Per the last post, lots of creative stuff on tap for this year, starting with this. Chuffed to have a new Doug Hoekstra short story, “Concessions,” appear in Canopic Jar 35. Big thanks to Phil Rice, the vision behind the Jar, for including DH (i.e. me) among so many talented artists and writers. Check it out HERE.

https://www.canopicpublishing.com/post/canopic-jar-35-an-anthology

Hello all.  Hope the year is off to a good start for you, despite all that’s swirling around us.   Whew. Seems a bit inconsequential sending out a hype mailer in this context, but there are several new Doug Hoekstra creative projects that will drop in 2021.  Hopefully, the music and words will provide some sort of positive distraction as they arrive, for those sheltering at home or eventually, getting back out in the world.

First up, The Day Deserved,Hoekstra’s first album in a decade, will be released April 30. 2021 on Drop Autumn Records.  Ten songs, 55 minutes, expansive tunes bending the confines of the singer-songwriter world with touches of rock, folk, jazz, and reggae.  As the liner notes say, it is a record intended to be “a marker of the times, characters pressing on through barriers and breaks fostered by their surroundings.  Often, they travel a circuitous route, reflected in music that mirrors their path to self-determination, authenticity, happiness.  Sometimes the fruits of this journey are reflected in something as simple as a better day, their day, the day deserved.”  

The Day Deserved was recorded at Howard’s Apartment Studio in Nashville this past year, with  proprietor Dave Coleman at the helm, and a stellar core backing band: Dave on guitars, Doug on rhythm guitars and keyboards, Chris Benelli on drums and percussion and Paul Slivka on bass.  There are also groovy guest appearances from Jimmy Bowland (saxophone), Hannah Fairlight (vocals), David Henry (cello and violin), Jude Hoekstra (clarinet), and Preacher Boy (vocals) to add to the mix.  Album and booklet design by Bob Delevante; Mastering by Jim DeMain at Yes Master.     

As the date approaches, we will also drop five promotional videos, a special backstory booklet, and other goodies.   If you are a press/radio person interested in more info, let us know, information will be passed on, the team will turn, and things will happen!  

Hoekstra Creative is also in the process of cleaning up web and online materials, so if you want more info, though, please reference other parts of www.doughoekstra.net, or https://soundcloud.com/doughoekstra/ or  https://doughoekstra.bandcamp.com/

Next, Ten Seconds In-Between, Doug Hoekstra’s latest collection of short stories, will be published June 2021 on Better Than Starbucks press.  Flash to full length, all reflect a line in one key story: “You remember reading somewhere that psychologists say when people meet, they decide within 7 and 17 seconds whether or not they will like each other. You wonder about the 10 seconds in between.”    Final touches are happening now, but advance thanks go out to Vera Ignatowitsch (editor at BTS) and Chad Johnson (artwork/design)

One of our favorite authors, Corey Mesler (Memphian extraordinaire) provided the following quote for the book jacket, which also does a nice job of summarizing this activity to come.  Stay tuned for all this and more, and thanks for the read.

“Doug Hoekstra is either the Hank Williams of the printed page, or the Raymond Carver of the recording studio. Like Leonard Cohen he moves smoothly between writing songs and writing poetry. He works so gracefully because he knows language is the set of wings required and with those wings he can soar and glide. Read him and you will recognize that here is art that’s been waiting for you. It will feel that personal.” (Corey Mesler, Author of Camel’s Bastard Son)