2006

JAKE DOELL

From a toddler crying in church because the hymns were so moving, to working all summer hoeing corn to earn enough money to buy his first used guitar, Jake Doell’s life has been involved with music.

His professional career started with Hall of Famer, Rudy Hayden and the Country Boys, who became the house band at the Hollywood Bowl in New Westminster from ‘59 to ‘62. He played guitar on Rudy’s first recording in ‘57, which also featured Johnny Zapp (Hall of Famer) on drums.

In the early sixties, Jake did radio shows on CHWK which showcased both Rudy and Elmer Tippe (Hall of Famer), and were engineered by life-long friend, Keith Spencer.

He was fortunate to be the emcee for the CHWK sponsored Grand Old Opry show starring Ray Price, with his band, the Cherokee Cowboys. At that time it included Willie Nelson on bass and steel player, Jimmy Day.

While working with Elmer and Alice in 1961 at the Calgary Stampede, a tragic accident inspired Jake to write “Chuckwagon Driver.” He performed the song with Hank Snow’s band at the QE Theatre, and the recording went to #1 on CJOR.

He formed the Chuckwagon Drivers in ‘62, and toured B.C. and  Alberta, with a winter in Salt Lake City and a summer in Fairbanks, Alaska. He found that driving the Alaska Highway in winter with no heater in your car is an adventure best not repeated!

In the late 60s, Jake and the Coachmen were the house band for the Lamplighter, and later, the Bronze Boot supper club. The band included Ed Isaac, Bill Bouvette on drums, and Dino Gerussi on keyboards. The band backed up many feature acts, including Buddy Knox, Conway Twitty, Tommy Collins, Jerry Wallace and others.

Jake played guitar and sang harmony with actor and singer, Guy Mitchell for a while in the seventies. Around that time, he also started producing records, first for Irene Butler and then Hall of Famer, Dave Hamel, followed by Alan Moberg and many others, using Al Reusch’s studio, Aragon, and then at Studio 3.

In the mid-70s, Jake produced and co-wrote Yellow House of Love with Patti MacDonnell, which they recorded with the Hudson Brothers as session musicians, including Bill Hudson, father of movie-star, Kate. The song went to #1 on the Canadian Country charts and resulted in a BMI award and a Juno nomination. It was also recorded in Nashville by Connie Cato.

Jake and Mary have been married for 54 years and have two daughters, Pat Meyer and Cyndi Jackelman, who is following in her dad’s footsteps. Cyndi sings, writes songs and performs in a trio called “Mama’s Kitchen”, recording their first CD in Nanaimo.

At the age of 60, Jake finally had the time to pursue his love of pedal steel guitar, and has enjoyed playing it in shows and on recordings.

To end on a humourous note, Jake has been recently given the dubious honour of having “Jake’s Boogie” included on a compilation CD named ''Early Canadian Rockers - Volumes 9 & 10''.