Hello,
The world has become a very twittery place of late. You know, where any correspondence that consists of more than a blurted out random thought or exclamation is somehow deemed unworthy of the time of the person who receives it. As the world gets acclimated to communicating in 46 characters or less, the Don White newsletter plods on against the tide like a gigantic buggy whip factory. So as the new world goes zipping by in abbreviated half-thoughts I offer yet another wordy remnant of a bygone era.
My next 4 public performances will bring me to Chicago, Ann Arbor, Connecticut and southeastern Mass. Hope one is near enough to you that you might consider attending.
Saturday June 6th Steve’s Backstage Pass 15 School St
Taunton Mass. This is one of those rare venues where you can have a few drinks and still enjoy the show in a concert atmosphere. It is also a free speech zone so I often break out several of my not-appropriate -for-church-basement-coffee-houses material. I always have a great time here.
http://www.stevesbackstagepass.com/index.html 508-824-3436
Friday June 19th A Don and Christine Lavin co bill at The Old Town School of Folk Music 4544 N Lincoln Ave
Chicago, IL A wild night is coming to Chicago. Don’t miss this rare combination that drew 750 people to two shows in Massachusetts last March. Tickets are on sale now.
www.oldtownschool.org316 S. Main, Ann Arbor, Michigan. This is going to be a very special night. Ms. Lavin and I have each sold out this venue at different times in the past. Don’t wait too long before getting your seats to this rare music and comedy co bill. Tickets are on sale now. http://www.theark.org/ Office: (734) 761-1800; Hotline: (734) 761-1451; MySpace: www.myspace.com/annarborark.
Saturday July 18th The Vanilla Bean Corner of Routes 44, 169, and 197,
Pomfret, CT Great food. Great atmosphere. And a place where I always feel at home. This is a venue that never fails to bring out the mischief in me.
www.thevanillabeancafe.com 860 928-1562
News
The delightful and extraordinarily talented Catie Curtis has recorded a dandy version of my song "Be 16 With Me" on her soon to be released CD on Compass Records called Hello Stranger. Thanks Catie! More info here:
http://catiecurtis.com/
You Too Could Cover a Don White Song
I recently reacquired ownership of the publishing rights to 30 of my songs and stories. I now am encouraging people to cover my songs. If you think one of my songs will help round out the cd you are planning to record, let's talk. don@donwhite.net
Reissues and Individual Downloads
The version of I know What Love Is from the Acoustic Alliance Compilation as well as two classic cds from the mid-90s "Live at the Someville Theatre" and "Rascal" are now newly available as mp3 downloads.(Live at Somerville is available on cd as well) And all my recorded songs are available as individual downloads for placement on your I pod or other magical music gizmo. Go to
www.donwhite.net for more info.
Performance Coaching
It is easy to think that certain great performers are just simply born with an extraordinary God-given talent for engaging an audience and that there is nothing that a mere mortal man or woman can do to acquire these skills. This is, in my humble opinion, simply not true. I have been teaching people how to command a stage and how to captivate an audience for fifteen years. Picturing yourself grabbing the attention of a group of people and holding them in the palm of your hand for the entire duration of your performance becomes a lot easier to do after we have demystified and taken the illusion of magic out of the process.
I know how to own a stage and I can teach you how to do it.
Lots of info here:
http://www.donwhite.net/teacher.htm
If becoming more confident and comfortable in front of people is something you would like to learn to do, let's talk: don@donwhite.net or 781-595-5269.
Check out some of my concert videos here:
http://www.myspace.com/lumperboy
http://www.youtube.com/user/Lumperboy16
The Don and Christine Lavin Co Bill Tour
Ms Lavin and I will be kicking of a series of co Bills this month in Chicago and Ann Arbor. The response to this unique comedy/music pairing has been fantastic. Check out this page to get booking info and scheduled performances.
http://www.donwhite.net/christine/
Cape Cod/ Rhode Island
Ms. Lavin and I will be doing a show on Sat Aug 15th in Portland Maine. If you live on the Cape or in Rhode Island and have any ideas on places in either area we could perform on Aug 14th or 16th, (this includes the possibility of a private show co bill) contact my agent at booking@donwhite.net or 617 539 3182.
Facebook (or myface as my wife often calls it)
This is the link to my fan page
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Don-White/62176263069?ref=ts where you can get all of those previously mentioned blips and blurbs of quick and easily digested info for the super on-the-go, eating-breakfast-while-running-out-the-door, completely amped out Don White fan. I also post concert videos, pictures of my grand babies and music links here.
Private Shows.
I did 4 private shows in May. They were all wonderful. Thanks to all the people who put these shows together and allowed me the great honor of performing for their friends, families and business associates. I am very grateful to you all.
