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{{short description|American singer-songwriter}}
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--[[User:Luis 0001|Luis 0001]] ([[User talk:Luis 0001|talk]]) 23:40, 18 September 2012 (UTC)== '''Doug Levitt''' ==
<!-- Please do not make changes to the lead without discussing them on the article's talk page.-->
{{Infobox musical artist
| name = Doug Levitt
| image = Doug Levitt.png
| caption = During production of "Today" music video
| image_size = 215
| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth year and age|1972}}
| birth_place = Washington, D.C.
| instrument = Vocals, guitar, piano
| occupation = Singer-songwriter, writer, photographer
| genre = [[Folk-Rock]], [[Americana (music)|Americana]], Pop
| website = {{URL|www.douglevitt.com}}
}}


'''Doug Levitt''' (born 1972) is an American singer-songwriter and writer known principally for ''The Greyhound Diaries'', a project lasting more than a decade and traveling over 100,000 miles via [[Greyhound Lines|Greyhound]] bus<ref>{{cite web|last=Levitt|first=Doug|title=The Greyhound Diaries|url=http://www.greyhounddiaries.com/|accessdate=September 30, 2012}}</ref><ref>The Gloria Minott Show / MetroWatch, WPFW, Pacifica Radio November 24, 2010</ref><ref>Mary Huhn, The New York Post – Music Section, June 8, 2005</ref>
[[File:Doug Levitt.png|thumb|Add caption here]]
and has resulted in songs, stories and images of fellow travelers, many struggling to get by.<ref>{{cite web|title=Doug Levitt: Greyhound Diaries|url=http://www.nbcwashington.com/video/#!/on-air/as-seen-on/Doug-Levitt_-Greyhound-Diaries/140613023|work=NBC4 Washington|publisher=NBCUniversal, Inc.|accessdate=September 30, 2012|date=February 27, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Mikulan|first=Steven|title=Red, Blue and Blank|url=http://www.laweekly.com/2004-11-11/columns/red-blue-and-blank/|accessdate=September 30, 2012|newspaper=LA Weekly|date=November 11, 2004}}</ref> The project, modeled on WPA-era projects that drew a fuller portrait of America, is ongoing, passing 100,000 miles at the end of 2015.<ref name=pradio/>
Levitt has been featured by [[CNN]], [[MSNBC]], [[Fox News Channel|Fox News]], [[The Wall Street Journal]], [[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]], and [[Reuters]].<ref>{{cite web|title=CNN Newsroom Transcript|url=http://www.studentnews.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0611/04/cnr.01.html|publisher=CNN|accessdate=September 30, 2012|date=November 4, 2006|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140517121318/http://www.studentnews.cnn.com/TRANSCRIPTS/0611/04/cnr.01.html|archive-date=May 17, 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>Fox News, Fox & Friends, Aircheck, November 4, 2006</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Greyhound Diaries|url=http://article.wn.com/view/2012/06/05/Reuters_Entertainment_News_Summary/|accessdate=September 30, 2012|newspaper=Reuters Entertainment News|date=June 5, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Travelling author writes about struggling Americans|url=http://video.app.msn.com/watch/video/travelling-author-writes-about-struggling-americans/6bcpfyl|work=Dylan Ratigan Show|publisher=MSN|accessdate=September 30, 2012|date=December 16, 2011}}{{dead link|date=September 2017 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Doug Levitt|url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/1045774/doug-levitt|magazine=Billboard|publisher=Rovi Corporation|accessdate=September 30, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Jurgensen|first=John|title=Presidential Playlists|url=https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB119828081271746045|accessdate=September 30, 2012|newspaper=The Wall Street Journal|date=December 22, 2007}}</ref><ref>The Greyhound Diaries on CNN https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dikCJkDlbDs</ref><ref>The Greyhound Diaries at The Dylan Ratigan Show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLwvc_Ug0pE</ref> The Greyhound Diaries has resulted in two records, a one-man show, published writings, photo exhibits and a web series.<ref>{{cite web|last=Levitt|first=Doug|title=Doug Levitt|url=http://www.douglevitt.com/|accessdate=September 30, 2012}}</ref><ref name=rockin>{{cite news|last=Godfrey|first=Sarah|title=If This Bus is Rockin'...|url=http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/articles/29578/if-this-bus-is-rockin|accessdate=September 30, 2012|newspaper=Washington City Paper|date=November 5, 2004}}</ref>
Prior to embarking on his long journey, Levitt was a foreign correspondent. Based in London, he dispatched from Iran, Rwanda, and Bosnia for, among others, [[ABC News (United States)|ABC]], CNN and MSNBC.<ref>{{cite web|last=Orzeck|first=Kurt|title=Mary J. Blige Tries To Put The Freeze On Lupe Fiasco's Cool, Chingy's Hate And More, In New Releases|url=http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1576599/mary-j-blige-lupe-fiasco-chingy-amp-more-new-releases.jhtml|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120209122550/http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1576599/mary-j-blige-lupe-fiasco-chingy-amp-more-new-releases.jhtml|url-status=dead|archive-date=February 9, 2012|work=MTV|publisher=Viacom International Inc.|accessdate=September 30, 2012|date=December 18, 2007}}</ref><ref>Malibu, "Doug Levitt, The Greyhound Diaries," magazine March 8, 2008</ref><ref name=ken/>


