Doug LaVine

Born in Utica, NY and raised right on the border of Utica and the small town of Deerfield, NY, Doug was a pretty quiet and shy kid that just loved music. However, things would not really get serious until he was in his teenage years. He lived pretty much in the country, with the exception of the first 6 or 7 years of his life. He always had an interest in music and country music was his favorite. As a kid late on Sat. night, he would try to find WSM Grand Ole Opry, on a radio in his bedro...

Born in Utica, NY and raised right on the border of Utica and the small town of Deerfield, NY, Doug was a pretty quiet and shy kid that just loved music. However, things would not really get serious until he was in his teenage years. He lived pretty much in the country, with the exception of the first 6 or 7 years of his life. He always had an interest in music and country music was his favorite. As a kid late on Sat. night, he would try to find WSM Grand Ole Opry, on a radio in his bedroom. He would listen to all of his favorite artists sing their songs. As years went by and he became old enough, Doug started playing and singing in bands whenever he could. It seemed like the musicians that played never wanted to go any further than a few miles from home to play. Some had girlfriends and did not want to go too far so,he decided that he would have to go out into the world and find a way to play and sing in as many places as he could! One day a business man heard Doug sing and asked if he would like to make a record. He would have to write the songs himself though! No one had ever given him a challenge like that before, so, he wrote the songs and the song "TICK TOCK" soon became a local favorite and started to get airplay on all the local radio stations! This was the beginning of a long and sometimes difficult journey into his world of country music! As time went on he began to write his own music more often. In 1975, he released "The Last Time I Saw Her" and "Say It Again." Again he received air play and made the local charts. In 1975, Doug relocated to Ft Lauderdale, FL and was traveling and performing in other parts of the country as much as he could. In 1980, he then began to form another new band. He named The Band "RODEO". For about five years Doug, with his band RODEO, were the number one Country act in Florida. In 1985, shortly after returning from Nashville, Doug was injured seriously in an accident and had to retire from performing. In 1985, 2 months after the accident, his son Eric was born. Just ten months after that Eric's mother walked out. Now it was Doug and his son Eric. Just the two of them. That is how it would remain for the next twenty years. Doug left the music business and concentrated on raising his son and addressing his many medical problems stemming from the accident. He did however, continue to write a few songs. In October 2005, all seemed well. His son was now 20 years old and engaged to be married. Then on the 25th the state police came to the house and delivered the worse possible news any man could ever get! His son Eric had been killed in an automobile accident! He was a passenger in a car driven by a friend. Also killed in the car was Eric's fiance'. Doug was horrified! This was undoubtedly the worse thing that had ever happened, in his life! Broken and deeply depressed he became somewhat a recluse. He began to write music again. Constantly, for two years, he wrote. Looking for something he could write for his son. He finally wrote it, along with some other songs that told of his feelings. In 2007, he went to Nashville and met with Larry Rogers. Larry heads STUDIO 19, in Nashville and helped Doug get his project recorded. The result was the album "MY LIFE ~ MY MUSIC.