In his youth Douglas Meerwald was a promising young cricketer who played with the 1st XI team of Carey College Colombo.
However Meerwald's first love was music, leading him to join Don Daniel and the Ballroom Hornets and later The Manhattans dance band.
Meerwald became the public face of The Manhattans, with his powerful voice and renditions of the songs of the Frank Sinatra, Bing Crosby, Gene Kelly, era.
The Manhattans attracted some of the leading musicians of the day, including singer/saxophonist, Sam the Man, who he joined the band in August 1957.
He was also featured on Radio Ceylon in the late 1950s and 1960s including appearances on popular music programs like Talent Corner and StarMaker.