Gerald Calvin "Jerry" Douglas (born May 28, 1956) is an American
Dobro and
lap steel guitar player and
record producer
A record producer is a recording project's creative and technical leader, commanding studio time and coaching artists, and in popular genres typically creates the song's very sound and structure. Virgil Moorefield"Introduction" ''The Producer as ...
.
Career
In addition to his fourteen solo recordings, Douglas has played on more than 1,600 albums. As a sideman, he has recorded with artists as diverse as
Garth Brooks,
Ray Charles,
Eric Clapton,
Phish,
Dolly Parton,
Susan Ashton,
Paul Simon,
Mumford & Sons,
Keb' Mo',
Ricky Skaggs,
Elvis Costello,
Tommy Emmanuel,
James Taylor
James Vernon Taylor (born March 12, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. A six-time Grammy Award winner, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. He is one of the best-selling music artists of all time, hav ...
and
Johnny Mathis, as well as performing on the ''
O Brother, Where Art Thou?'' soundtrack and the follow up "Down From the Mountain" tour with
Alison Krauss and Union Station. He has collaborated with various groups including
The Whites,
New South (band)
The New South is a bluegrass band formed in 1971 by banjo player J. D. Crowe. Their first two albums, ''Bluegrass Evolution'' and the eponymous record known by the album number, "Rounder 0044," established them as a dominant force in bluegrass ...
,
The Country Gentlemen,
Strength in Numbers, and
Elvis Costello's "Sugar Canes".
From 1996 to 1998, Douglas was a member of
The GrooveGrass Boyz.
Douglas produced a number of records, including some at
Sugar Hill Records. He oversaw albums by
Alison Krauss, the
Del McCoury Band
The Del McCoury Band is a Grammy award-winning American bluegrass band.
History
Originally the band was called Del McCoury and the Dixie Pals with Del on guitar and his brother Jerry on bass. The band went through a number of changes in perso ...
,
Maura O'Connell,
Jesse Winchester and the
Nashville Bluegrass Band,
The Earls of Leicester
The Earls of Leicester is an American bluegrass group, assembled by Jerry Douglas in 2013 to present the music of Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and their band the Foggy Mountain Boys to a contemporary audience. Their eponymous debut album earned a ...
,
Gary Morris,
The Steep Canyon Rangers
Steep Canyon Rangers is an American bluegrass band based in Asheville and Brevard, North Carolina. Though formed in 2000, the band has become widely known since 2009 for collaborating with actor/banjoist Steve Martin. In 2013, the Steep Canyon ...
. Along with
Aly Bain, he serves as Music Director of the popular BBC Television series, "
Transatlantic Sessions".
Since 1998, Douglas has been a member of
Alison Krauss and Union Station, touring extensively and playing on a series of platinum-selling albums. When not on the road with Alison Krauss and Union Station, Douglas tours in support of his extensive body of work with his bands The Jerry Douglas Band and The Earls of Leicester, following the continued success of the latter's 2014 release ''The Earls of Leicester'' and 2015's ''Rattle and Roar''.
Jerry Douglas appeared with Vince Gill on Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival 2004 ("Oklahoma Borderline" and "What the Cowgirls Do").
Douglas also made a cameo in the third "United Breaks Guitars" consumer protest video, all of which went viral.
Personal life
Douglas was born in
Warren, Ohio, United States, and now lives in Nashville, Tennessee, with his wife, Jill.
Awards and honors
As of 2021, Douglas has been nominated for thirty-two
Grammy Award
The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pre ...
s, winning fourteen.
He has received the
Country Music Association's 'Musician of the Year' award three times, in 2002, 2005 and 2007.
Douglas is a 10-time recipient of the
International Bluegrass Music Association ("IBMA") Dobro Player of the Year Award.
In 2004, the
National Endowment for the Arts awarded Douglas a
National Heritage Fellowship, which is the United States' highest honor in the folk and traditional arts.
Douglas was named Artist in Residence for the
Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in 2008.
Douglas was honored at the 36th annual
Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Colorado for his twenty-fifth consecutive year playing in and at the festival.
