Tony Douglas

b. 12 April 1929, Martins Mill, Texas, USA. Despite not being well known outside his native state, Douglas is one of the unsung stalwarts of Texas country music. Born on a farm on the outskirts of his native Athens, he started singing while on service with the US Army in Germany after the World War II. On his return to America Douglas landed a spot on the Cowtown Hoedown, a weekly live show broadcast by KCUL from Fort Worth, Texas. He recorded his first single "Old Blue Monday" for the show's own name label, and shortly afterwards was invited to join The Louisiana Hayride in 1957. He remained a popular live attraction until the venerable show's closure three years later. Douglas moved on to the Big D Jamboree and signed a recording contract with Pappy Daily's new label, D Records. He recorded three singles for the label with backing from his regular musicians Chuck Jennings and Orville Couch. The last of these, "Shrimpin'", became a local hit in 1961 and earned the combo the nickname Tony Douglas And The Shrimpers. Douglas made his national breakthrough on Vee Jay Records, reaching the country Top 30 with "His And Hers", but the label's bankruptcy precluded the singer earning any royalties. An album of the same name later appeared on Sims Records, but despite further releases for Paula Records Douglas remained absent from the charts for the rest of the decade. He formed his own Cochise Records label and enjoyed a return to the country charts in 1973 with "Thank You For Touching My Life" and "My Last Day" (both leased to Dot Records). Douglas hit the charts only two more times, in 1975 with "If I Can Make It (Through The Mornin')", and seven years later with a reworking of "His And Hers". Douglas, affectionately known as "Mr Nice Guy", remains a popular draw in his home town of Athens, Georgia, and still releases material on his own Cochise label.