In keeping with his commitment to taking music a step beyond business as usual, Don visited the ARBI Center in Calgary to connect musically with patients suffering in varying capacities from brain injuries. A detailed account of this private concert can be found in an article in today’s Calgary Sun via canoe.ca.

Don’s visit co-incides with his scheduled public concert performance in Calgary this coming Monday evening (March 23, Jack Singer Concert Hall, EPCOR Center at 7:30 p.m.) Partial proceeds from the show are slated to benefit the Canadian Musical Therapy Trust Fund. If you haven’t gotten tickets yet, there are still a limited number available via the usual channels.

Fans attending Don’s show are welcome as always to rendezvous back here with comments, reviews and photos.

Don dropped by Breakfast Television Toronto today to pitch his book and two-night concert stint this weekend at the Fallsview Casino in Niagara Falls.

Whew! We were exhausted after viewing/listening to this. The hostess had only four minutes’ time and by golly, she sprinted the entire way!
Screenshot: bttoronto.ca

One of this site’s features is an open-ended Q & A section for fans and fellow guitar players to pose questions to Don. Every week we get asked everything from what specific gear set-ups Don uses to how average Joes can best try to achieve his signature sound.

On the eve of his performances this coming Friday and Saturday, February 20th & 21st at the Fallsview Avalon Ballroom in Niagara Falls (>> venue and ticket info and latest lengthy press preview here), Don tuned in to talk tone.

“Fellow guitar addict” David F. wanted to know: Have you ever used a compressor/sustainer pedal? If so, why would you use one and what impact do they have on guitar tone. I am a guitar player and have fiddled with them, but never really “got it.”

Don: “I have never used a compressor/sustainer pedal on record. I’ve tried several times to find a way to use them but have always walked away disappointed with the results. The only people I know who use[d] them are Lowell George and Bonnie Raitt to get that long clean sustain for slide. Lowell would use two 1176 limiters in succession before the amp. I think Bonnie learned it from Lowell.”

Santa Claus take note! Just in time for Christmas, tickets for Don’s March 23rd 2009 show at the Jack Singer Concert Hall in Calgary go on sale this week via Ticketmaster.

Pre-sale starts on Tuesday, December 16th. Check the sales schedule at the TM-Canada site.

Don was featured as a Guitar Center “Get Schooled” artist last month. With the support of the local radio station, a handful of lucky contest winners got to sit in on a sound check and participate in a question and answer session with the master himself.

Photo Gallery

Link to Video