don bridges

Artist Information

Biography

An innovative songwriter and energetic musical performer for audiences of all ages, don bridges started writing and performing his songs in 1976 and continues to share stages with many of the nation’s finest songwriters and musicians. don is currently booking shows in support of his 13-song CD of original tunes, “An Ardmore Afternoon,” which received the Washington Area Music Association's "Wammie" nomination for Best Contemporary Folk Recording of 2004. He performed over 360 in 2003 and over 470 times in 2004 either solo or with his band as a singer-songwriter, a children’s entertainer or contemporary Christian worship leader. He plays regularly throughout the Washington, D.C. and mid-Atlantic region and toured as far as southern Oklahoma in 2004. Whether the venue is a festival, a theater, a concert hall, a restaurant, a church, a children’s center, a school, a park or a senior center, don is guaranteed to involve the entire audience in his performance.

don has received a total of ten “Wammie” nominations from the Washington Area Music Association (WAMA), and articles on don’s performances have been featured in the Washington Post, the Baltimore Sun, the Frederick News Post, the Bowie Blade-News, and many other news periodicals. His music has been broadcast on WUSA TV-9, WJLA TV-7, Fox TV-5, local cable TV, WETA FM-90.9, WAGE AM-1200, and Radio Del Ray. His previous trio Bridges To Bliss, comprised of don, vocalist Bobbi Bliss, and the late keyboard player David M. Scales (an Army Colonel who lost his life in the 9-11-01 terrorist attack on the Pentagon), received a total of 13 “Wammie” nominations during the late 1990s.

don’s songwriting styles include adult contemporary, bluegrass, blues, children's, country, folk, gospel, novelty, pop, and rock. His songs have been honored with song contest awards in five different genres and have received special recognition by the online songwriting contest site www.LyricsReview.com. Pat Pattison, Professor of Lyric Writing and Poetry at Berklee College of Music in Boston and author of three books on songwriting, has excerpts from an article written by don posted prominently on his web page.

don is entering his third consecutive term as President of the Songwriters’ Association of Washington and remains active in WAMA, Nashville Songwriters Association International, Circle of Faith (Christian Songwriters’ Association of Washington), Folk Club of Reston-Herndon, Focus, Hexagon, North American Folk Music & Dance Alliance, and ASCAP.

Instrumentation

don bridges & Friends may include:

don bridges - Vocals and acoustic guitar
Michelle Murray - Vocals and acoustic guitar
Bobbi Bliss - Vocals and percussion
T.M. Hanna - Mandolin, harmonica and vocals
Mary Jane Oelke - Fiddle, flute, dulcimer and vocals
Les Hatley - Lead electric and acoustic guitars
Randy Marvin - Lead electric guitar and synthesizer
Alyce Metallo - Keyboards and vocals
Maria "Pete" Durgan - Bass
Bill Oliver - Bass
Ted Heitz - Bass
Ron Goad - Drums, percussion and vocals
Kirby Yarbrough - Percussion
Mike Cheselka - Drums
Various guest vocalists including Lori Kelley, Cletus Kennelly, Rachel Cross, Zoe Handerson, Anne Sucher, Carol Blum, Janet Griffin, Katie Graybeal, Lisa Moscatiello, and others

Discography

"An Ardmore Afternoon" (2004 Washington Area Music Award nominee for Contemporary Folk Recording) - 13-song singer-songwriter CD
"Alive & Kickin' with mister don" (2003 Wammie nominee for Children's Recording) - 17-song kids' video
"mister don" (2001) - 25-song children's CD
"Totally for Kids" (1996) - 13-song children's cassette
"Kids' Songs!" (1995) - 10-song children's cassette

Audio

Lyrics

• An Ardmore Afternoon
• Love
• Krispy Kreme

Video

Photo Gallery

Press

• "That career change proved to be a wise choice." [+ Show ]
  

  LOCAL ARTIST TO PRESENT CD-RELEASE CONCERT By DOMONIQUE WILLIAMS For the Blade-News The Washi...LOCAL ARTIST TO PRESENT CD-RELEASE CONCERT
  
  By DOMONIQUE WILLIAMS
  For the Blade-News
  
  The Washington area singer-songwriter and folk music community is expected to be out in full force Tuesday, March 30, to support a joint CD-release concert by two talented songwriters, Don Bridges and Zoe Mulford, at 8 p.m. at Paint Branch Unitarian Universalist Fellowship in Adelphi.
  
  For Bridges, a 1974 Bowie High School graduate, the evening arks the release of his first solo singer-songwriter project.
  
  Mulford grew up in Pennsylvania and moved to the Washington, D.C. area in 2002.
  