== Personal life ==
'''Doug Levitt''' is an American singer-songwriter and author known principally for his seven-year project, The Greyhound Diaries.
Levitt is the youngest child of former Washington, D.C. Councilmember and mayoral candidate [[Carol Schwartz]] and husband David Schwartz. He attended the Washington, D.C. public schools, graduating from [[Woodrow Wilson High School (Washington, D.C.)|Woodrow Wilson High School]].<ref name= rockin/> When Levitt was 16, his father committed suicide, an experience he has mentioned in interviews as instrumental in his path toward becoming an artist.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://dcist.com/2012/02/doug_levitt.php|title=DCist Interview: The Greyhound Diaries' Doug Levitt|publisher=DCist|first=Martin|last=Austermuhle|date=February 28, 2012|access-date=September 4, 2016|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161027183855/http://dcist.com/2012/02/doug_levitt.php|archivedate=October 27, 2016}}</ref>
In 2004, Levitt set out on his first six-week journey by Greyhound and began writing songs and stories about fellow travelers, many struggling to get by. The journey, modeled on WPA-era pro-jects that drew a fuller portrait of America, is ongoing, passing 70,000 miles at the end of 2011.
Levitt has been featured by CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, Billboard and Reu-ters. The Greyhound Diaries has resulted in a book, an EP recording, a one-man show, and a web series.
Prior to embarking on his long journey, Levitt was a foreign correspondent. Based in London, he dispatched from Iran, Rwanda and Bosnia for, among others, ABC and NBC.

== Life ==

Levitt is the youngest child of former Washington, D.C. City Councilmember and mayoral can-didate Carol Schwartz and husband David Schwartz. He attended the Washington, D.C. public schools, graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School. When Levitt was 16, he discovered his father dead from suicide, an experience he’s cited in interviews as instrumental in his path to-ward becoming an artist.


== Education ==
== Education ==
Levitt attended Cornell University, where he was a student of the late-astrophysicist and author Carl Sagan. He later received a Fulbright Scholarship and earned his masters in International Relations at the London School of Economics.
Levitt attended [[Cornell University]], where he was a student of the late astrophysicist and author [[Carl Sagan]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Doug Levitt: A Bus Ride with Private Simmons|url=http://legacy.scpr.org/news/segments/segment.php?segment=commentaries|work=KPCC|publisher=Southern California Public Radio|accessdate=September 30, 2012|date=May 20, 2008|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120115071749/http://legacy.scpr.org/news/segments/segment.php?segment=commentaries|archivedate=January 15, 2012}}</ref> He later received a [[Fulbright Program|Fulbright Scholarship]] and earned his master's degree in international relations at the [[London School of Economics]].<ref>Capitol File, "Doug Levitt: Power Musician,” April 8, 2008</ref>