If you want to learn more about how to put one of these customized private shows together for your friends and family or how to put together a concert to raise money for your favorite charity.check out these pages:
http://www.donwhite.net/private.htm http://www.donwhite.net/fundraisers.html
Here's The Rest of the Performance Schedule Through August
Wed June 10th Club Passim I will be singing a song or two with The Loomers. This is a benefit concert to set up a trust fund for the infant son of a friend of the band who died. Stop by, hear some great music and support something important. http://www.passimcenter.org/ 617 492 7696
Friday July 24th A Don and Christine Lavin Co Bill at The Amazing Things Arts Center 160 Hollis St, Framingham MA A one of a kind Concert and Comedy night in Metro West 508-405-ARTS (2787) http://www.amazingthings.org/index.asp
Saturday July 25th A Don and Christine Lavin Co Bill at The Tupelo Music Hall 2 Young Rd Londonderry, New Hampshire. A one of a kind Concert and Comedy night in a New Hampshire BYOB club 603.437.5100 http://www.tupelohall.com/
Sunday July 26th A Don and Christine Lavin Co Bill at The Iron Horse 20 Center St
Northampton, Mass. A one of a kind Concert and Comedy night in Western Mass. (413) 584-0610 http://www.iheg.com/iron_horse_main.asp
Thursday August 13th West Newbury Community Bandstand. 381 Main Street,
West. Newbury, MA. This is a part of the Summer Music Series and takes place on a Gazebo behind the town offices.
978 363- 1100 /////////
Saturday August 15th A Don and Christine Lavin Co Bill 181 State St Portland Maine A one of a kind Concert and Comedy night in Maine. 1 207 761 1757
Saturday August 22nd House Concert near Nantasket Beach in Hull Mass. This is a very intimate annual event for me. Come enjoy the beach during the day and catch the show at night. Seating is limited so be sure to call ahead for reservations. (617) 821-4073
--- Always call the venue before the show. Things can change. If you can’t get through to them, call or email my agent at
617 539 3182 or booking@donwhite.net. He is also the man to contact if you are considering hiring me for a
private performance. The performance schedule is always updated on my web site
www.donwhite.netCheck out video and listen to songs at http://www.myspace.com/lumperboy My book and all of my recordings are available at www.cdfreedom.com Just over a year ago, Tony Toledo and I started a spoken word open mike in Downtown Lynn. I though that I'd probably be a hundred years dead before this city produced something that I was interested in attending, so I recruited Mr. Toledo and we did it ourselves. It's been a joy and something that I look forward to every week. Now that I have raised my family, built a music career, entered into grandfatherhood and can't read a menu without glasses, I'm feeling increasingly driven to do two things: Teach people how to become confident performers and use the knowledge that I have acquired over the years to create respectful and nurturing spaces for people to express themselves.
I was once told that a simple recipe for a life that has meaning is to spend the first third of it figuring out what you love, the middle third getting good at it and the last third giving it to the world. When I watch (as I have many times) a person stand with paper shaking in their hand and recite for the first time in their life an original poem or lyric to a group of encouraging and attentive people to warm applause and genuine appreciation, I feel like there is no telling what may have just been created - that this person, having had a good experience with his or her first public reading, may ultimately contribute to the world a creative point of view that lifts the spirit of all who hear it.
If you live close enough, come join us on Wednesday nights and see what I'm talking about. If you don't live near Lynn, Mass. I would humbly suggest that you consider creating a safe space in your community for people to express themselves. You'll be amazed at what you see and hear. Everyone has a great story. Very few have a place to tell it.
Don
Tatiana's Restaurant and Lounge
70 Market Street
Lynn, MA 01901
(781) 477-0700
www.tatianasrestaurant.net
SPEAK UP! Spoken Word Open Mike is hosted by Tony Toledo.
Comedians, Storytellers, Poets, Community Organizers,
and ordinary folks who want to rant get your 5 minutes.
Open Mike sign up is at 7 PM.
SPEAK UP! happens every Wednesday evening.
The Open Mike starts at 7:30. Every Open Miker
receives a metal thank you. A coin if you will.
The Featured Performer goes on at 8:30. FREE.
Upcoming Wednesday Featured Performers:
June 10 Steve Simon, Recording Mogul, Producer, Wild Man
June 17 Ellen Schmidt, Singer Songwriter, Host
June 24 tba
July 1 CLOSED: Tatiana's Will Be Closed. SPEAK UP! in your own Home.
July 8 Bash Turay, Speaker Supreme, Shining Toastmaster Star
July 15 Bob Seibel, Comedian: From Newburyport to Lynn via Las Vegas
July 22 Terry Kennedy, Philip Hackett and Elizabeth McKim. Poets in the Round
July 29 Peter Stickel, Your Body: More Than The Animal That Provides Transportation for Your Head
Aug 5 Danielle Miraglia, Steady thumb + smoky vocals + gut wrenching catch= Great Music
Aug 12 tba
Aug 19 Judith Black, Fearless Truth Telling.
Here's some concert footage of my son and I.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Py99YHsvKJk&feature=channel_page. 1 800 937 3397
The Endurance Award.
. (773) 728-6000
Saturday June 20
th A Don and Christine Lavin co bill at The Ark