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Although he was born and raised in
California, his "Okie roots" run deep. Both his parents came from
Northeastern Oklahoma.
Don grew up in the
small town of Newhall, CA, where he went to school in a one-room country
schoolhouse. The school was right next to the ranch of cowboy roping star
"Monte Montana." Sometimes the entire class of 30 students, grades 2
through 8, would watch Monte practice his roping tricks.
When he was ten, the
family moved to Whittier, where Don began taking guitar lessons
His debut as a
performer began at a sixth grade talent show, which he won, by doing a cover
of Johnny Cash's "Folsom Prison Blues," a song he still sings! It was the
beginning of a love affair with country music that's lasted five decades.
Don started writing
songs and making records at 15, playing with "Ernie Freeman," famous for the
hit "Raunchy," and "Rene Hall," whose sizzling guitar work can be heard on
the songs of rock & roll legend Richie Valens.
During 50 years of
making music, Don has shared the stage with other artists, ranging from Hoyt
Axton, T-Bone Walker, Alice Cooper, to Dave Mason and J.J. Cale.
Like other musicians
Don has spent far too much time on day jobs, most of which are told in his
songs and stories.
Don has worked as a
factory hand, loaded trucks, dug ditches, picked fruit and was a soldier.
He's worked as a logger, reporter, sold advertising, and ended up doing 15
years as a prison guard before he hung up his jail keys...
Now every night is
Saturday and everyday Sunday. He's free and knows where he's going.
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