Album Notes

DOUG E. BLUMER was born and raised on the banks of the Mississippi in Southern Missouri. His musical roots include equal parts Buck Owens and The Beatles with a dash of bluegrass, gospel and folk. After a stint in the Navy, where he played in a band onboard his ship, he relocated to northern California. It was in San Francisco during the 1980's that he became part of the local music scene, joining several rock bands and writing original music.

In mid-1990 THE WESTERLEYS were formed. Their sound combined the musical talents of three singer songwriters; Doug, Nancy Terzian and Peter Axtell. The group gained notoriety by blending their vocal harmonies and original music with an acoustic flair. It was during this period that Doug got a taste of the national scene. The band released three albums and toured extensively around the country, appearing at venues such as IOTA in Arlington, the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., Kerrville Folk Festival, Strawberry Music Festival, and Falcon Ridge Folk Festival. Americana Radio also embraced their sound.

2000 brought the break-up of The Westerleys, but also brought Doug back together with his high school band mate, DALLAS WAYNE. Dallas had spent the intervening years fronting bluegrass and honky-tonk bands, culminating in a lucrative career in the U.S. and Europe. Dallas relocated to the Bay Area, and formed the honky-tonk band "Dallas Wayne and the Road Cases." Signed to HighTone Records, Dallas led a stellar band which included Doug on Telecaster guitar and harmony vocals. Touring on the road gave Doug the opportunity to hone his skills as a honky-tonk musician while sharing the bill with some of alternative country's best, including Redd Volkert and Jim Lauderdale.

Doug's current musical projects reflect this combination of influences. His latest album, "DOUG BLUMER'S TEN OF HEARTS" was released in 2004. The CD includes 9 original love songs and a cover of "Beyond the Blue Horizon," again blending varied musical styles with resonating, intimate vocals and beautiful guitar playing. It harkens back to a musical style of bygone days, smoky thick with romance and love.

Doug is also performing with local group, THE COWLICKS. This very talented band is fronted by Todd Novak, of Cryin' Out Loud fame, and includes a Bay Area all star lineup. Their melody driven sound is rich in harmonies and lush electric guitars and demonstrates the songwriting talents of both Doug and Todd. Once again, the music reflects Doug's love of country, pop and rock.