== Career ==
== Career ==


While in London, Levitt switched careers, from foreign correspondent to singer-songwriter. Moving to Nashville in 2001, he hooked up with noted Americana producer David Henry, known for producing records for Josh Rouse and Guster. The two began what would become a long-term collaboration on The Greyhound Diaries.
While in London, Levitt switched careers, from foreign correspondent to singer-songwriter. After moving to Nashville, Levitt worked with noted [[Americana (music)|Americana]] producer David Henry, known for producing records for [[Josh Rouse]], [[Yo La Tengo]] and [[Guster]].<ref>{{cite news|last=Austermuhle|first=Martin|title=DCist Interview: The Greyhound Diaries' Doug Levitt|url=http://dcist.com/2012/02/doug_levitt.php|accessdate=September 30, 2012|newspaper=The DCist|date=February 28, 2012|url-status=live|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20161027183855/http://dcist.com/2012/02/doug_levitt.php|archivedate=October 27, 2016}}</ref><ref>The Aquarian, John Fortunato: “Doug Levitt Leaves the Driving to Greyhound,” March 14, 2008</ref> The two began what would become a long-term collaboration on The Greyhound Diaries.
Over the course of Levitt’s travels, he has captured more than 20,000 images and has performed the work at [[The Kennedy Center]], [[Walter Reed Army Medical Center]], [[Woody Guthrie Center|the Woody Guthrie Center]], [[Southern Poverty Law Center|the Southern Poverty Law Center]], [[University of Southern California]] and homeless shelters across the country.<ref name=ken>{{cite web|title=Doug Levitt|url=http://www.kennedy-center.org/Artist/B82756|work=The Kennedy Center|accessdate=September 4, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last=Light|first=Nanette|title=Songwriter gives voice to Greyhound bus riders|url=http://www.shfwire.com/node/4573|accessdate=September 30, 2012|newspaper=Scripps Howard Foundation Wire|date=February 4, 2008|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20130202044853/http://www.shfwire.com/node/4573|archivedate=February 2, 2013}}</ref><ref name = pradio>{{cite web|url=http://publicradiotulsa.org/post/finding-america-repeatedly-bus-singer-songwriter-doug-levitt-offers-greyhound-diaries#stream/0|title=Finding America, Repeatedly, on a Bus: Singer-Songwriter Doug Levitt Offers "The Greyhound Diaries"|publisher=Public Radio Tulsa|first=Rich |last=Fisher |date=December 9, 2015|access-date=September 4, 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.usc.edu/dept/pubrel/visionsandvoices/emailAssets/email102615.html|title=The Greyhound Diaries A performance by Doug Levitt|publisher=University of Southern California|access-date=September 4, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161018010101/http://www.usc.edu/dept/pubrel/visionsandvoices/emailAssets/email102615.html|archive-date=October 18, 2016|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/doug-levitt/disparity-rides_b_10103904.html|title=Disparity Rides|work=The Huffington Post|first= Doug |last=Levitt |date=May 23, 2016|access-date=September 4, 2016}}</ref> Produced by David Henry, the recordings include the contributions of Steve Bowman, founding member of [[Counting Crows]] and Craig Wright, drummer for [[Steve Earle]] and [[Eric Church]].<ref name=ken/><ref>{{cite news|last=Levitt|first=Doug|title=Pall of the Pollocrats|url=https://www.huffingtonpost.com/doug-levitt/pall-of-the-pollocrats_b_71737.html|accessdate=September 30, 2012|newspaper=The Huffington Post|date=November 8, 2007}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last=Congdon|first=Amanda|title=Greyhound Diaries – A Man, A Bus, A True Story|url=http://blip.tv/sometimesdaily/greyhound-diaries-a-man-a-bus-a-true-story-2484743|work=Sometimes Daily|accessdate=September 30, 2012|date=August 11, 2009|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20141225155109/http://blip.tv/sometimesdaily/greyhound-diaries-a-man-a-bus-a-true-story-2484743|archivedate=December 25, 2014}}</ref><ref>CMJ, “Doug Levitt Takes the Bus," December 7, 2007</ref>
Over the course of Levitt’s travels, he has captured more than 10,000 images and has performed the work at The Kennedy Center, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, and homeless shelters across the country. Produced by David Henry, the record includes the contribution of Steve Bowman, founding member of the Counting Crows, on drums.
His long journey forms the basis of a feature biopic in the works. The film is said to center around his own struggle with his father’s suicide and the stories of people he’s met in transit.