Douglas received the Bluegrass Star Award, presented by the Bluegrass Heritage Foundation of Dallas, Texas, on October 15, 2016. The award is bestowed upon bluegrass artists who do an exemplary job of advancing traditional bluegrass music and bringing it to new audiences while preserving its character and heritage.
The
Americana Music Association honored Jerry Douglas with a Lifetime Achievement Award in 2011.
Douglas received the key to the city of
Manchester, Tennessee as well as to
Coffee County during a performance at the 2015 Bonnaroo Music and Arts Festival.
Discography
Studio recordings
Compilations
Other recordings
*''Remembrances and Forecasts'' 1974 as The Country Gentlemen
*''
J.D. Crowe & The New South'' 1975 as J. D. Crowe & the New South
*''Holiday In Japan'' 1975 as J. D. Crowe & the New South
*''New South Live'' 1975 as J. D. Crowe & the New South
*''Boone Creek'' 1977 as Boone Creek
*''One Way Track'' 1977 as Boone Creek
*''That Down Home Feeling'' 1977 as Buck White & Down Home Folks
*''Buck and Family Live'' 1979 as Buck White & Down Home Folks
*''More Pretty Girls Than One'' 1979 as Buck White & Down Home Folks
*''
Bluegrass Album, Vol. 3 – California Connection
''Bluegrass Album, Vol. 3 — California Connection'' is a third album by bluegrass supergroup, Bluegrass Album Band, released in 1983. Dobroist Jerry Douglas is added to the line-up and the band includes some more country-rock to the mix, but th ...
'' 1983 as
Bluegrass Album Band
*''Snakes Alive'' 1984 as Dreadful Snakes
*''
Bluegrass Album Vol.4'' 1985 as Bluegrass Album Band
* ''
High Country Snows'' 1985
Dan Fogelberg
*''
T-Bone Burnett'' 1986 with
T Bone Burnett
*''
Bluegrass Album, Vol. 5 – Sweet Sunny South
''Bluegrass Album, Vol. 5 - —Sweet Sunny South'' is a fifth album by bluegrass supergroup, Bluegrass Album Band, released in 1989. Violinist Vassar Clements is on this album replacing Bobby Hicks, and bass duties are taken over by Mark Schatz ...
'' 1989 as Bluegrass Album Band
*''
The Telluride Sessions
''The Telluride Sessions'' is an album recorded by five acoustic-music instrumentalists under the name Strength in Numbers and released in 1989 on MCA Records Nashville. The five members are: Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Béla Fleck, Mark O'Connor, a ...
'' 1989 ''as Strength in Numbers''
*''
Will the Circle Be Unbroken: Volume Two'' 1990 with the
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
*''Skip, Hop & Wobble'' 1993 as
Barenberg, Douglas &
Meyer
*''
Toolin' Around'' "Let it Slide" with Arlen Roth and Sam Bush 1993
*''
The Great Dobro Sessions'' 1994 as Jerry Douglas and various artists, produced by Jerry Douglas
*''Far From Enough'' 1994 with
Viktor Krauss
Viktor Krauss is an American musician who plays acoustic and electric bass. He has released solo albums and has worked as a sideman with many musicians, including his sister, singer and fiddler Alison Krauss.
Music career
Krauss was born to Fr ...
*''
Bluegrass Album, Vol. 6 – Bluegrass Instrumentals
''Bluegrass Album, Vol. 6 – Bluegrass Instrumentals'' is the sixth and final album by bluegrass supergroup, Bluegrass Album Band, released in 1996. Violinist Bobby Hicks and bassist Todd Philips reunite with the group, while Vassar Clements ...
'' 1996 as Bluegrass Album Band
*''Bourbon & Rosewater'' 1996 as
Bhatt
Bhat (also spelled as Bhatt or Butt) is a surname in the Indian subcontinent. Bhat and Bhatt are shortened rendition of Bhatta.
Etymology
The word "Bhat" ( sa, भट, ) means "teacher" in Sanskrit. While the original shortened rendition of "Bh ...
