The Donnie Doors are open for business - FINALLY

After posting the GFA incident of 2012, I feel a big weight has been lifted off my heart. Somehow I feel ready to resume my life by posting all of the blogs all lined up for me. I would publicly love to thank MAURICE SUMMERFIELD for that great magazine I receive every month CLASSICAL GUITAR and his online "FRETSONLY". This months Issue features the phenomenal virtuoso Guitarist/Composer/Teacher and dear friend DAVID LEISNER. Last month had another dear friend DAVID RUSSELL as main interview. Both of these great artists will be part of my "DONNIE AND series" . I have studied with them both. LUCKY ME!!!
 I will be turning 64 in April. This year marks the 18th year I have been an active member/performer in the "MUSIC UNDER NEW YORK" program sponsored by the New York City TRANSIT Authority and I am proud to spread the word of the Solo Classical/Jazz/Latin guitar to the regular masses of people around the City. I look back at this desire to reach people with the magic of the Guitar even after my quadruple bypass on March 22nd 2011!!! I was out giving a concert in Times Square in June of that year as part of
"The Taste of Times Square" that is how passionate I am about our great instrument!!!
I have been listening to some of my recorded concerts from decades ago and I must pat myself on the back for some outrageously fast playing!! I don't feel like 63 or soon to be 64 because I have improved tremendously over the decades as I am trying to play "CATCH UP" for all the years I have been too passive in the learning process. Because I have been given this talent, I have taken it for granted and not worked hard for several decades. I have been forcing myself to burn that midnight oil since I have no idea how much longer I will be on mother earth. When you get to my age, people start passing away like crazy and I knew PETE SEEGER from even a few years ago when he gave a concert at the GRAYBAR BUILIDING when I had a gig in the walkway. A cook from the CLEARWATER was a friend of mine in high school and we are still friends after all of these decades! Of course Pete led us in the Village folk scene along with Dylan,Paxton,Ochs,Peter Paul and Mary and so many of the 60's folk scene. I just knew I loved to sing Ballads from the BURL IVES FOLK SONG BOOK! Actor Singer Theodor Bikel was one of my favorites. Joan Baez,Judy Collins ( I met her when I was singing at the bedside of my mother at a hospital in the Bronx. One of the members of Judy's group was in for something. I saw from the corner of my eye someone who looked like Judy Collins go over to a bed. About 10 minutes later while I was playing for my mother I got a tap on my shoulder. I turned around, saw her pretty face and exclaimed "JUDY COLLINS". She told me she enjoyed my playing and that I would be a welcome member of her group if I wanted"! How dumb was I.Young and dumb and flustered.) I would love to be transported back to the 60s again and in a way with the celebration of the Beatles upon us right now, that longing is there.With Pete passing away I have been playing Where have all the flowers GONE and We SHALL overcome a my gigs around  the city and will start playing several arrangements and improvisations on the songs I sang and grew up with from the 60's and 70's. Gotta get some Heidi grub before some more posts!