

Going back to the roots of Country music for inspiration from such
Artists as Hank Williams, Farron Young and Marty Robbins, Anchorage resident,
Don Walker has produced a blend of Country styles sure to please the
Traditional Old style and new Country fans as well. From the crying steel
guitar sound on the early Hank Williams records to some very hot upbeat guitar
pickin', there's something here for anyone who likes to dance and likes great
country music
Don was born in Seattle in 1957 and when he was old enough to
reach the piano keys, his
parents would set him on the bench and
let him "bang away for hours", to keep him out of trouble. While
sitting at the piano, he would make up songs then play them for anyone who
would listen including the family pets. Everyone in his family played music and
he remembers, as a child, falling asleep as his mother would be singing and
playing hymns downstairs on the family organ.
In 4th grade Don decided he just had to play drums and then
later he then decided he had to play accordion… then sax... As the years and
instruments came and went and because his father took him to see Chet Atkins
for his first concert, Don, at 12 years old, decided that he had to learn the
guitar as well. He had found his instrument at last! His father still
remembers, "I just showed him the G chord and then he just took off
bending the strings". Don also liked the sound of the banjo and started
playing it in the church orchestra where he found most people thought he should
stick with the guitar… Don says "I still remember the "Tone it
down!!" look the pastor would give me when I started to play just a little
bit too wild."
Don took as many music classes as he could in Jr. and Sr. high.
By playing at parties, with his musician friends, Don got his first taste of
what would become the driving force in his life. He continued to write and
study music playing in a number of bands. A band that Don had played with
called and asked him if he would like to come play in the clubs in Hawaii. He
quickly bought a one-way ticket and was off to "Paradise". When he
got there he found all the members of the band were living in one small studio
apartment and owed about 6 months back rent. So after 5 long months and a few
jobs flipping burgers Don finally had saved enough money to buy a ticket back
home to Seattle where he started going to the open mics and bluegrass jams.
At one of the bluegrass jams Don was asked to join a bluegrass
band called "Lost in the mail" and so started his adventure into the
bluegrass festivals. Don met an electric fiddle player and with the addition of
Rod Backman on stand up bass "DW and the SLIDERS" was born. The music
they played (for free) was a kind of jazz/grass and was well liked by the
college crowd. Don won the "Best Guitarist Award" at the Kamloops
Bluegrass & Country Music Festival when he was hired by a touring bluegrass
band and toured Canada and the Pacific Northwest, opening shows for Ricky
Skaggs, Jim and Jesse and others.
Don really enjoyed playing the Western swing tunes he heard at
the festivals and in the mid 90's Don was asked to do a tour playing guitar for
Country Music Hall of Fame Star Hank Thompson
. When the tour was over Don moved
from the Blues and Grunge scene of Seattle to Anchorage Alaska
where there was more opportunity to play Country Music. Don has been living in
Alaska since then and has kept very busy performing 4 to 6 nights a week. It
has been said more than once about Don's guitar playing…