Douglas Brantz has lived in Boone, North Carolina for over 35 years and is currently employed with the Hayes School of Music at Appalachian State University. He has played guitar for over twenty years. In 1989, he began playing guitar and performing with local rock bands in Greensboro, North Carolina where he played at popular venues including The Cat's Cradle in Chapel Hill. After graduating from the University of North Carolina at Greensboro, he returned to Boone, and in the spring of 1993 started performing with the classic rock band, The Animal Crackers. Doug continues to broaden his musical palette and has studied jazz guitar with Andy Page, guitar professor at Appalachian State University's Hayes School of Music. In the spring of 2007 Douglas joined up with friend and pianist Jim Fleri to create The Lucky Strikes Classic Jazz Band.