Loving parents were a great asset in his early life. His father, who has passed away, was a great piano player and a member of a well-known quartet called the Avalon Boys with Chill Wills. He played in many movies with such legendary performers as W.C. Fields and Mae West. His father, Don, was the inspiration behind Doug’s great song, “Daddy Won’t You play that Song Again.” And he wrote, “Mama’s Got Style” for his mother’s 90th birthday. Everyone affectionately calls her “Sis”. At 96, she still comes to work each day.

His greatest inspiration came when, as a very young man, he met Mary Blakemore who became not only his dearest friend but also his business partner. Her influence and philosophy of life is woven throughout his music. In 1992 when, due to heart failure and other complications, she became too ill to care for herself, Doug became her primary caregiver. It was an all-encompassing vigil of love, respect and affection for six years. It was during this period that he and Mary wrote “LAUGHTER IS THE BEST RECIPE”, a gourmet vegetarian recipe book. Doug has been a vegetarian for many years and when time permits, he loves to cook for everyone. It was Mary’s death in 1998, at the age of 91, which gave impetus once again to the music that he had stepped away from for 30 years.

Beginning his career at the age of 19, he started out, as Kenny Rogers did, first performing with a folk vocal ensemble called “The New Christy Minstrels” who recorded on the Columbia Record label at that time. Then he was accepted to another group, “The Good Time Singers” of Capitol Records. Public awareness grew when they were showcased on the Andy Williams Variety Show, the Christys for one season and the Goodtimers for three seasons. He was then offered to work as a singer on popular Variety shows of the time, such as The Danny Kaye Show, Red Skelton, The Hollywood Palace, etc. After a brief affiliation with a group under the name of Stone Country, which recorded on the RCA Label, Doug went out on his own as a single, appearing in clubs. He continued his recording interests under the Imperial and Republic Record companies respectively.

Several years later he left Los Angeles and the music business to come back east to live in a small town in New Jersey. This inspired his beautiful song, “She Took my Heart and Soul in Hand.” It’s about how a young man turns his back on life as he has known it with all the promises and lies that the world has to offer and truly begins to find himself. Another song, “Twenty Two Miles of Roses”, was also inspired by that period of his life.

Thirty years later he embraced his music once again with the multi-talents of pianist/recording engineer Tee Tasker and 4 time Gold Record and Grammy award winning arranger, Tony Davilio to produce two albums (TBA) “Hiding Behind Your Heart” and the inspirational “Let Go, Let God, You’re There”.

BBC Radio Host, Sam Harris said, “WOW! This guy has a great voice and sounds like my all-time favorite, Marty Robbins!” While others have compared his voice to that of the great balladeer Jim Reeves. James Jennings, AM970 WWYO Radio says, “Diamond Doug is fresh yet familiar, a tough combo to capture!”

He has recorded six CDs for the Frogtown label including two instrumental CDs & original material written and performed by Doug and Tee. He is an enigmatic performer whom critics have referred to as a “diamond out of the rough”. They have consistently agreed that Diamond Doug Brookins is the embodiment of that rare ability to create as many pleasant memories as those he brings to mind of when music was music.

In addition, he is the Producer of Frogtown’s Revival Radio, a series of three murder mystery CDs, “Who Shot Percy Pound”, “Get Lucky, a Circus Mystery” and “One Eye Must Die, The Hunt for Bluebeard”, performed by the Frogtown Ensemble Players, comprised of well known professional actors and musicians.

A Multi-talented entrepreneur, composer, arranger, singer and musician, he is also the Executive Producer and vocal ambient arranger of a new Frogtown Record production which presents sixties icon, Barry McGuire in “Mr. Hakk N’ Koff” and “I Pledge Allegiance”.

In 1965, at the heart of the peace movement, McGuire went solo. His growing awareness of social hypocrisy was expressed in his third hit “Eve of Destruction” which echoed around the world as an anthem of the times.

