Doug Kees began professional performances while still in high school in Atlanta. He continued studying music at Georgia State University where he earned a Bachelor of Music in Jazz Performance. Since that time, with thousands of performances to his credit, he has performed in concert halls, nightclubs, churches, fraternity houses, recording studios, restaurants, and schools from Seattle to New York and all points in between.
In 1989 he founded Doug Kees Music Services which currently provides hundreds of music lessons each week as well as dozens of performances and recordings each year. In 1993 he started the Contemporary Band Program at The Heritage School where he served on the faculty and in 2016 took over the Instrumental Program at Central Educational Center where he continues serving today.
In April 2017, Doug joined Michelle Malone and Drag The River for a reunion show. From there, he and Malone formed their swingin’ Christmas trio The Hot Toddies as well as recording Malone’s Top 10 Billboard album ‘Slings and Arrows’. They continue to perform all over the states with The Indigo Girls, Shawn Mullins Jimmy Hall and many more.
2019 saw the release of his first solo album “Roots and Boughs”, a solo instrumental album featuring exotic tunings, flowing melodies and rich chord progressions. This was followed in 2021 by the full band album "Eleven" and several videos and continued promotion in 2022. Ever Onward!!!
"Powerful songs brilliantly performed. Doug is a player's player." Tinsley Ellis