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Photo © Irena Petrie 2005
All other photos © Sleeping Dog Music 2005

I'm a singer-songwriter, musician and entertainer 
with 15 albums recorded to date.
After playing lead guitar in a Shadows / Beatles cover band, I took to sipping strong coffee and wearing a duffle coat as my 12-string and I descended into the subterranean world of the folk clubs where I became a Dylan impersonator supreme.
My first real break came when I recorded my debut album for CBS. I rushed around on cloud nine playing everyone this two- track, steam- recorded, mono LP 
with my young face on the cover.
I think it garnered me a tin record for 25 sales! My album Source released in 1969 featured one of my first compositions Something Strange. Source received an award for 
Best Other Album Of The Year - whatever that means!

I got busy writing my own songs and also started writing with Jim Stewart. Jim and I 
co-wrote an album called the Age Of Mouse for the newly formed independent Sweet Peach label. Featuring the band Fraternity, it was the first double album of original material released in Australia. It got noticed enough to be issued in the US. I have now discovered a couple of original vinyl copies for sale on the Web for more money than I actually earned from its initial release. A song from the album, 
On The Day They Freed The Noise, was the first Sweet Peach single.

I then travelled to Nashville where I lived and worked for three years. While there I met many great writers and singers, ate and drank lots of  "country breakfasts" and co-wrote many songs. One of these, Just Thank Me, became a number 
one country hit for the late David Rogers.

 Another unforgettable experience while in Nashville was co-producing a single for, and touring with, the great Broadway star Carol Channing. During my stay in America I also  performed at Gerdes Folk City in New York and at the Exit Inn in Nashville.
Upon returning to Australia I dusted off my  trusty Telecaster to 
front my own country rock band, The Sleeping Dogs.
During my long and sometimes colourful career, I have been lucky enough to perform with such diverse  international acts as  Joni Mitchell, Supertramp, Leo Kottke, Charlie Pride, Cheech and Chong, The Stylistics, Dave Van Ronk, Jimmy Webb, Ralph McTell, Ramblin’ Jack Elliott and Kinky Friedman. I have had the breathtaking experience and privilege of sharing the stage in concert with the Sydney Symphony Orchestra. 

 
While touring with Biko author, the late Donald Woods, I was the first artist to 
perform at a National Press Club luncheon.
I've been picking, singing and writing  long enough to have heard my voice on the charts for three decades. The songs include On The Day They Freed The Noise, A Whole Lotta Shakin' Goin' On, The Saddest Song Of All, Winter In America and  Eric Bogle's classic And The Band Played Waltzing Matilda .  Winter In America, co-written with Jimmy Stewart during a cold Nashville winter, has been recorded by numerous artists throughout the world.  Dutch superstar Rene Froger's version was in the top five in Holland for many weeks. Rene’s live version has also topped the charts in that country.

I'm fortunate to have had my compositions  recorded by dozens of artists whom I admire, including  Tommy Emmanuel, Julie Anthony, Allan Caswell, Jimmy Little, Frank Ifield, Doug Kershaw, Johnny Tillotson, Wayne Newton, Danny Doyle, 
The Robertson Brothers, Col Joye and the legendary Bon Scott.
In 1997 I released  No Cheap Grace, featuring 13 new songs. It is an album I'm very proud of and one the critics  seemed to enjoy. 
Also in 1997, I was inducted into the Walk Of Honour at Rocky Page’s Hall Of Fame, in Barmera, SA, and received an award for international recognition for Australian music 
from the Riverland Country Music Club. 
In the spring of 1999 I released two CDs - a re-mastered CD of my Seventies album Trees, which I think is one of my best albums, and Really And Sincerely, a 70-minute collection 
of early studio out-takes and rarities.
 2001 saw the release of a studio album Homesong, featuring five new songs and concert favourites, including a  new acoustic version of Winter In America.
 I released a live album in 2002 recorded at the Troubadour Weekend, Campaspe Downs Resort,  Doug Ashdown And Friends Live . . . The Blues And Then Some.
I had fun co-composing four songs for the Australian feature film, Billy's Holiday, co-produced by Tristram Miall, producer of Strictly Ballroom. One of my recent projects has been to write and play the theme song for the documentary film In Flinders Wake.  
In mid 2002 I re-issued The Age Of Mouse on CD. 
I'm very excited about the Raven Records album 
Doug Ashdown  - A Career Collection 1965-2000, compiled by Glenn A. Baker. This is a 21 track CD  featuring songs from most of my albums. 
Hot off the press is my new album The Folk Centre Concert . 
Every chance I get I perform in concert with my mate Ross Ryan and also long time buddies Kevin Johnson and Mike McClellan as JAM. 
 I am kept busy writing songs, recording, conducting song-writing workshops and performing at clubs, concerts and festivals.