== Records ==

2008 Greyhound Diaries EP

== Books ==

2008 Greyhound Diaries: Eastbound Edition, Dogged Pony/Rvive Press


== References ==
== References ==
{{Reflist|2}}


== External links ==
*[http://www.douglevitt.com Official Website]
*[http://www.greyhounddiaries.com Greyhound Diaries Website]


{{authority control}}
The Kennedy Center, Millenium Stage Broadcast February 29, 2012
NBC4 Washington, the Mid-day News at 11, February 27, 2012
The DCist, The Doug Levitt Interview February 28, 2012
MSNBC, The Dylan Ratigan Show, December 16, 2011
Sometimes Daily, Amanda Congdon Show, June 30, 2009
The Gloria Minott Show / MetroWatch, WPFW, Pacifica Radio November 24, 2010
Southern California Public Radio, KPCC “A Bus Ride with Private Simmons,” May 20, 2008
Billboard, April 19, 2008, p.34
Capitol File, “Doug Levitt: Power Musician,” April, 8, 2008
MTV, “Greyhound Diaries: Eastbound Edition,” Blurb/Abstract. April, 4, 2008
Greyhound Diaries: Eastbound Edition, Dogged Pony/Rvive Press, April 2008
The Aquarian, John Fortunato: “Doug Levitt Leaves the Driving to Greyhound,” March 14, 2008
Malibu, “Doug Levitt, The Greyhound Diaries,” magazine March 8, 2008
Scripps Howard, “Songwriter Gives Voice to Greyhound Bus Riders,” February 8, 2008
The Wall Street Journal December 23, 2007, p. W3
CMJ, “Doug Levitt Takes the Bus,” December 7, 2007
Doug Levitt: “Pall of the Pollocrats,” The Huffington Post, November 2007
The Kojo Nnamdi Show, Public Radio International, WAMU/Washington, DC November 20, 2006
CNN, CNN Morning, Aircheck, November 4, 2006
Fox News, Fox & Friends, Aircheck, November 4, 2006
Reuters Television, September 8, 2006
Mary Huhn, The New York Post - Music Section, June 8, 2005
LA Weekly, “Red Blue and Blank,” January 5, 2005
Washington City Paper, “If This Bus is Rockin’,” November 5, 2004
The Washington Post, Style Section, Reliable Sources, November 4, 2004

== External Links ==


{{DEFAULTSORT:Levitt, Doug}}
Official Website: www.douglevitt.com
[[Category:Living people]]
www.greyhounddiaries.com
[[Category:American male singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:American folk rock musicians]]
[[Category:1972 births]]
[[Category:American rock songwriters]]
[[Category:American rock singers]]
[[Category:21st-century American singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:21st-century American male singers]]
[[Category:Cornell University alumni]]
[[Category:Singer-songwriters from Washington, D.C.]]
[[Category:American television journalists]]
[[Category:American foreign correspondents]]

Latest revision as of 13:48, 2 August 2024

Doug Levitt
During production of "Today" music video
During production of "Today" music video
Background information
Born1972 (age 51–52)
Washington, D.C.
GenresFolk-Rock, Americana, Pop
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter, writer, photographer
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar, piano
Websitewww.douglevitt.com

Doug Levitt (born 1972) is an American singer-songwriter and writer known principally for The Greyhound Diaries, a project lasting more than a decade and traveling over 100,000 miles via Greyhound bus[1][2][3] and has resulted in songs, stories and images of fellow travelers, many struggling to get by.[4][5] The project, modeled on WPA-era projects that drew a fuller portrait of America, is ongoing, passing 100,000 miles at the end of 2015.[6] Levitt has been featured by CNN, MSNBC, Fox News, The Wall Street Journal, Billboard, and Reuters.[7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14] The Greyhound Diaries has resulted in two records, a one-man show, published writings, photo exhibits and a web series.[15][16] Prior to embarking on his long journey, Levitt was a foreign correspondent. Based in London, he dispatched from Iran, Rwanda, and Bosnia for, among others, ABC, CNN and MSNBC.[17][18][19]

Personal life

[edit]

Levitt is the youngest child of former Washington, D.C. Councilmember and mayoral candidate Carol Schwartz and husband David Schwartz. He attended the Washington, D.C. public schools, graduating from Woodrow Wilson High School.[16] When Levitt was 16, his father committed suicide, an experience he has mentioned in interviews as instrumental in his path toward becoming an artist.[20]

Education

[edit]

Levitt attended Cornell University, where he was a student of the late astrophysicist and author Carl Sagan.[21] He later received a Fulbright Scholarship and earned his master's degree in international relations at the London School of Economics.[22]

Career

[edit]

