From Headstart to AC/DC, Don Coleman has a wide variety of musical talents.
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VIKTOR PIVOVAROV/TIMES & TRANSCRIPT
Singer/songwriter Don Coleman performs every Thursday night at Kody's.
Originally from Toronto, he came to New Brunswick on vacation and "fell in love with the place." Hillsborough has been home since 2001, to both he and his mother, Olive Johnston.
It was in the 1980s that he first received air play in Toronto at the age of 20, and he eventually left his career in sales to become a full-time musician. A prolific songwriter, he has written over 500 songs, "everything from bluegrass to country to light rock to hard rock."
One of his best known efforts has been the Headstart song which he was inspired to write after visiting one of their gigantic yard sales. He too wanted to help, and the result is the Headstart CD. That was in 2005, and the tune gets local radio play during their seasonal campaign. It helps raise awareness and much needed funds, with 100 per cent of monies realized from sales donated back to this valuable organization.
Don has also performed to help raise funds for the "Get On The Bus"
campaign, as well as for a Sick Kids Hospital project in his native Toronto, and has made himself available for a "Kids for Cancer" charity event in Ontario.
Helping others through his music brings him great personal satisfaction, and he was equally moved to write a song celebrating "the life and spirit"
of Bon Scott, the early lead singer for Australian band AC/DC. That too has been enthusiastically received, currently airing on over 45 FM stations down under. It was launched in the United States at a Cleveland, Ohio radio station, and is presently making its way across Canadian air waves (now in national music library in Toronto).
To date he has recorded three vinyl releases, one cassette release, the Headstart CD, and was included on a compilation CD. A sought after performer in many musical genres, Don performs at main venues all over the Greater Moncton Area with some of the area's finest musicians.
He also tries to help other artists by "looking for distribution deals for their releases, and film and TV placements ...."
Music is sometimes set aside however in favour of golf, hockey or reading, but it's nature that inspires him the most -- either gardening or "going for forest walks."
His musical talent was formerly expressed through the keyboard -- self-taught of course, but he prefers these days to concentrate on song writing -- and vocals, working to perfect his cloning of the aggressive vocal stylings of both Bon Scott and Brian Johnson of AC/DC.
Don Coleman has come a long way from his days as a clarinet player in the high school band. Perhaps TV and film await his song writing talents, and his ultimate dream is to perform with AC/DC. He's sent them a copy of his Bon Scott tribute song, but so far it's hurry up and wait.
"It takes time. I guess you gotta dream the dream, and believe," he says.
"... you never know what's around the corner ...."
Singer/songwriter Don Coleman !
