Welcome Home explores the Florida beyond the postcards—its rivers and cypress trees, working lives, family memories, and history both proud and painful. From the backwoods of “Yellow Butter Moon” to the family home remembered in “This Old House,” Doug’s songs reveal the people and places that give the state its character.

Doug’s vivid lyrics and warm vocals are joined by an internationally known ensemble of acoustic musicians, bringing depth and texture to these portraits of people and place. Rooted in Florida, the collection reaches toward shared experiences of home, belonging, loss, and remembrance.

Welcome Home

Doug Spears

CD — Six-panel digipak

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Released 2010 • 14 tracks

CD in a six-panel, full-color digipak.

Select “Info” beside a track to read its lyrics and existing background notes.

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  1. 1
    Yellow Butter Moon 3:05
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  2. 2
    On the Other Side 5:31
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  3. 3
    Hemingway's Hurricane 5:58
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  4. 4
    Teppintine 4:52
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  5. 5
    Marker 26 5:02
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  6. 6
    A Mother's Tears 4:22
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  7. 7
    Okeechobee 4:22
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  8. 8
    State of Dreams 4:17
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  9. 9
    Big Bald Cypress 3:02
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  10. 10
    Banks of the Old St. Johns 3:56
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  11. 11
    Steam Train 4:03
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  12. 12
    Withlacoochee Dreamer 4:23
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  13. 13
    Welcome Home 3:51
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  14. 14
    This Old House 4:21
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Reviews & Recognition

“Stellar songwriting, perfect vocals, superb musicians and masterful production combine to create a rare album.”

— Don Sechelski, The Muse’s Muse, January 24, 2010

Read the full Muse’s Muse review →

  • 2010 International Acoustic Music Awards: “Yellow Butter Moon” — runner-up, Best Bluegrass/Country.
  • IAMA Featured Artist Profile: 5 out of 5 stars. View IAMA’s artist profile →
  • January 2010 Folk Radio Charts: Welcome Home — No. 3 album; “Yellow Butter Moon” — No. 3 song; Doug Spears — tied for No. 5 artist.
  • Top Forty Album of 2010: Welcome Home was among the year’s forty most-played albums on the Folk Music Radio Airplay Chart.

Charts compiled by Richard Gillmann from FOLKDJ-L radio playlists. January 2010 chart →   2010 year-end chart →

About the Recording

Welcome Home brings Doug’s lead vocals and rhythm guitar together with a remarkable cast of musicians from Americana, bluegrass, and Florida’s acoustic music community. Contributors include Claire Lynch, Jim Hurst, Rob Ickes, Missy Raines, Mark Schatz, Kenny Malone, Jason Thomas, Lis and Lon Williamson, and Gabe Valla.

Vocal harmonies and instrumental combinations change from track to track, with clawhammer banjo, mandocello, fiddle, dobro, steel guitar, piano, and percussion complementing the guitars and upright bass.

View complete song-by-song musician credits

1. Yellow Butter Moon

  • Vocals, rhythm guitar: Doug Spears
  • Harmony vocals: Lis Williamson
  • Acoustic guitar: Gabe Valla
  • Fiddle, mandolin: Jason Thomas
  • Clawhammer banjo: Lis Williamson
  • Upright bass: Lon Williamson

2. On the Other Side

  • Vocals, rhythm guitar: Doug Spears
  • Harmony vocals: Claire Lynch
  • Acoustic guitar: Jim Hurst
  • Dobro: Rob Ickes
  • Upright bass: Missy Raines

3. Hemingway’s Hurricane

  • Vocals, rhythm guitar: Doug Spears
  • Harmony vocals: Lis Williamson
  • Electric guitar: Jim Hurst
  • Fiddles: Jason Thomas
  • Lap steel: Rob Ickes
  • Upright bass: Mark Schatz
  • Percussion: Kenny Malone

4. Teppintine

  • Vocals, rhythm guitar: Doug Spears
  • Harmony vocals: Claire Lynch
  • Acoustic guitar: Jim Hurst
  • Slide guitar: Rob Ickes
  • Upright bass: Missy Raines
  • Percussion: Kenny Malone

5. Marker 26

  • Vocals, rhythm guitar: Doug Spears
  • Harmony vocals: Claire Lynch
  • Acoustic guitar: Jim Hurst
  • Piano: Jim Durbin
  • Upright bass: Missy Raines
  • Percussion: Kenny Malone, Randy Nichols

6. A Mother’s Tears

  • Vocals, rhythm guitar: Doug Spears
  • Harmony vocals: Lis Williamson, Billy Varnes
  • Fiddle: Jason Thomas
  • Clawhammer banjo: Mark Schatz
  • Upright bass: Missy Raines

7. Okeechobee

  • Vocals, rhythm guitar: Doug Spears
  • Harmony vocals: Lis Williamson
  • Mandocello: Gabe Valla
  • Upright bass: Missy Raines
  • Percussion: Kenny Malone

8. State of Dreams

  • Vocals, rhythm guitar: Doug Spears
  • Harmony vocals: Lis Williamson, Billy Varnes
  • Acoustic guitar: Gabe Valla
  • Fiddle: Jason Thomas
  • Pedal steel: Kurt Johnston
  • Upright bass: Missy Raines
  • Percussion: Kenny Malone

9. Big Bald Cypress

  • Vocals, rhythm guitar: Doug Spears
  • Harmony vocals: Claire Lynch, Billy Varnes
  • Acoustic guitar: Gabe Valla
  • Upright bass: Missy Raines

10. Banks of the Old St. Johns

  • Vocals, rhythm guitar: Doug Spears
  • Harmony vocals: Lis Williamson, Billy Varnes
  • Acoustic guitar: Gabe Valla
  • Fiddle, mandolin: Jason Thomas
  • Upright bass: Lon Williamson

11. Steam Train

  • Vocals, rhythm guitar: Doug Spears
  • Harmony vocals: Claire Lynch
  • Acoustic guitar: Jim Hurst
  • Dobro: Rob Ickes
  • Harmonica: Stan Gerber
  • Upright bass: Missy Raines
  • Percussion: Kenny Malone

12. Withlacoochee Dreamer

  • Vocals, rhythm guitar: Doug Spears
  • Harmony vocals: Lis Williamson, Billy Varnes
  • Acoustic guitar: Bob Rafkin
  • Dobro: Rob Ickes
  • Upright bass: Lon Williamson

13. Welcome Home

  • Vocals, rhythm guitar: Doug Spears
  • Harmony vocals: Carrie Blackwell-Hussey, Tiffiny Coffey
  • Acoustic guitar, mandolin: Dan Leach
  • Saxophone: Japhy Blackwell
  • Upright bass: Andy Leach

Bonus track: This Old House

  • Vocals, rhythm guitar: Doug Spears
  • Harmony vocals: Claire Lynch
  • Fiddle, upright bass: Jason Thomas

Download the Welcome Home album one-sheet (PDF) →

Explore Doug’s other albums →

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