Joe Doerr

Joe Doerr (born November 15, 1961) a.k.a. Joe Francis Doerr is an Austin, Texas-based singer-songwriter and poet.

Joe Doerr
Joe Doerr, Photo by Leon Alesi, 2011
Background information
Born (1961-11-15) November 15, 1961
St. Louis, Missouri, US
GenresRock and roll, punk rock, alternative rock, experimental rock, roots rock, blues rock, rockabilly
Occupation(s)Musician, singer-songwriter, poet
InstrumentsVocals, harmonica, keyboards
Years active1961-present
LabelsColumbia Records, Profile Records, New Rose Records (in German), Demon Records, Skyclad, Saustex Media
Associated actsThe LeRoi Brothers, Ballad Shambles, Hand of Glory, Churchwood

Career

A native of St. Louis, Missouri, Doerr moved to Austin, Texas in 1983 to join The LeRoi Brothers,[1] a roots-rock band formed by Mike Buck, Don Leady, Alex Napier, and Doerr's older brother Steve. Doerr, whose spirited performing style caught the attention of "The Dean of American Rock Critics" Robert Christgau,[2] appeared on several records with The LeRoi Brothers including the Columbia Records EP "Forget About the Danger, Think of the Fun."[3] Doerr also toured extensively with the band throughout Europe and the US and gave a memorable performance on Austin City Limits[4] before leaving the group in 1986 to pursue other interests. In 2005, Doerr rejoined The LeRoi Brothers and has continued to perform with the band to the present. In March 2014, Doerr and the other LeRoi Brothers band members were inducted into the Austin Music Hall of Fame.[5]

In 1986, Doerr formed the alternative band Ballad Shambles[6] with long-time collaborator and guitarist Bill Anderson (formerly of The Meat Purveyors), bassist Michael Maye (with whom Doerr appears[7] on the Grammy-nominated "Big Guitars from Texas"[8]), and drummer Stan Moore (formerly of Zakary Thaks). The band released one studio EP with Skyclad Records. When Ballad Shambles disbanded in 1988, Doerr and Anderson formed Hand of Glory[9] with bassist Tim Swingle and drummer Mike Navarro. Hand of Glory released two studio LPs and a single, "Like a Nightmare," recorded live in Berlin on the Skyclad label before disbanding in 1992.

Exhausted by incessant touring, Doerr became temporarily disillusioned with the music scene; he returned to academe, having dropped out of St. Louis University in 1982. He graduated from The University of Texas at Austin in 1995 with a BA in English and entered graduate school at The University of Notre Dame in 1996. Doerr earned three degrees in seven years at Notre Dame: an MFA (Creative Writing, Poetry), an MA (English), and a Ph.D. (English). In 2003, he returned to Austin where he now resides with his wife, Mary.

Doerr is the author of 2016's praiseworthy collection of poetry and lyrics Tocayo: New & Selected Poems & Songs,[10] Order of the Ordinary[11](a well-received collection of poems[12] published by Salt Publishing), and the editor of the Salt Companion to John Matthias,[13] a favorably reviewed collection of essays on Matthias's later work.[14] Doerr's literary criticism, reviews, and articles have appeared in a number of publications, including The Encyclopedia of American Poetry: The Twentieth Century, in which Doerr writes extensively on John Ashberry, Robert Creeley, and the New Formalism movement in American poetry.[15] In addition to his reputation as a scholar of American poetry, Doerr has achieved international (primarily British) literary renown (see, for example, his work in Poetry Nation Review[16] and Stand[17]). In recent years, various anthologists have chosen to include Doerr's work in memorable collections such as The Open Light: Poets from Notre Dame, 1991–2008,[18] and The Possibility of Language: Seven New Poets.[19] Since 2006, Doerr has taught writing at St. Edward's University in Austin.[20]

