Doc Oliver’s Songs and Tales from the Front

In the overcrowded singer/songwriter field, many are called, but few chosen — at least in terms of wide public exposure and commercial success. Points of distinction help artists rise above the pack.

In the case of Orcutt resident Doc Oliver, the distinction factor begins with his name, a nickname given him for his work as a medic in the U.S. Navy. Unique perspectives continue in the grit, warmth, and topography of his unique original songs, often about life as a veteran struggling with PTSD and tales from the front in Afghanistan. That’s where he served until a tragic attack that claimed the lives of three of his comrades, when he returned home.

Resisting standard therapeutic and medical treatment for PTSD, he picked up his guitar, and allowed a talented singer/songwriter persona to emerge. In a real way, music became a tool of healing and self-reflection.