BIOGRAPHY

Doug Kwartler's musical upbringing was filled with the enduring storytelling of Bruce Springsteen, the in-your-face folk-rock of Tom Petty and the rockabilly twang of Brian Setzer. He began playing guitar at age 15. Initially influenced by Brian Setzer, a fellow Long Islander, Kwartler soon bought his first guitar - a 1963 Gretsch Atkins Nashville Model. He quickly learned the rockabilly riffs of Perkins, Cochran, Vincent and of course, Setzer, although he admits, "not nearly in the same universe as those guys."

Soon, other guitarists like Keith Richards and Pete Townshend would influence his style. It was their influence that made Doug want to perform on stage. At that time however, his dream was only to become a great guitar player. All that changed when in 1984, Doug's older brother brought home Born In The USA. "Springsteen has been the most influential artist on me as a musician. He made me want to be a songwriter. "Additional influences Doug sites are Tom Petty, Dylan, Johnny Cash, Jay Farrar, Jackson Browne and Woody Guthrie.

In addition to being a songwriter and performer, Doug also records and produces albums for other artists in his Long Island, NY, Hollow Body Studios. Artists such as: Austin Kuebler, Alli Collis, Stuart Markus, The Repercussions, Dave Isaacs and have all recorded there.

For 5 years, Kwartler led the roots-rock band, Foundry. The band released two albums, World Rattles 'Round, and Give Me A Reason To Live, both receiving critical acclaim while selling internationally.

Halfway House, Kwartler's 2003 solo debut, received a host of 4 - star reviews and airplay on many triple A and Americana radio stations. The Roots Music Report called Halfway House, "…an ingeniously compiled cd…" with AltCountryTab.com calling it "…quite brilliant…" The noted Alt.Country site Freight Train Boogie.com said, "…this is a wonderful cd…" that "…hits the mark on most every song." Ctrlaltcountry.be called Halfway House, "…one hell of a roots-rock record."

Now with even more focus and purpose, on Silver Meteor, his soon to be released follow up, Kwartler continues to break open and delve into many of life's most defining moments, putting them into songs with lasting melodies and genuine lyrics. Drawing from his own experiences, he has created records that are both fresh and authentic, with music rooted in history and with stories and struggles that are a part of all of our lives.

Look for Kwartler to tour in support of Silver Meteor through the fall, 2004.