To start with the main course – my latest record Underdog is now 100% complete! It’s ready and pressed into CDs and Vinyl Records, ready now for purchase. I’ve also been booking quite a few small shows in the Guelph area. These dates give me the incredible opportunity to practice my new songs with a newly formed band of talented musicians. The exact dates for these shows are yet to be announced, but stay tuned. I’ve also been dreaming up a spectacular multi-media CD release show experience, but the details have yet to be finalized. I’ll keep you posted. In the meantime, check out my newly launched website full of info, music, pics & merch!

On a more personal note, there have also been some major events happening in my life.

I’m happy to report that I have moved into a new home in Guelph, ON with my partner, Diane. – The place is beautiful, inside and out. We have access to an incredibly gorgeous forest trail along the Speed River, and I take a stroll there almost everyday. I’ve set up my writing table right next to the window so I’m able to gaze outside and let the natural world inspire me. It is truly the perfect place to write songs for my next record, which I’ve already started working on! All in all, I feel like I’m getting into the next major chapter of my life – I have finally settled into a place where I’m comfortable to write, live, love and grow old.

I attended Hillside this year and was blown away! As anyone else who was there will tell you, it was absolutely amazing! A personal highlight for me was seeing Xavier Rudd perform – I admire Xavier and the passion he has for his music and his message. Watching him during Hillside inspired me to focus on the things that really matter to me in my own music – on exploring the human condition, how we deal with self-doubt and low self-esteem, on the things we all struggle with and how we’re all a little bit crazy in our own unique way and that that’s okay.

Australian perfomer Xavier Rudd closed out the 2017 festival. Photo by Vicki Mahoney

Lately, I’m seeing so many people throw away their potential because of insecurity, depression, stress, and self-loathing. I feel strongly that this is one of the biggest problems we face in society today, regardless of our race, religion, age, physical appearance, sexuality or nationality. I want my music to serve as a light of hope; to help people get out of these unpleasant, debilitating and destructive mindsets.

I, myself, have channeled a great deal of my energy into shifting my mindset towards a positive outlook. It’s definitely not an easy thing to do, learning to stop endlessly reading into other people’s reactions and words. I believe that fear of other people’s judgements is where most of our insecurity and low self-esteem come from. People are social beings and that’s great, but we need to learn to take only the important things out of our social interactions and leave behind the mental tar that often clogs our minds. These are the sorts of things that have been floating around inside my head as of late, and these themes will likely be coming up in the new songs I’m writing.

Song writing is always an adventure and I love watching my skills grow and mature. I’m convinced that we’re really alive when we’re growing, and that we truly enjoy life only when we can see and appreciate that growth. We’re here only briefly – let’s live life to the fullest and enjoy the ride, individually and collectively. I hope you’ll join me.

One more thing, I recently shot a music video with help from MazeKey Media and starring some lovely folks from The Making-Box, an innovative comedy theatre and improv training centre in Guelph, that is building community through comedy. The video tells the story of a boy and a girl falling in love at a surprise birthday party for a tortoise. Yes, a surprise birthday party for a tortoise, hilarious! The video is set for release in early September, but you can get a sneak peek by watching the trailer that is up now on my Facebook band page.

Thanks for your continued support!

Cheers, Donny. 🙂

Don Sawchuk
Building community one song at a time.