Doug Harper releases new CD

Friends refer to him as Dangerous Doug, but he poses no threat to anyone, except perhaps his own ego. Doug Harper is a local music promoter who also writes and performs his own music as well as performing occasionally with the Marci Mitchell band. He also hosts a radio show on KESM in El Dorado Springs.

Harper has been knocking around Nevada and the surrounding area bringing entertainment and fun not usually available in small communities. Most recently, he brought the folk duo Brewer and Shipley to town, and before that, he managed to get the legendary David Allan Coe to perform at the Nevada Speedway.

Now he has a new CD, "41st Street," with 10 tracks that are uniquely his. Harper's focus on this CD is Nevada itself, or at least Nevada as he sees it. The CD was recorded live at the Roadhouse Saloon by Harper's friend and fellow musician Jason Moomaw.

"Jason and I are long-time friends and musical counterparts," Harper said. "I trust his judgment more than any producer in Nashville or Los Angeles."

Most of the work on the CD, including the cover art and printing, were done locally, Harper's way of thanking the community for its support.

"Trey Sivolla did the original art for the cover, then I took it to Sara Simmons and she did the final finish on it," Harper said. "I had the cover printed at the Nevada Daily Mail print shop. . . I am pleased that such a small project was given so much attention and detail, and I am very pleased with the final product."

Track five, "Chances," is one that Harper hopes will find a place in radio station KNEM/KNMO's playlist.

"I hope people will call in and request it. I've had songs I would like to have played, but they didn't fit the station," Harper said. "This is acoustic and fits in with the type of songs they play. I'd like to have one of my songs played on the local station."

The CD will soon be available online at iTunes.com or Amazon.com. It is available at retail stores including Cavener's in Nevada; Hastings in Joplin, Springfield and Kansas City; and Vintage Stock in Iowa and Arkansas. Harper said that if the CD sells well, it could be made available in approximately 1,800 stores nationally and 700 stores in the United Kingdom, Japan and Australia.

Harper is optimistic.

"I expect this CD to sell well, it's just that time," he said.