewing, Underwood, 6pm
Chris Amadee: The Coffee Club, Browns Plains, 6pm
Saturday
Georgie Taylor and Jake Cotter: Cafe of Cusack, Jimboomba, noon
Lost Highway: Thom & Ann’s Restaurant Deli Shop, Yarrabilba, 1pm
Caitlyn Apro: Toscani’s Loganholme, Shailer Park, 2.30pm
Sunday
Roxbury: Toscani’s Loganholme, Shailer Park, 2.30pm
Ruby Jo Music: Extraction Artisan Cafe, Slacks Creek, 11am
Avalon: Beenleigh Bowls Club, Slacks Creek, 12.30pm
Caleb Caswell: Toscani’s Loganholme, Shailer Park, 1.30pm
Monday
Jay Turner: Grandma’s Kiwi Kitchen, Springwood, 10.30am
Tuesday
Forever Road: The Mustering Yard Bar & Grill, Jimboomba, 6.30pm
