Colorado native Doug Furia’s love for music started in early childhood, with tin drums, plastic guitars, and tiny toy pianos awaiting discovery under the Christmas tree. Later, a Lowrey Organ adorned the living room with colorful levers, and Bossa Nova presets poised for a polka concert for relatives and visiting friends. Then, a blonde Baldwin Spinet piano strategically placed in the laundry room, immersed in the indelible scent of Snuggle fabric softener, competed with the spin cycle.
His family, of Italian heritage, lived a simple life in small-town Trinidad, Colorado. Doug was the grandson of immigrated coal miners and had a family of educators in School District 1. Housewives kept families unified with delicious home-made meals every single day. It was a great place to grow up. There were piano lessons in the formative years, but Doug soon discovered he relied more on his ear than traditional sheet music notations. In high school, he joined the marching band, playing drums and xylophone, but it wasn’t until adulthood that music truly became his purpose. While growing an electronics career by day, he spent weekends frequenting Denver’s piano stores like Rockley Music, Onofrio Pianos, and Schmitt Music, dreaming of having a home and a beautiful grand piano someday. Until that dream could be realized, an electronic keyboard always scratched the itch. In the early 2000s, Doug co-founded 10PM, a Denver-based band focused on original acoustic music. Their late-night rehearsals transformed his home into Studio D, a lively recording cave where creativity thrived. The band built a following through local performances at art festivals, corporate events, and coffee shops, eventually becoming the official band of the Stout Street Foundation, an organization supporting addiction recovery. The band was also invited to a “Live at Lunch” live play/interview spot on KRFC Radio in Fort Collins. They played the Oriental Theater and were featured in Colorado Music Buzz Magazine that year. The portfolio of original songs exceeded 35. Doug Furia and music partner Mike Worthington were living a dream.
Through this journey, Doug’s passion for sound led him to connect with industry legends, including Sony mastering engineer Gus Skinas, whose mentorship introduced him to advanced recording technologies in high definition digital audio (DSD and SACD). Gus, who worked with the producers of greats like Elton John, The Rolling Stones, and Pink Floyd, just to name a few, in turn introduced Doug to Paul McGowan, President and CEO of PS Audio and Octave Records in Boulder. Paul is a master of high-end audio electronics and loudspeakers for Colorado and the world, and continues to grow the audiophile family, with Doug being the newest recruit. Doug crossed paths with retired, Julliard-educated, industry vocal coach Dr. Scott Martin, whose praise for Doug’s ability to capture the human voice became a defining moment in his recording career. He told Doug he “recorded the human voice with the emotion in which he teaches it to sing”. - an unforgettable quote. Dr. Scott worked with greats like Heart, Randy Travis, and Natalie Cole. Studio D soon became an affordable recording resource for Dr. Scott’s clients who were aspiring artists playing around Denver’s small venues and open mic nights. Doug was always amazed with the talent that walked through the door, often breaking down with emotional tears of joy when hearing the final product. House concerts were extra special with an acoustic lineup of clients and friends, and of course great Italian food. Doug’s influences range from Elton John and Billy Joel to contemporary singer-songwriters like Sara Bareilles and Emile Sande. He continues to write, record, and perform, often collaborating with longtime bandmate Mike Worthington, and adding more audio/visual content to the website working with drone pilots and local classical artists.
He had said for years that he wished to find a cellist to add strings to his ballad style, but he seldom recorded his own music. After a severe T-bone car accident, Doug has a damaged shoulder and couldn't play his piano without pain. After a needed surgery, he went through the year-long rehab and committed to finally recording his own music. Through a professional studio service, Doug found Yoed Nir, a classically-trained and Yamaha-endorsed cellist who writes film scores for Netflix. Yoed, a native of Tel Aviv, Israel was the cellist touring with Regina Spektor, he played at the Metropolitan Museum of Art with Judy Collins, and he’s currently doing cello track work for Boyce Avenue. Doug has an ongoing collaboration with Yoed, - this crossing but another manifestation of stepping into purpose, self-discovery and finally recording his own music.
At the heart of it all, Doug sees music as a gift, a calling, a responsibility. Musicians often acknowledge a flow and see themselves as a vessel that taps in. This has certainly been the case with Doug’s musical journey. The power of intention is real, and God and the universe ARE the flow, and Doug feels it deeply from the bench of the piano or when mixing and mastering at the computer. What began as an interest became a hobby, a small business, a sacred space for like-minded artists, and a 25+ year recording legacy documenting it all and sharing it with the world online. A framed sign above his dream Yamaha grand piano in Studio D sums it up best: “In Everything Give Thanks.” Honor the gift, and the gift will honor you. There are so many more stories to tell. Thank you for engaging in this story and for a glimpse into Studio D Denver. You’re invited to become a part of the continued journey if music is part of your purpose.