  Listeners can expect a compilation of 13 original songs running from folk to country to rock to smooth jazz in the CD titled, "An Ardmore Afternoon."
  
  "Most of my music contains either a story or a message or both, but sometimes it's just about having fun and letting everyone have a good time," Bridges said.
  
  For Bridges, music was something that was always a part of his life. "I've always loved to sing. As a kid, I sang at home, in church, and in chorus in elementary school."
  
  While at Bowie High School, Bridges served as president of the Student Government Association and lettered in football and wrestling. He received a four-year Army ROTC scholarship and played football at Georgetown University. While attending GU, Bridges and his "guitar-totin' singer songwriter" roommate began performing at local spots in the Washington, D.C. area.
  
  After serving as a U.S. Army intelligence officer, three years in law school, and 14 years of working with the U.S. Treasury Department, he decided that music was his lifelong pursuit.
  
  "I had many memorable experiences in the process, but I wouldn't trade any of that for what I find myself doing today." That career change proved to be a wise choice. Bridges has received five Washington Area Music Association (WAMA) nominations for Best Children's Vocalist and three nominations for Best Children's Recording. He is currently serving as president of the Songwriters' Association of Washington and remains active in WAMA.
  
  After more than three years in the making, Bridges' CD is finally ready to be released. "For this project I wanted to take particular care that every element came out just the way I wanted it, so that each song was presented in the best way possible. I got the best producer I know, the finest musicians I know, the most skilled photographers I know, and the most creative graphic artists I know, all the while paying out of my pocket for each step in the process as we went along," said Bridges.
  
  Yet, in spite of the setbacks and delays, Bridges is "very proud of the final result."
  
  When asked what the final impression he would like to leave on the people who listen to his music, Bridges stated, "I'd just say that I hope people won't be able to get my songs out of their heads!"
  
  WHEN YOU GO
  
  WHO: Don Bridges and Zoe Mulford
  
  WHAT: Joint CD-Release Concert
  
  WHERE: Paint Branch Unitarian Universalist Fellowship, 3215 Powder Mill Road, Adelphi
  
  WHEN: 8 p.m.
  
  TICKETS: Admisstion is $10 and tickets can be ordered in advance by check or money order from Don Bridges, PO Box 230741, Centreville, VA 20120
  
  INFORMATION: For information, call 703-449-0817 or visit www.donbridgesongs.com.

• about "An Ardmore Afternoon" [+ Show ]
  

  "That's wonderful, the way you take something that at first sounds so unlovely and recognize the bea..."That's wonderful, the way you take something that at first sounds so unlovely and recognize the beauty in it. . . Some very nice images here."

• about "Anger Junkie Blues"
  

  "... the best song you've ever written. . . you've obviously been paying attention!"

• about "Fly Polyphemus"
  

  "That's a beautiful song. . . a very nice song. . ."

• about "Three-quarter Moon" [+ Show ]
  

  "I like it. . . a very catchy chorus with a great melody. . . You've got some really fine images. . ..."I like it. . . a very catchy chorus with a great melody. . . You've got some really fine images. . . I especially like 'Southern Comfort kiss' and 'hopped on a train without even sayin' goodbye...'"

• about "Krispy Kreme" [+ Show ]
  

  "You've got some real cojones . . . it shows a lot of character to get way out there when you're in ..."You've got some real cojones . . . it shows a lot of character to get way out there when you're in front of an audience . . . I don't think this song needs anything else. . ."

• about "Under New Construction"
  

  "I really like that song of yours, 'Under New Construction.' I can't get it out of my head. . ."

• about "I Need You" and "Love" [+ Show ]
  

  "After careful consideration I feel programmers will respond best to either Track 1, 'I Need You' or..."After careful consideration I feel programmers will respond best to either Track 1, 'I Need You' or Track 7, 'Love.'"

Setlist

CD Release Concert Set List (all originals):

Set 1 (40 minutes):

1. Maybe You Might (smooth jazz)

2. I Need You (pop)

3. A Good Knight Story (country/folk)

4. Love (inspirational/folk)

5. Anger Junkie Blues (rock)

6. Brown Springs at Night (rock)

7. Krispy Kreme (novelty) (audience participation)

8. An Ardmore Afternoon (country/folk)

Set 2 (40 minutes):

1. Fly Polyphemus (inspirational)

2. Under New Construction (country/rock)

3. The Holy Spirit Came (stained-glass bluegrass)

4. Three-quarter Moon (country/folk) (audience singalong)

5. In the Comfort of My Arms (country/pop)

6. At the Alamo (country/bluegrass jam)

7. Multi-Level Marketing Blues (novelty blues jam)

Basic Requirements

Calendar