Doug McElroy
We all have our unique footprints in our personal history. Doug’s is a unique one as well. Born in Charlotte, NC he was immediately put up for adoption due to being born out of wedlock.
The Social agency responsible for him was headed by the mother of the late, great, Charles Kuralt, the former anchor for CBS Sunday Morning news hour. Mrs Kuralt told Doug’s adoptive parents that it was imperative they look for signs of musical talent because his biological father was known nationwide as a piano player. To this day, Doug doesn’t know who his dad is.
At age 4 he started “picking out” hymns on the church piano, and by age 9 was “forced” into formal piano lessons. Though he progressed well, he hated the restrictions that reading music imposed.
By the time Doug was 12, the late, great, Floyd Cramer had released the now famous version of “LAST DATE” as a piano instrumental. Doug had an overpowering attraction to the record and immediately ask his piano teacher for a song book by Floyd Cramer, which she promptly provided.
He immediately mastered the song, but his piano teacher could not play it with any “feeling”. The teacher suggested to Doug’s mother that he quit lessons because he was going to play “his way”.
What a prophetic statement…
By age 19 Doug was playing for the famous “Tweetsie Railroad” resort in the mountains of western North Carolina and backing up television shows in Charlotte, NC. Doug was the first, and to this day, one of the only artists to record bluegrass music with piano as the lead instrument. He spent many years playing various resorts from Hilton Head, South Carolina to Sun River, Oregon.
Through the years he has played for many well known artists such as Bobby Bare and Lee Roy Parnell. The former Miss America, Anita Bryant was in his audience back in the 70′s and was taken enough to seek Doug out after his show to deliver very kind compliments. Doug also entertained for such companies as Johnson & Johnson at corporate events. Internationally, he played at the famed St. Andrew’s Old Course Golf Hotel that you often see sitting adjacent to the 17th fairway when the British Open golf tournament is hosted at St. Andrew’s.
He is best known for his ability to play a unique style referred to in the music world as the “bent note or grace note” style. Though associated very strongly with the one and only Floyd Cramer, and regarded by highly accomplished musical artist as a duplicate of “Floyd’s” style, his piano playing is unique to him. As he says, “Most of us can walk, but two people are never exactly the same in their walking style.”
Future lessons are forthcoming, ranging from actually learning how to play by “ear,” to a Tip of the Month. Virtual piano lessons are being planned to be accessible in real time. Thanks to technology, Doug is spreading his contribution to the world via the internet. He is thrilled to see so many thousands of people mastering the piano that never would have dreamed could be within their capabilities. Doug currently plays in Winston Salem, NC and is a family man with 5 children and 7 grandchildren.
Stay tuned to his site to add excitement to your life!
Feel the excitement of learning this unique technique with Doug McElroy as your personal trainer.
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