, Douglas &
Meyer
*''Yonder'' 1996 with
Peter Rowan
*''
Signs of Life'' 1996
Steven Curtis Chapman
*''Leading Roll'' 1997 with
Sammy Shelor
*''The View From Here'' 1999 with
Matt Flinner
*''
O Brother, Where Art Thou?'' 2000 with
Alison Krauss,
The Whites, as
Soggy Bottom Boys
*''Latitude'' 2001, with
Matt Flinner
*''I Don't Need the Whiskey Anymore'' 2002, with
Jack Lawrence Jack Lawrence may refer to:
*Jack Lawrence (songwriter) (1912–2009), American songwriter
*Jack Lawrence (artist) (born 1975), British comic book artist and animator
* Jack Lawrence (bluegrass) (born 1953), American bluegrass guitarist
* Jack Lawre ...
*''
Deja Vu (All Over Again)
"Deja Vu (All Over Again)" is a song by American rock singer/songwriter John Fogerty. It is the title track, opening track and lead single to his 2004 eponymous album. The song reached #4 on the ''Billboard'' Adult Alternative chart.
History
Fo ...
'' 2004 with
John Fogerty
* ''
All I Really Want For Christmas
''All I Really Want for Christmas'' is the second Christmas album and thirteenth studio album by Steven Curtis Chapman, released on September 27, 2005. The album includes traditional holiday favorites such as "Go Tell It on the Mountain" and "Silv ...
'' 2005 Steven Curtis Chapman
*''Secret, Profane, & Sugarcane'' 2009 with
Elvis Costello and the Sugarcanes
*''Southern Filibuster: The Songs of Tut Taylor'' 2010, produced by Jerry Douglas
*''
Rounder Records 40th Anniversary Concert'' 2010 as Jerry Douglas with
Bela Fleck,
Alison Krauss & Union Station
*''
Get Low'' Original Motion Picture Soundtrack 2010 as Jerry Douglas
*"The Boxer", with
Paul Simon and
Mumford & Sons on the latter's album ''
Babel'' (released September 2012) and on Douglas's own ''Traveler'', produced by
Russ Titelman (released June 2012)
*"One Light Shining" by Ruth Moody from ''These Wilder Things'' 2013
*''The Earls of Leicester'' 2014 with
The Earls of Leicester
The Earls of Leicester is an American bluegrass group, assembled by Jerry Douglas in 2013 to present the music of Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and their band the Foggy Mountain Boys to a contemporary audience. Their eponymous debut album earned a ...
produced by Jerry Douglas
*''Three Bells'' 2014 with
Mike Auldridge and
Rob Ickes produced by Jerry Douglas
*''Radio'' 2015 with
The Steep Canyon Rangers
Steep Canyon Rangers is an American bluegrass band based in Asheville and Brevard, North Carolina. Though formed in 2000, the band has become widely known since 2009 for collaborating with actor/banjoist Steve Martin. In 2013, the Steep Canyon ...
produced by Jerry Douglas
*''Rattle & Roar'' 2016 with
The Earls of Leicester
The Earls of Leicester is an American bluegrass group, assembled by Jerry Douglas in 2013 to present the music of Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and their band the Foggy Mountain Boys to a contemporary audience. Their eponymous debut album earned a ...
produced by Jerry Douglas
*"Love Like Me" and "Everything's The Same" from Billy Strings' album ''Home'', released 2019
*''
Leftover Feelings
''Leftover Feelings'' is an album by John Hiatt with the Jerry Douglas Band, released in May 2021 through the record label New West Records.
Reception
It was nominated for a 2022 Grammy Award in the Best Americana Album category.
Track list ...
'' 2021 with
John Hiatt, produced by Jerry Douglas and performed with the Jerry Douglas Band
*''Native American, 1992, with
Tony Rice
With Alison Krauss or Alison Krauss and Union Station
*''
I've Got That Old Feeling
''I've Got That Old Feeling'' is an album by American bluegrass- country singer and musician Alison Krauss, released in 1990. It reached number 61 on the Billboard Country Albums chart.
At the 33rd Grammy Awards, the album's title track, "I've ...
