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Doug Perkins

About Me

My Jazz Story

Doug Perkins started playing guitar after he realized that the trumpet, besides only being able to play one note at a time, was just not as sexy & cool as the "six stringed siren of the '60s & 70s". After 2 years of playing he started teaching guitar in a local Toledo OH area music store on the day of his 16th birthday, expanding to students spread over two stores and his home and playing with old time 50's rockers "Johnny & The Hurricanes" before leaving to study at Boston's Berklee College of Music for two years at 19. After Berklee and a few years of playing all over Canada in show bands, theatre, etc. while based out of Toronto, he moved to Los Angeles to finish up his guitar studies at Musician's Institute. While a student, he was voted the first Outstanding Guitarist of the year by the teaching staff, and then hired as staff instructor; which included writing both curriculum as well as ensemble arrangements for the then fledgling school. During his stay at MI he had the good fortune to play and teach with amazing guitarists like Joe Diorio, Don Mock, Scott Henderson, Frank Gambale, Robben Ford, and many more.