Tag: Doyle and Debbie

Show #4 Doyle and Debbie and the “Opry on acid”

 in Americana Music, Music Cruise News, Nashville music

The Doyle and Debbie Show

And now for something completely different:  We’ve spent hundreds of nights in clubs over the years, and though the musicianship can be phenomenal, it”s rare for us to say we’re seeing something we’ve never seen before. And then there’s Doyle and Debbie.

Bruce Arntson and Jenny Littleton embody this unusual country duo with a singular back story. It seems that Doyle, a regional country star with enormous personal baggage, is mounting his comeback with his “third Debbie.” Yes, it’s drawn from Shakespeare.

This parody and simultaneous celebration of country music makes for one of the most entertaining evenings you’ll spend in a club or theater.  In this edition of Americana Music News, Bruce and Jenny recount the duo’s origins and the sometimes unexpected audience reactions.

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Doyle and Debbie interview: Behind the scenes

 in Americana Music, Nashville music

By Ken Paulson

Walk by the venerable Station Inn tomorrow night or on many evenings throughout the year and you’ll hear raucous laughter coming from inside the Nashville venue.

Strange. Bluegrass isn’t that funny.

But Doyle and Debbie are. They’re the lead characters in an irreverent musical that parodies traditional country songs in a non-traditional way. “When You’re Screwin’ Other Women (Think of Me)” pretty much says it all.

The show – in residency at the Station Inn – recreates Doyle’s “comeback” tour with his “third Debbie.” It satirizes old school country, but with an affectionate nod.

The show was created and written by Bruce Arntson, and features Arntaon and Jenny Littleton in the title roles.  We had the chance to talk with both recently about this truly singular show:

Review: Doyle and Debbie on the Sandy Beaches Cruise

 in Americana Music, Music Cruise News, Nashville music, Reviews
The Doyle and Debbie Show

The Doyle and Debbie Show

By Ken Paulson

For years, we’ve heard great things about the Doyle and Debbie Show, a satirical take on country music with a long weekly residency at Nashville’s Station Inn. Instead of seeing it just miles from home, though, we finally caught up with it on Delbert McClinton’s Sandy Beaches Cruise.

The shows tells the story of Doyle, a washed-up old school country singer who never quite made it, and his duo partner Debbie, an earnest and quirky young woman who sees the chance to team up with Doyle as her last, best shot at a career in show business.

It’s laugh-out-loud funny, particularly because Bruce Amston (“Doyle” and the author of the show) and Jenny Littleton (“Debbie”) play it so straight, delivering outlandishly goofy lyrics with heart. Among the songs: “Barefoot and Pregnant,” “When You’re Screwin’ Other Women (Think of Me)” and “Whine Whine Twang Twang.”

There were two performances of the Doyle and Debbie Show on board, and we saw both of them. On the second night, a computer glitch shut down their music in the final minutes of the show, leaving Amston to scramble to a laptop.

At each show, Doyle thanks the audience for being so “forgiving,” but this time, Amston said he really meant it. The computer rebooted, the music kicked in and the show ended with a well-deserved standing ovation.