(Producer And Performer)'' 1991
*''
Forget About It'' 1999
*''
New Favorite'' 2001
*''
Live - (Alison Krauss & Union Station)'' 2002
*''
Lonely Runs Both Ways'' 2004
*''
A Hundred Miles or More: A Collection'' 2007
*''
Paper Airplane'' 2011
The Transatlantic Sessions
*''
Transatlantic Sessions 3
ol.1' (2007) (with Jerry Douglas and various artists)
*''
Transatlantic Sessions 3
ol.2' (2008) (with Jerry Douglas and various artists)
*''The Original
Transatlantic Sessions ol.2' (2008) (with
Jay Ungar and various artists)
*''The Original
Transatlantic Sessions ol.3' (2009) (with
Jay Ungar and various artists)
*''
Transatlantic Sessions 4
ol.1' (2009) (with Jerry Douglas and various artists)
*''
Transatlantic Sessions 4
ol.2' (2010) (with Jerry Douglas and various artists)
*''
Transatlantic Sessions 4
ol.3' (2010) (with Jerry Douglas and various artists)
Awards
Grammy Awards
*1983
Best Country Instrumental Performance: "Fireball" – with
The New South
*1994
Best Bluegrass Album: ''The Great Dobro Sessions''
*2001
Album of the Year Album of the Year, often abbreviated to AOTY, may refer to:
Awards
* ARIA Award for Album of the Year, Australia
* Brit Award for British Album of the Year, UK
* Grammy Award for Album of the Year, US
* Juno Award for Album of the Year, CA
* Lati ...
: ''Oh Brother, Where Art Thou?'' – various artists
*2001
Best Country Performance by a Duo or Group: "The Lucky One" –
Alison Krauss + Union Station 2001 Best Bluegrass Album: ''New Favorite'' – Alison Krauss + Union Station 2002 Best Country Instrumental Performance: "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" with
Earl Scruggs 2002 Best Country Instrumental Performance: Earl Scruggs, Gary Scruggs, Randy Scruggs, Steve Martin, Leon Russell, Vince Gill, Jerry Douglas, Glen Duncan, Albert Lee, Paul Shaffer and Marty Stuart – "Foggy Mountain Breakdown"
*2003 Best Country Instrumental Performance: "Cluck Old Hen" – Alison Krauss + Union Station
*2003 Best Bluegrass Album: ''LIVE'' – Alison Krauss + Union Station
*2004 Best Country Instrumental Performance: "Earl's Breakdown" –
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Featuring Earl Scruggs,
Randy Scruggs,
Vassar Clements & Jerry Douglas
*2006 Best Country Performance By A Duo Or Group With Vocal: "Restless" – Alison Krauss and Union Station
*2006 Best Country Instrumental Performance: "Unionhouse Branch" – Alison Krauss and Union Station
*2006
Best Country Album: ''Lonely Runs Both Ways'' – Alison Krauss and Union Station
*2012 Best Bluegrass Album: ''Paper Airplane'' – Alison Krauss and Union Station
*2015 Best Bluegrass Album: ''The Earls of Leicester'' –
The Earls of Leicester
The Earls of Leicester is an American bluegrass group, assembled by Jerry Douglas in 2013 to present the music of Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs and their band the Foggy Mountain Boys to a contemporary audience. Their eponymous debut album earned a ...
