Don Robinson is a 40-something male who loves the 5-string banjo and bluegrass music, fishing, family, fun, and faith (not necessarily in that order!) Don has been a part of the Southeast music scene for almost 40 years. Growing up in Sandersville, Mississippi, his first musical interest was Southern Gospel music. He learned to sing harmony in church and by listening to the sounds of the great old groups such as the Stamps Quartet and the Blackwood Brothers. He also learned to play piano being influenced by the stylings of Floyd Cramer and Jerry Lee Lewis. He listened intently to the country music of the '60's and '70's. George Jones, Buck Owens, Connie Smith, and Ronnie Milsap all had great influence on his vocal style. Don performed on many regional country music shows such as the Mid-South Hayride and the Jimmie Rodgers Festival in Meridian, MS.In 1981, while playing piano for a family gospel group The Abercrombies, Don became increasingly interested in Bluegrass music. Always a fan of Flatt & Scruggs, he began playing the banjo. In 1983, he helped form the regionally-famous band Sweet Dixie, a group whose music is still talked about fondly by fans to this day! In 1988, Don sang briefly with the Magnolia Boys Quartet of Jones Co. Mississippi taking him back to his musical roots in Southern Gospel music. After a short reprisal of Sweet Dixie in 1989, Don went to work playing banjo for the Crain Brothers, a group from Florida who played the Grand Ole Opry in the '60's. He then joined Harold & Ovaline Andrews and Up the Creek in 1990. This gig lasted for almost 5 years taking Don to the Midwest and all over the Southeast!In 1995, Don was asked to play bass in the Lickety Split band of Birmingham, Alabama. This group competed at the SPBGMA Fan's Choice Championship in Nashville, TN and was very well received. Lickety Split also was chosen to represent the Southern region of the U.S. to compete at the IBMA Pizza Hut Bluegrass Band Championship in Owensboro, Kentucky and finished in the top five. In 1996, Don along with guitarist Ray Benson left Lickety Split and formed Common Ground taking their music in a different direction. This group played festivals and other events in Mississippi and Alabama through 2000.After almost 20 years of non-stop traveling and performing, Don chose to take a sabbatical. He performed occasionally with Ray and Gathel Runnels (a bandmate in Sweet Dixie), but laid low becoming an avid bass angler during most of 2001-2004. Don and Jason Boone had talked for several years about putting together a group and that idea became a reality in late 2004. As a member of The Jason Boone Band, Don plays banjo, guitar occasionally, and sings lead and harmony vocals. He also handles the majority of the emcee duties.Don is also a published songwriter. His songs have been recorded by Lickety Split, The Misty Valley Boys of Virginia, The Southern Gentlemen of Alabama, as well as The Jason Boone Band. He has contributed much to the JBB repretoire with many of his original songs, one of which, "This Same Jesus" recorded on the group's first self-titled CD project, has received some national radio airplay. The JBB just released it's 2nd album, " I Hear Mississippi Calling" which features 5 songs written by Don. This album while only released in March 2008 has already received critical acclaim from all over the industry!
Don lives in Hattiesburg, MS with his wife Karen and their two almost grown children, Chase, a son and Chandler, a daughter. He teaches an adult Sunday School class and fishes when he can! Don is also a Chartered Life Underwriter(CLU) in the insurance and investment business where he has enjoyed much success over the last 20 years.
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