DOUG COURTLAND

Roadie

DOUG COURTLAND was born in Gorham, VT in 1955, the youngest of three children. His father died before his birth, and his was raised by his mother until he turned 16. Following a public altercation, for which he was briefly incarcerated, he resided with an uncle, Armand Grenier, and his cousin, Kieran. Always a struggling student, Doug decided to quit high school at the end of his sophomore year, and went to work at Armand’s logging company. Doug’s police record rendered him ineligible for the draft, so he found work in many arenas, replacing young men who were called to serve in Vietnam.

Doug met the Roadhouse Sons at a 1976 Fourth of July celebration in Bennington, VT, where he was hired to unload their band truck in exchange for free admission to their show. During the performance, Doug’s prowess in running security was well-noted, and he was immediately hired as the band’s roadie, a position he fills to this day. On the musical front, Doug defies his reserved demeanor and rough exterior, citing Chicago, America and The Guess Who as his favorite bands.
Doug’s love life is dubious at best. He was once engaged to Debbie Palmer, a girl who resided in Barre, VT. Doug doesn’t discuss why the relationship dissolved, and nobody asks.