“Hoekstra says of his songwriting tastes, ‘I like lyrics that make you feel like you’re there, that give you some sense of place, the wind on your skin, the way things smell — almost like cinematic scenes.’ That’s the perfect description of his most effective songs: they truly take you places – and we feel comforted, like a home has been built for us within a song. Maybe that’s an apt way to describe the skills of a traveling musician, as building small homes all over the world, and welcoming strangers inside. That’s a skill that transcends genre that immediately erases the preconceived notions some of us bring to certain types of music or music audiences. When he’s carefully constructing places out of words, and notes, and sounds, Doug Hoekstra stumbles onto something magical, a genuine secret power music can have.” (Pop Matters)
Over the years, Doug Hoekstra has criss-crossed the U.S. and Europe many times over on the strength of his words, notes, sounds and songs, performing live at bookstores, coffeehouses, clubs, libraries, pubs, festivals, record stores, and castles, solo and with backing bands of various sizes and stripes. He has also shared the bill or opened for many groovy artists and peers, such as:
India Arie, Barenaked Ladies, Big Head Todd and The Monsters, John Cale, Alejandro Escovedo, Jewel, Ian Mathews, James McMurtry, Carrie Newcomer, Tim O’Brian, Gretchen Peters, Kelly Jo Phelps, Chuck Prophet, Kim Richey, Al Stewart, Gary Stewart, Keith Urban, Ad Vanderveen, Vigilantes of Love, David Wilcox and more. In his previous Chicago-based bands, Doug shared the stage with Edie Brickell and the New Bohemians, Del Fuegos, the Fleshtones, Arlo Guthrie, Hot Tuna, the Ben Vaughn Combo, Yo La Tengo, and more. We’ve probably forgotten some but you get the idea.
Along the way, Hoekstra also did time strumming away at every possible laminate gathering and festival groove, including but not limited to A2A Amsterdam CMJ New York, Crossroads Memphis, LMNOP New Orleans, MRMF St. Louis, NXNW Portland, SWSW Austin several times; Halsted Street Fest/Chicago, Phonofestivalen/Bergen Norway, Required Listening at the Bottom Line in New York, Southern Festival of Books/Nashville, and Summer Lights/Nashville. Again, we’ve probably forgotten some but you get the idea.
Many radio stations have also supported Hoekstra’s work, with regular rotation and cool live radio spots, including but not limited to: Acoustic Café (several times), All Songs Considered, BBC England (many locales, including Drive Time London and the Julia Hankin Show in Newcastle), BBC Scotland (Brian Morton Show, Clare English’ Celtic Connections), Blue Plate Special (Knoxville), Crossroads Live/BTRO Netherlands, E-Town at the Boulder Theater, Hotel Milwaukee, Kentucky Homefront, Radio Live Pensacola, Woodsongs, WFUV/Rita Houston Show, WFPK Live in Louisville, World Café (several times), WordStream (WDVX Knoxville), and WPLN Nashville Songwriter Sessions Live. Along the way, Doug also popped in at supportive radio stations far and wide, from Asheville (WNCW) to New York (WFUV/Rita Houston); Memphis (WEVL) to Nashville (WRLT); Chicago (WLUW) to Cincinnati (WNKU) and more.
Doug Hoekstra 