Americana Music Association Awards
*2002 Instrumentalist of the Year
*2003 Instrumentalist of the Year
*2011 Lifetime Achievement Award for Instrumentalist
CMA Awards
*2002 Musician of the Year
*2005 Musician of the Year
*2007 Musician of the Year
IBMA (International Bluegrass Music Association) Awards
*1990 Instrumental Performer of the Year – Dobro
*1991 Instrumental Performer of the Year – Dobro
*1992 Instrumental Album of the Year – ''Slide Rule'', Jerry Douglas
*1992 Record Event of the Year – ''Slide Rule''
*1992 Instrumental Performer of the Year – Dobro
*1993 Instrumental Performer of the Year – Dobro
*1994 Instrumental Album of the Year – ''Skip, Hop & Wobble''; Douglas, Barenberg & Meyer
*1994 Instrumental Performer of the Year – Dobro
*1995 Instrumental Album of the Year – ''The Great Dobro Sessions''; Mike Auldridge, Curtis Burch, Jerry Douglas, Josh Graves, Rob Ickes, Oswald Kirby, Stacy Phillips, Tut Taylor, Sally Van Meter, Gene Wooten
*1995 Record Event of the Year – ''The Great Dobro Sessions''
*1995 Instrumental Performer of the Year – Dobro
*1997 Album of the Year – ''True Life Blues—The Songs of Bill Monroe''; Sam Bush, Vassar Clements, Mike Compton, Jerry Douglas, Stuart Duncan, Pat Enright, Greg Garing, Richard Greene, David Grier, David Grisman, John Hartford, Bobby Hicks, Kathy Kallick, Laurie Lewis, Mike Marshall, Del McCoury, Ronnie McCoury, Jim Nunally, Scott Nygaard,
Mollie O'Brien,
Tim O'Brien, Alan O'Bryant, Herb Pedersen, Todd Phillips, John Reischman, Peter Rowan, Craig Smith, Chris Thile, Tony Trischka, Roland White
*1997 Record Event of the Year – ''True Life Blues—The Songs of Bill Monroe''
*1997 Instrumental Album of the Year – ''Bluegrass Instrumentals, Volume 6''; The Bluegrass Album Band
*2001 Album of the Year - "O' Brother, Where Art Thou" Soundtrack -Norman Blake, James Carter & The Prisoners, The Cox Family, Fairfield Four, Emmylou Harris, John Hartford, Chris Thomas King, Alison Krauss, Jerry Douglas, The Peasall Sisters, The Soggy Bottom Boys, Ralph Stanley, The Stanley Brothers, Gillian Welch, The Whites; Mercury/Lost Highway Records
*2001 Instrumental Performer of the Year – Dobro
*2002 Instrumental Performer of the Year – Dobro
*2003 Album of the Year – ''Alison Krauss + Union Station Live'', Alison Krauss + Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas
*2003 Record Event of the Year – ''Will The Circle Be Unbroken Vol. III''; Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Matraca Berg, Sam Bush, June Carter Cash, Johnny Cash, Vassar Clements, Iris DeMent, Rodney Dillard, Jerry Douglas, Glen Duncan, Vince Gill, Josh Graves, Jamie Hanna, Emmylou Harris, Taj Mahal, Jimmy Martin, Del McCoury, Robbie McCoury, Ronnie McCoury, Jonathan McEuen, The Nashville Bluegrass Band, Willie Nelson, Tom Petty, Tony Rice, Earl Scruggs, Randy Scruggs, Ricky Skaggs, Doc Watson, Richard Watson, Glenn Worf & Dwight Yoakam
*2015 Entertainer of the Year - The Earls of Leicester
*2015 Instrumental Group of the Year - The Earls of Leicester
*2015 Album of the Year - The Earls of Leicester, Jerry Douglas, producer
*2015 Gospel Recorded Performance of the Year - "Who Will Sing For Me" - The Earls of Leicester
*2015 Instrumental Recorded Performance of the Year - The Three Bells - Jerry Douglas, Mike Auldridge, Rob Ickes
*2015 Dobro Player of the Year - Jerry Douglas
*2016 Entertainer of the Year - The Earls of Leicester
*2016 Dobro Player of the Year - Jerry Douglas
National Endowment for the Arts
*2004 National Heritage Fellowship
Country Music Hall of Fame
*2008 Artist in Residence
Further reading
*Humphrey, Mark. (1998). "Jerry Douglas". In ''The Encyclopedia of Country Music''. Paul Kingsbury, Editor. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 151.,
References
External links
Jerry Douglas official websiteThe Earls of Leicester official websiteAlison Krauss and Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas official sitewebsite of Transatlantic Sessions USA TourFolk Radio UK review of ''Jerry Christmas''
{{DEFAULTSORT:Douglas, Jerry
1956 births
Living people
Alison Krauss & Union Station members
American country guitarists
American country singer-songwriters
American bluegrass guitarists
American male guitarists
American male singer-songwriters
National Heritage Fellowship winners
Slide guitarists
Grammy Award winners
Singer-songwriters from Ohio
Resonator guitarists
People from Warren, Ohio
The Country Gentlemen members
Weissenborn players
Guitarists from Ohio
20th-century American guitarists
Country musicians from Ohio
Bluegrass Album Band members
New South (band) members
Steel guitarists
The Earls of Leicester (band) members
Lyle Lovett and His Large Band members