Don Dunlavey is a veteran musician from Macon, Ga and cut his teeth around that area as a teen. Influenced by Otis Redding, James Brown, Roy Orbison and a lot of other Guitarists of note along the journey. Spent a good bit of time on the road till the eighties, then located in Atlanta were he started building Guitars, playing locally and doing session work. D, as he prefers, has been influenced by many music genres as several of his family members played a couple of different instruments. "My Father played 4 instruments." In 1982, married "Susie Blue" great blues singer also from Macon. He confesses he's always been a neck freak and that led him to building his own and then for others. "I've been told many times by other musicians that I have a strange approach to rhythm and songwriting which I think is a complement to my creativity.
Artist Bios:
Donald Dunlavey---- In the 60's played all over Ga. with a self-formed group called the Englishman Ltd. Did shows with Billy Joe Royal, The Candymen, Peter and Gordon, Sam The Sham, G.G. Shinn, Bill Wray. (A few he can remember) Many still remember me from this group. D left the group in Louisiana and went to Nashville to join a group who audition him without his knowledge. This was a backup group to B,J. Thomas who went on their own. The Band did some recording at the infamous Woodland Studios and got a record deal with Liberty United Artists Records and did an album at Lefevere Bros Studios in Atlanta. Engineered by : Rodney Mills and Ronnie Hammond. The band began touring extensively and was booked on the 2nd Atlanta Pop Festival when Donald became very ill and unable to play as he has just gotten out of Grady Hospital in Atlanta with a collapsed lung and excessive fatigue.
After some rest and recovery time D, helped form another group so (named) "Cry Mercy" with John Anthony from Wet Willie on Keys and bass. Stanley Kimball from the Bobby Womack group on guitar, a burner. The group recorded a half CD a Capricorn Records on Broad---Way, In Macon, Ga. while working a deal with Phil Walden who was indeed interested in signing the group when the Legendary Capricorn suddenly went into bankruptcy. Hmmmmmmm.
Since the Donald has done sessions and spot gigs and has written quite a few toons. He has expanded his interest in the instrument and now builds some of the finest playing and responsive guitars around, many of which are on this CD. So check it out for yourself.
Neal Morris---A musician and a Dr. who has been playing for almost as long as Don and plays guitar and bass. He is from just outside Macon, Perry Ga. uh huh. He and Don Happened to meet a few years ago and decided to make a CD of somewhat different material.(Neal just happened to have a full blown Studio) Neal did 7 of the 9 bass tracks and percussion on "Its Only A Dream." Neal is responsible for this CD coming to fruition.
Reviews and Comments
I met D, a number of years ago as I was working on an Indie film project and frequented the studio of Neal Morris a number of times asking questions and sharing ideas on mixing, recording and music in general. On a day when I first met D, I was suffering with carpel tunnel and I was having some real issues playing the guitar. D, is a master guitar builder and we started talking about how my situation could be helped by a neck of different shape and being set up properly and I listened like a sponge......A few weeks later I actually broke the Headstock of my vintage Les Paul and asked D, if there could be anything done to restore this classic. He said "leave it with me and I'll make it better than it ever was. And that is what happened, as he transformed this broken down legendary guitar into a stunningly very playable Axe.
*--Charlie Harrelson-TL2, Quad Cranium and TAA.
The CD It's Only A Dream combines both great songwriting skills with awesome musicianship. The combination is breathtaking and hopefully may mark the return of the guitar as an instrument of great worth and not just a device to play power chords on!
*...Bill Carrera.
This guy is a monster player as he depends totally on his skills as a player and not as a computer wizard! The guitar playing on this CD is truly magic.......
*....EvO:R Review
Check out the artist's website:
http://members.aol.com/_ht_a/frets21/index.htmTrack List:
1. Bourgoise Bump
2. Lakeside Park
3. It S Only a Dream
4. Fusion Confusion
5. Into the Darkness
6. Ditty
7. Cherry St Strut
8. Jest Maddest
9. Ginya
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