Thom Doucette | |
|---|---|
| Also known as | "The Ace" |
| Origin | Sarasota, Florida, U.S. |
| Genres | Blues, southern rock |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, Instructor |
| Instrument(s) | Harmonica |
| Years active | 1970–present |
Thom "Ace" Doucette is an American blues harmonica player from the Sarasota, Florida region. [1] He is best known for having played with The Allman Brothers Band in the 1970s and later, although he was never an official member. [2]
In his early days as a musician, Doucette was a friend of bassist Berry Oakley; [3] guitarist Dickey Betts occasionally ran into the pair in Florida clubs. [4] Once the Allman Brothers Band had formed with Oakley and Betts as members, Doucette became friendly with group leader Duane Allman, who bestowed upon him the moniker "The Ace". [2]
Doucette appears on the group's second album, Idlewild South in 1970, playing harmonica and percussion. [5] In particular his harmonica is featured on the track "Don't Keep Me Wonderin'", where it plays along and against the slide guitar of Duane Allman; [5] towards the end the two merge together. [3] Doucette joined the band frequently when they played the Fillmore East in New York, [1] and consequently his harmonica solos are featured on two of the tracks from the classic 1971 live album At Fillmore East, those being " Done Somebody Wrong" and " You Don't Love Me". [3] (A solo on a third song, " Stormy Monday", was edited out of the original album release but restored in some later editions. [2])
Duane Allman tried to convince Doucette to formally join the group, but Doucette declined. [2] As Gregg Allman recalled of Doucette in his memoir, "I don't think he wanted the responsibility. I don't think he wanted to have to be anywhere at any time—Thom just kind of drifts, still to this day." [1] Doucette was one of the musicians who played at Duane Allman's funeral later in 1971. [3]
Doucette would perform again with the band in the early 1990s, following the group's 1989 reformation; one of those appearances is included on the 1992 live album An Evening with the Allman Brothers Band: First Set. [3] Remaining a Sarasota resident, [6] he sometimes appeared at individual Betts or Gregg Allman shows in the Florida area. [7] [6] He again appeared with the full band at its 40th anniversary shows during its 2009 Beacon run in New York. [8]
Besides his activities as a musician, Doucette also became a yoga instructor in the Sarasota area. [9]
Discography
With The Allman Brothers Band
- Idlewind South (1970)
- At Fillmore East (1971)
- Eat a Peach (1972) (on tracks 3-5)
- An Evening with the Allman Brothers Band: First Set (1992)
- 40 (2014)
References
- ^ a b c Allman, Gregg; Light, Alan (2012). My Cross to Bear. New York: William Morrow. p. 180. ISBN 978-0-06-211203-3.
- ^ a b c d Paul, Alan (2014). One Way Out: The Inside History of the Allman Brothers Band. New York: St. Martin's Press. pp. 110–111, 135. ISBN 978-1-250-04049-7.
- ^ a b c d e Freeman, Scott (1995). Midnight Riders: The Story of the Allman Brothers Band. Boston: Little, Brown and Company. pp. 72, 89–90. ISBN 978-0-316-29452-2.
- ^ Poe, Randy (2006). Skydog: The Duane Allman Story. San Francisco: Backbeat Books. p. 70. ISBN 0-87930-891-5.
- ^ a b Costa, Jean-Charles (1973). Beginnings (Liner notes). The Allman Brothers Band. Capricorn Records.
- ^ a b Tatangelo, Wade (November 2, 2006). "Gregg Allman delivers at blues fest". The Bradenton Herald. p. 20 (Weekend) – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Cubarrubia, Eydie (March 17, 1995). "Top O' the Mornin', Gamblers". The Bradenton Herald. p. 15 (Weekend) – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "John Bell, Jimmy Herring, Thom Doucette and King Curtis Kingpins Join the Allman Brothers Band at the Beacon". Jambands.com. March 24, 2009.
- ^ "Yoga Teachers & Centers: Florida". Yoga Journal. Winter 1999. p. 96.