Welcome Doug Shorts!

Introducing the latest addition to the Defend roster, Doug Shorts! A singer-songwriter from Chicago, Illinois, Shorts has been singing since his early teens and withholds a bounty of amazing material he has written over the past 40 plus years. He began singing with harmony groups such as The Visitors, Shades of Brown, and The James Clark Band. Doug Shorts’ vocal style reflects a distinct Chicago flavor, as he sings smooth, polished, and deeply soulful songs in the style of local favorite Curtis Mayfield.

After a chance visit to a record store where Producer “Cermakk” randomly found and purchased a Dough Shorts 45 on vinyl, the two eventually forged a musical friendship beginning in Doug’s basement aka “Funkland”. This is where the future sounds of his label Cherries Records was created, intertwining of modern R&B/funk beats with the romanticism of classic lyrics and smooth, soulful vocals.

The rapid success of Doug’s singles on Cherries Records reached drummer/producer Homer Steinweiss, best known for his time with Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings and was flown out to Brooklyn to record several songs.