While in London, Levitt switched careers, from foreign correspondent to singer-songwriter. After moving to Nashville, Levitt worked with noted Americana producer David Henry, known for producing records for Josh Rouse, Yo La Tengo and Guster.[23][24] The two began what would become a long-term collaboration on The Greyhound Diaries. Over the course of Levitt’s travels, he has captured more than 20,000 images and has performed the work at The Kennedy Center, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, the Woody Guthrie Center, the Southern Poverty Law Center, University of Southern California and homeless shelters across the country.[19][25][6][26][27] Produced by David Henry, the recordings include the contributions of Steve Bowman, founding member of Counting Crows and Craig Wright, drummer for Steve Earle and Eric Church.[19][28][29][30]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Levitt, Doug. "The Greyhound Diaries". Retrieved September 30, 2012.
  2. ^ The Gloria Minott Show / MetroWatch, WPFW, Pacifica Radio November 24, 2010
  3. ^ Mary Huhn, The New York Post – Music Section, June 8, 2005
  4. ^ "Doug Levitt: Greyhound Diaries". NBC4 Washington. NBCUniversal, Inc. February 27, 2012. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
  5. ^ Mikulan, Steven (November 11, 2004). "Red, Blue and Blank". LA Weekly. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
  6. ^ a b Fisher, Rich (December 9, 2015). "Finding America, Repeatedly, on a Bus: Singer-Songwriter Doug Levitt Offers "The Greyhound Diaries"". Public Radio Tulsa. Retrieved September 4, 2016.
  7. ^ "CNN Newsroom Transcript". CNN. November 4, 2006. Archived from the original on May 17, 2014. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
  8. ^ Fox News, Fox & Friends, Aircheck, November 4, 2006
  9. ^ "Greyhound Diaries". Reuters Entertainment News. June 5, 2012. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
  10. ^ "Travelling author writes about struggling Americans". Dylan Ratigan Show. MSN. December 16, 2011. Retrieved September 30, 2012.[permanent dead link]
  11. ^ "Doug Levitt". Billboard. Rovi Corporation. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
  12. ^ Jurgensen, John (December 22, 2007). "Presidential Playlists". The Wall Street Journal. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
  13. ^ The Greyhound Diaries on CNN https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dikCJkDlbDs
  14. ^ The Greyhound Diaries at The Dylan Ratigan Show https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLwvc_Ug0pE
  15. ^ Levitt, Doug. "Doug Levitt". Retrieved September 30, 2012.
  16. ^ a b Godfrey, Sarah (November 5, 2004). "If This Bus is Rockin'..." Washington City Paper. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
  17. ^ Orzeck, Kurt (December 18, 2007). "Mary J. Blige Tries To Put The Freeze On Lupe Fiasco's Cool, Chingy's Hate And More, In New Releases". MTV. Viacom International Inc. Archived from the original on February 9, 2012. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
  18. ^ Malibu, "Doug Levitt, The Greyhound Diaries," magazine March 8, 2008
  19. ^ a b c "Doug Levitt". The Kennedy Center. Retrieved September 4, 2016.
  20. ^ Austermuhle, Martin (February 28, 2012). "DCist Interview: The Greyhound Diaries' Doug Levitt". DCist. Archived from the original on October 27, 2016. Retrieved September 4, 2016.
  21. ^ "Doug Levitt: A Bus Ride with Private Simmons". KPCC. Southern California Public Radio. May 20, 2008. Archived from the original on January 15, 2012. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
  22. ^ Capitol File, "Doug Levitt: Power Musician,” April 8, 2008
  23. ^ Austermuhle, Martin (February 28, 2012). "DCist Interview: The Greyhound Diaries' Doug Levitt". The DCist. Archived from the original on October 27, 2016. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
  24. ^ The Aquarian, John Fortunato: “Doug Levitt Leaves the Driving to Greyhound,” March 14, 2008
  25. ^ Light, Nanette (February 4, 2008). "Songwriter gives voice to Greyhound bus riders". Scripps Howard Foundation Wire. Archived from the original on February 2, 2013. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
  26. ^ "The Greyhound Diaries A performance by Doug Levitt". University of Southern California. Archived from the original on October 18, 2016. Retrieved September 4, 2016.
  27. ^ Levitt, Doug (May 23, 2016). "Disparity Rides". The Huffington Post. Retrieved September 4, 2016.
  28. ^ Levitt, Doug (November 8, 2007). "Pall of the Pollocrats". The Huffington Post. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
  29. ^ Congdon, Amanda (August 11, 2009). "Greyhound Diaries – A Man, A Bus, A True Story". Sometimes Daily. Archived from the original on December 25, 2014. Retrieved September 30, 2012.
  30. ^ CMJ, “Doug Levitt Takes the Bus," December 7, 2007
[edit]