Information/Write-up
Jerry Doucette – Mama Let Him Play
Born Jerry Victor Doucette on September 9, 1951, in Montreal, Quebec, Doucette grew up in a deeply musical household. His father and uncle were both working musicians, and jam sessions were common in the Doucette household. When the family relocated to Hamilton, Ontario, Jerry was just four years old—but by six he was already strumming his first guitar. By age eight, he was taking formal lessons, and at eleven he joined his first band, The Reefers, a youthful R&B outfit that recorded a rare single, Treat Me Alright b/w Sinner Man, in the mid-1960s.
In his teens, Jerry moved to Toronto, quickly establishing himself as a gifted young guitarist. He cycled through several local groups, including Abernathy Shagnaster, Homestead, and most notably the final lineup of Brutus, a hard rock band known for its fierce stage presence and self-titled LP on GRT Records. Around the same period he also appeared with Mingles, contributing to their soulful 45 I’m Gonna Miss You b/w No Train Tonight—a Canadian cult favorite among collectors.
In 1972 Doucette moved west to Vancouver, and joined Seeds of Time, a funk-rock outfit featuring future Prism co-founder Lindsay Mitchell. The group, which had already gained notoriety with earlier singles like My Home Town, was shifting toward a harder sound. When the band dissolved, Doucette stayed on with drummer Rocket Norton and bassist Rick Enns to form the Rocket Norton Band. Jerry contributed lead guitar and vocals to several releases, including the glam-tinged single I’m Your Submarine b/w Donkey Chain (1974) and a muscular 1977 cover of Summer in the City, produced by Bruce Fairbairn.
By the mid-1970s, however, Doucette was burned out from the bar scene and ready to pursue a solo career. He spent several months in seclusion, writing and recording 16 original demo tracks in his basement. Three of these were sent to Shelly Siegel, A&R head at Mushroom Records, the rising West Coast label that had already launched Heart. Siegel was impressed. He asked to hear more, and Jerry returned the next day with three additional songs. That sealed the deal. Doucette signed to Mushroom and was encouraged to assemble a backing band.
The resulting sessions—featuring Duris Maxwell (drums), Don Cummings (bass), Brent Shindell (rhythm & acoustic guitars), and Robbie King (keyboards)—became Jerry's breakout 1977 debut, Mama Let Him Play. Released in November, the album’s title track became a nationwide anthem and a staple on Canadian FM radio. The record was certified platinum in Canada and launched Jerry into the spotlight. Touring followed across North America, with the band opening for Bob Welch, Bob Weir, Eddie Money, Meat Loaf, and later the Doobie Brothers, Beach Boys, and Atlanta Rhythm Section.
In 1979, Doucette released his second album, The Douce Is Loose, produced by John Ryan. It featured the hit single Nobody, which reached the Top 20 in Canada and helped the LP achieve gold status. But behind the scenes, Mushroom Records was collapsing. Financial troubles, staff shakeups, and distribution issues undermined the momentum of Doucette’s career just as it was peaking.
By 1981, Jerry released a third album, Coming Up Roses, on Rio Records, but mainstream radio was pivoting toward new wave and synth-driven pop, leaving less room for guitar-forward rock on national playlists. Despite strong material, including Run Buddy Run, the album failed to chart, and Doucette faded from the national spotlight.
He nevertheless remained a constant presence on stages across British Columbia and the Prairies throughout the 1980s and ’90s. He eventually regained the rights to Mama Let Him Play and reissued it on CD. In 1995, he made a powerful return with Price of an Education, a blues-rock record engineered by Colin Nairne (Barney Bentall & The Legendary Hearts). Songs like Big Government Man, Miracles, and the title track were praised for their urgency and soul, and Doucette again hit the road with a seasoned lineup featuring Darrell Mayes (drums), Dennis Marcenko (bass), Bobby Stewart (guitar/vocals), and Rick Hopkins (keys).
Jerry also began mentoring younger musicians, producing the 1994 EP First Impression by the Vancouver band Switch, marking his most notable production credit outside his own work, and guesting on regional sessions. Into the 2000s, he was a regular draw on the Western Canadian festival circuit—playing Minnedosa, Ribfest, and clubs from Victoria to Calgary. Later lineups included Dave Kilner, Anthony Della Croce, and Ian Forrest, followed by Trevor Newman, Marco Ibarra, and Wailin' Al Walker in his final performing years.
In 2018, Doucette officially retired from live performance due to health issues. He passed away on April 18, 2022, at the Irene Thomas Hospice in Delta, BC, after a battle with cancer. He was 70.
Legacy
Jerry Doucette’s contributions to Canadian rock are enduring. He was a craftsman of melody and tone, blending bluesy phrasing with pop hooks and a rock 'n' roll heart. With just three primary studio albums in his commercial prime, he still carved out a lasting place in Canadian rock. Whether ripping through a guitar solo onstage or laying down harmonies in the studio, Doucette was pure class—always about the song, always about the soul.
His signature line—Mama let that boy play some rock and roll—was more than a lyric. It was a mission.
-Robert Williston
Musicians
Jerry Doucette: guitar, vocals, bass (on ‘It Doesn’t Matter’ and ‘That’s Alright’), backing vocals (on ‘She’s My Girlfriend’)
Don Cummings: bass guitar
Bill Wade: drums
Brent Shindell: guitar, keyboards
Robbie King: keyboards
Track-specific performers
Chris Norquist: drums on ‘It Doesn’t Matter’ and ‘That’s Alright’; songwriter on both tracks
Richard Ross: piano on ‘It Doesn’t Matter’; backing vocals on ‘She’s My Girlfriend’
Duris Maxwell: drums on ‘She’s My Girlfriend’
John Roles: lead vocals and backing vocals on ‘She’s My Girlfriend’
Songwriting
‘It Doesn’t Matter’ written by Chris Norquist
‘That’s Alright’ written by Chris Norquist
‘She’s My Girlfriend’ written by Chris Norquist
‘Gimme Your Love’ written by Jerry Doucette
‘Rock N Roll Got a Hold of My Soul’ written by Don Cummings and Jerry Doucette
‘Here I Come’ written by Jerry Doucette
‘You Better Turn Around’ written by Brent Shindell and Jerry Doucette
‘Give It to Me’ written by Jerry Doucette
‘It Only Hurts the First Time’ written by Jerry Doucette
‘Coming Up Roses’ written by Jerry Doucette
Production
Produced by Jerry Doucette and Kevin Beamish on:
‘Gimme Your Love’, ‘Rock N Roll Got a Hold of My Soul’, ‘Here I Come’,
‘You Better Turn Around’, ‘Give It to Me’,
‘It Only Hurts the First Time’, ‘Coming Up Roses’
Produced by Richard Ross on:
‘It Doesn’t Matter’, ‘That’s Alright’, ‘She’s My Girlfriend’
Recorded and mixed at Water Street Sound, Vancouver, British Columbia, and Kendun Recorders, Burbank, California
Mastered at McClear Place Lacquering Studios, Toronto, Ontario
Produced for Kevin Beamish Productions, Inc.
Notes
Distributed by Rio Records
℗ Rio Records / ℗ J. Doucette
© Rio Records
Published by Little Kids and Nudge-Nudge
Manufactured in Canada
Litho in Canada
Printed by Modern Graphics
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