Original songs, acoustic and slide guitar, rack harmonica and footstomp box, in the old-time acoustic folk country blues tradition.

12 MP3 Songs
BLUES: Acoustic Blues, FOLK: Folk Blues



Details:
On this debut CD Don writes 10 originals plus 2 covers that are in the old folk blues style (30s to 60s), but with current themes. He is a master wordsmith, with melodic hooks that will stay with you for weeks on end. He complains that politicians have raised the taxes and therefore his rent, forcing him to move in "Movin to the Cheap Side." He describes a rough bar scene that really happened recently in Mississippi, with "Mr Songman." He completely makes over "Michigan Water Blues" into "Newport Harbor Blues," with new words and melody. His cover of Dylan's "Don't Think Twice" truly brings out the depth of this song. His acoustic guitar, steel slide, and rack harmonica playing are first rate. The final song "Warm Rain" could be a classic crossing over country, folk and pop genres.
Don played the streets of New Orleans and filled coffee houses in upstate New York in the late 60s. He was following the path of his folk heroes, when he received his draft notice, resulting in 30 year detour while he explored other life choices. He finally picked up the guitar again when he ran into an old friend, Paul Geremia in Newport, Rhode Island. Don learned his latest guitar picking at the feet of his mentor. Paul taught him how to play guitar licks of Blind Willie Mctel, Robert Johnson, Mississippi John Hurt, Blind Boy Fuller, Pink Anderson, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and of course Paul's own music. Don has branched out with a unique sound that is a combination of piedmont blues picking on his vintage Guild F46 and delta slide on his National vintage steel guitar. But it's his voice that is the most unique, haunting, penetrating sound, sometimes silvery, some times edgy, that makes Don's music stand out.
Here is what they are saying:
"You should get out there and play the coffee houses. You're better then most of them." - Paul Geremia
"Sitting here and listening right now to you on Soundclick, sounds truly great my friend! I totally dig your music, especially your fingerpicking style." - Bottleneck John
"Loved your resonator tune (Mr Songman)" - Blues Box Radio
"The way you sang that (Don't Think Twice) moved me to tears." - Wayne Harris
"You've got some strong lyric images and a voice that reminds me of Pete Seeger. The songwriting is solid (Won't You Come Down Baby and Lay It Down)." - Taxi
"Half way through that song (Warm Rain) I realized what it was really about. It is the most beautiful song I have ever heard. You have tunes I can't get out of my head. And that's good!" - Unplugged Records