Doug Kershaw facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Doug Kershaw
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Doug Kershaw playing the fiddle at the 2009 Festivals Acadiens et Créoles.
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | Douglas James Kershaw |
| Born | January 24, 1936 Cameron Parish, Louisiana, U.S. |
| Origin | Louisiana |
| Genres | Cajun music, country, folk, bluegrass |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, songwriter |
| Instruments | Vocals, fiddle, cajun accordion, guitar |
| Years active | 1948–present |
Douglas James Kershaw (born January 24, 1936) is an American fiddle player, singer, and songwriter from Louisiana. He has been performing since 1948. He started his career with his brother, Rusty Kershaw, in a duo called Rusty and Doug. Doug Kershaw has had a long solo career, releasing 15 albums and several songs that became popular on the country music charts. He was also added to the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame in 2009.
Contents
Early Life and Music Beginnings
Doug Kershaw was born in a small community called Tiel Ridge in Cameron Parish, Louisiana. He grew up speaking Louisiana French and did not learn English until he was eight years old. By that age, he was already very good at playing the fiddle, which he started learning at age five. He eventually taught himself to play 28 different instruments! His very first performance was at a local bar, where his mother played the guitar alongside him.
Kershaw became interested in Cajun music because his parents often hosted parties on their houseboat in Louisiana. At these parties, he would hear Cajun bands playing their lively music.
The "Doug and Rusty" Duo
Doug grew up surrounded by Cajun fiddle and accordion music. He taught his brother, Rusty, how to play the guitar. In 1948, they formed a band called the Continental Playboys with their older brother, Nelson "Peewee" Kershaw. After Peewee left the group in the early 1950s, Doug and Rusty continued performing as a duo.
In 1955, when Doug was 19, he and Rusty performed on the Louisiana Hayride radio show in Shreveport, Louisiana. They also played at the WWVA Jamboree in Wheeling, West Virginia. Even though the brothers first sang in French, a record label owner named J. D. "Jay" Miller encouraged them to sing songs in English too.
In 1955, Doug and Rusty recorded their first song, "So Lovely, Baby." This song became very popular, reaching number 14 on the country music charts. Later that year, they were invited to become regular performers on the Louisiana Hayride. The Kershaws also performed at the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville, Tennessee, and became regular members there the next year.
Even with his busy music career, Doug went to McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana. He earned a college degree in mathematics. At the peak of their early success, in 1958, Doug and Rusty both joined the United States Army. They focused on their military service for three years before being discharged.
"Louisiana Man" and Solo Career
After their time in the Army, the two brothers recorded "Louisiana Man." Doug had written this song about his own life while he was in the Army. The song sold millions of copies and is now considered a classic in modern Cajun music. More than 800 other artists have recorded their own versions of "Louisiana Man."
Doug and Rusty released three albums together. The first was Rusty and Doug Sing Louisiana Man in 1961. By 1964, the brothers decided to go their separate ways. Three years later, in 1967, Doug signed a contract as a songwriter.
In June 1969, Doug Kershaw appeared on national television for the first time on the very first episode of The Johnny Cash Show. A famous fiddle player named Mark O'Connor was inspired to learn the fiddle after watching Doug's performance when he was eight years old. Later that year, Doug performed for a week at the Fillmore East in New York City, opening for Eric Clapton's band, Derek and the Dominos.
Many rock and pop fans thought Kershaw was a new artist, but he had already sold over 18 million records with his brother in the early 1960s. "Louisiana Man" was a top-10 country hit in 1961, and his next song, "Diggy Liggy Lo," was also very successful. His performance on national TV led to him signing a big contract with Warner Bros. Records.
In July 1969, he performed at the Newport Folk Festival alongside other famous musicians like Joni Mitchell and Arlo Guthrie. In November 1969, the song "Louisiana Man" was even played by the crew of the Apollo 12 Moon mission and broadcast back to Earth! Doug Kershaw became well-known across America, playing in major concert halls in big cities.
In 1970, Kershaw played the violin on Arlo Guthrie's song "Alice's Rock and Roll Restaurant." In 1971, he had a small acting and musical part in the film Zachariah, playing a fiddler in the desert. Kershaw's fiddle playing was also featured in the 1971 film Dollars. In 1972, he played electric fiddle on the song "Flight of the Phoenix" by the band Grand Funk.
Later Life and Family
Even with his successful solo career, Doug Kershaw faced personal challenges. His father had passed away when Doug was only seven years old. On June 21, 1975, Doug married his wife, Pam, at the Reliant Astrodome in Houston. They started a family and had five sons: Douglas Jr., Victor, Zachary, Tyler, and Elijah. He also has two grandsons, Joshua and Levi; a granddaughter, Courtney; a great-grandson, Ethan; and three great-granddaughters, Baya, Lillian, and Scarlet. His son Tyler played drums in his band and also managed his shows.
In 1978, Kershaw appeared briefly as a fiddler in the film Days of Heaven.
Kershaw had another big hit song called "Hello Woman," which reached the top 40 on the country music charts. By 1984, he overcame his personal struggles, and his life improved greatly.
In 1988, he recorded a duet called "Cajun Baby" with Hank Williams, Jr., which became a top-50 country hit. Kershaw released a French-language album, Two-Step Fever, in 1999. Michael Doucet of BeauSoleil joined him on the song "Fievre de Deux Etapes." Hot Diggity Doug was released in mid-2000, followed by Still Cajun After All These Years in early 2001. On tour, Kershaw was joined by his eldest grandson, Josh Kershaw, on guitar.
His brother Rusty passed away on October 23, 2001.
Doug Kershaw used to own and run a restaurant called the Bayou House in Lucerne, Colorado. However, he left the business in 2007 because he was not happy with how it was being managed.
In 2009, Doug Kershaw was honored by being inducted into the Louisiana Music Hall of Fame.
Doug's third cousin is the country music star Sammy Kershaw.
Images for kids
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Doug Kershaw playing the fiddle at the 2009 Festivals Acadiens et Créoles.