Three years later, Barry was cast as the male lead in the original Broadway production of the musical “Hair.” Once again his voice was heard proclaiming the ideals of a radical generation. Dick Clark says, “When world events collide with Rock&Roll, you get Barry McGuire”.

In the early ’70s Barry’s life took a new direction. Having found his answer to the “Eve of Destruction”, as he describes it, “by stumbling into the Fullness of Truth,” he left Hollywood and set out to do what ever he could to bring about positive change. Barry’s transformation is exemplified in the lyrics of his music which focus on the importance of family, the value of children, and Barry’s personal journey through life.

In 1988/89/90 Barry teamed up with World Vision in New Zealand and sang with more than twenty thousand children from over four hundred primary schools in 57 different cities. These concerts generated nearly two thousand sponsors for third-world children.

In 1994, Barry reunited with his old “New Christy Minstrel” friends and they completed a season (250 shows) at the SierraLand theater, in Oakhurst California, calling themselves “A Gathering of Minstrels.” Barry said, “It was great fun!”

In February of 1995, Barry McGuire and Terry Talbot got together and started singing some of the old folk songs they used to sing back in the sixties. In the beginning they sang the songs just because they liked the way it felt to sing and harmonize together. Then they discovered that people of all ages liked it too. Their audiences responded with such joy and enthusiasm to the new old music, they received two and sometimes even three standing “O” encores at the end of each show.

After seven years of wall to wall concerts Barry decided to move to New Zealand, his wife’s country of birth. Barry thought he was going into semi-retirement but during his year and a half there, he discovered that his passion is to tell his stories and sing his songs. At 70 years old he’s off and running. Barry has moved back to Fresno, Ca. which is now his home base.

He is starring in Doug Brookins production of “Mr. Hakk N’ Koff”, a vocal satire which makes a strong anti-smoking statement and has been endorsed by The American Cancer Society and “I Pledge Allegiance”, a hot political statement on the politically correct crowd who are trying to take both “The Pledge of Allegiance to the Flag” and God out of the American school system. Both songs were penned by Royce and McGuire.

Barry has joined the “New Christy Minstrels” world wide tour and at present is… ON THE ROAD AGAIN!!!

Composer, arranger and professional guitarist Benny Munoz has been playing music since 1960. A talented and most competent writer he has been recording his wonderful compositions as well as those standards that have stood the test of time since 1969. Benny has written, recorded and performed with outstanding notables in the field of Gospel, Jazz, Rock, Country, Pop and even Rap. From Latin Jazz, his specialty, trio and all other styles of music, Benny plays them with a style of romantic guitar few have mastered.

Benny performed in “Puerto Rican Panorama,” a wonderful television show that aired on ABC in Philadelphia, Pa. hosted by Diego Castellano. Benny’s passion for music began at an early age leading him to become the accomplished guitarist and arranger that he is today. His music facility known as “Praise Studios” is a 24-Track digital recording entity, which offers multi track recording, mixing, mastering, CD duplication and graphic design. Following are just a few of the wonderful musicians and singers that Benny has recorded:

Benny and his Custom Requinto

• Inversion Latina
• Trio Emmanuel

• Josie Rodriguez
• Ivan Figueroa
• Eddie Torres

• Jimmie Martinez (President & owner of Radio La Ley, Inc.)
• Abraham DeLeon

Not only is Benny an outstanding guitarist on call to the major studios in the tri-state area he is admired by some of the finest musicians around the world. He also hosts his own radio show in Vineland, NJ. (at 1270 on the AM dial) “La Zeta” which can be heard world wide thru: www.radioesperanzanj.com Benny’s show airs every Sunday from 1:00 to 2:00PM Eastern daylight time. So tune in! You’ll be glad you did!

This fabulous guitarist recorded a Latin Jazz CD entitled “Canto a Ti.” All the songs featured on this recording were composed and arranged by Benny. To believe Benny’s mastery of Guitar this album must be heard. It is wonderful! Truly wonderful! Benny’s CD “Canto a Ti” is available through his website: www.bennyguitar.com