In 2007, Doerr began collaborating again with Bill Anderson. Together with Julien Peterson (drums), Adam Kahan (bass), and Billysteve Korpi (guitar), Anderson and Doerr formed the poetry-driven, alternative blues-rock band Churchwood, a project to which Doerr contributes by writing music and lyrics, and providing vocal performances. Churchwood signed with the San Antonio, Texas-based Saustex Media label in 2010 and to date has released four LPs and an EP with Saustex. In 2011, Churchwood placed "Rimbaud Diddley" (lyrics in French by Doerr[21]) on Season 4, Episode 4 ("Una Venta") of AMC's "Sons of Anarchy."[22]

Discography

Bibliography

References
  1. Leland, John (August 1985). LeRoi Brothers: Lucky, Lucky Me. SPIN Magazine. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  2. Christgau, Robert (1990). Christgau's Record Guide: The '80s (1st ed.). New York: Pantheon Books. pp. 244–245. ISBN 978-0679730156. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  3. Palmer, Robert (March 14, 1984). "The Pop Life". The New York Times. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  4. "Bonnie Raitt / The LeRoi Brothers with Ray Campi & Sleepy La Beef". Austin City Limits. KLRU TV, Austin PBS. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  5. "Austin Music Awards: All Years Hall of Fame". Austin Chronicle Corp. The Austin Chronicle. n.d. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  6. Robbins, Ira A. (1991). The Trouser Press Record Guide: The Ultimate Guide to Alternative Music (4th ed.). New York: Collier Books. p. 383. ISBN 978-0020363613. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  7. "All Music: Joe Doerr Credits". All Music. Media Network, LLC. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  8. McNear, Clay (July 5, 1986). Labels Bloom: Indies Turn Growth Industry as Austin Talent Develops National Clout. Billboard. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  9. Robbins, Ira A. (1991). The Trouser Press Record Guide: The Ultimate Guide to Alternative Music (4th ed.). New York: Collier Books. p. 383. ISBN 978-0020363613. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  10. Doerr, Joe (2016). Tocayo (1st ed.). Bristol: Shearsman Books. ISBN 978-1848614710. Retrieved August 11, 2016.
  11. Doerr, Joe Francis (2003). Order of the Ordinary (1st ed.). Cambridge: Salt Publishing. ISBN 978-1844710126. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  12. Boully, Jenny (August 1, 2004). "Extraordinary Poetry: Doerr's Debut Collection Order of the Ordinary". Maisonneuve: A Quarterly of Arts, Opinion & Ideas. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  13. Doerr, Joe Francis (2011). The Salt Companion to John Matthias (1st ed.). Cambridge: Salt Publishing. ISBN 978-1844718979. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  14. Santos, John Phillip (2012). "Cracking the Matthias Code". American Letters & Commentary (23): 132. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  15. Haralson, Eric L. (2001). The Encyclopedia of American Poetry: The Twentieth Century (1st ed.). New York: Routledge. pp. 24–27, 150–152, 503–506. ISBN 978-1579582401. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  16. Doerr, Joe Francis (August 1997). "Two Poems". PN Review. 116 (23). Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  17. Doerr, Joe Francis (2005). "Likely Through the Stones: Running in the Border Lands with Ken Smith". Stand. 6 (1). Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  18. Menes, Orlando Ricardo (2011). The Open Light: Poets from Notre Dame, 1991–2008 (1st ed.). Notre Dame, IN: U. of Notre Dame Press. pp. 102–106. ISBN 978-0268035211.
  19. Roessner, Jeffrey (2001). The Possibility of Language: Seven New Poets (1st ed.). Bloomington: iUniverse. ISBN 978-0595191338. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  20. Kew, Sharla (April 12, 2010). "Doerr Brings Diverse Experiences to Classes". St. Edward's University. Hilltop Views. Archived from the original on June 26, 2014. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
  21. Bosquez, James. "Churchwood: Churchwood". San Antonio Current. San Antonio Current Co. Retrieved June 25, 2014.
  22. "Una Venta: Sons of Anarchy". Sons of Anarchy. FX. Retrieved June 6, 2014.
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