Doug Deming & The Jewel Tones
Interview by Rob Heilig
The September 7th Aiken Music Fest is going to be one full of connections on stage. Not that there isn’t a foundational connection for every act who plays AMF- The Allman Brothers Band. Although having that connection for any band from the Southeast is almost like saying that you’ve breathed pine-scented air before.
Doug Deming, of the eponymous Doug Deming and The Jewel Tones, just happens to have a long-time friendship with Ben Newman, the maestro of Aiken’s favorite good time, get up and dance party band Anybody’s Guess?, who will open things up for Doug and his bandmates.
While it’s always encouraged to bring a festival chair with you to Highfields Event Center, if past ABG shows in the Aiken area are any indication of what’s to come, you can (almost) leave the chair at home and just wear your favorite dancing shoes.
AMF: You’re from?
DD: Born in Detroit, now living in Tampa.
AMF: Motown influences, one should presume?
DD: Motown, for sure. But I was fortunate to grow up in this magically intoxicating mix of jazz, blues, and incredibly talented era of singer-songwriters.
AMF: The Jewel Tones are…
DD: Andrew Gohman on upright bass and Fender bass guitar. Zack Pomerlau- drums and electric blues harmonica simultaneously. (This group is not a bunch of 9th graders trying to play a flute so they don’t have to take P.E. classes! Check out www.dougdeming.com for a deeper dive into each member and the depth and background they bring to this trio.)
AMF: We’re fortunate to discover regional traveling acts on their way up at AMF- you’ve been “places…”
DD: We’ve been fortunate to play internationally as well as in The States. (See the link above for their long list of people and places.)
AMF: We touched on influences above, but it’s not an AMF chat if we don’t touch on The Allman Brothers…
DD: I’ve seen them, sure. Their influence is everywhere. But I wanted to know WHO inspired them, so that’s where I really dug into the classics and foundational blues artists. ‘Stormy Monday’ was T-Bone Walker’s before ABB made it their own. (Doug doesn’t just play the blues- he’s studied the blues, and IS the blues.)
AMF: 2024 highlights?
DD: The recent Midwest run we did was just fun. Smooth, with no issues, great turnouts, and just a pleasure to be a part of. We played Summer Fest in Milwaukie for the 3rd year in a row, as well as The Red, White, and Blues Festival in Rockford- there was a tornado 5 days before that (RWB) show that smashed the venue, and those folks rallied, found a replacement venue, and pulled off a show seamlessly that was beyond impossible. (You just heard ‘Boom Boom’ by John Lee Hooker in your head, didn’t you?)
AMF: What’s playing in the van?
DD: Depends on who’s playing DJ. There’s always a lot of new stuff, but there’s also a lot of headphone time. And there’s a point in the ride where everyone just wants silence.
AMF: Any residency type gigs at home?
DD: We play a lot of Thursdays at Riviera Dunes, and a couple other spots around town.
AMF: Parting words for the old, and new, AMF fans ahead of this show?
DD: We’re going to bring you a lot of original music in the style of the classics. We love upbeat numbers, and we love people dancing to our music. Our world today is often over-stimulated; everyone has a device in their hands clanging and vibrating- hopefully this is a chance for everyone to unplug and tune-out, but also tune-in to a different vibe for a little while.
With the rare, solid connection between Doug and Ben Newman, I asked Ben for a closing shot-
AMF: Tell us how Anybody’s Guess? is going to light the stage on fire to warm it up for Doug and his guys?
DD: We’re going to play one our guaranteed to get folks on their feet set of dance tunes. Having been friends with, and followed, them for years, I’m really excited to open for them, then to get a chance to enjoy their show.
For Tickets to the September 7th show this Saturday, visit www.AikenMusicFest.com
