At a time when other artists strive solely for commercial acceptance, Don White remains obsessed with creative excellence. His belief in the importance of musical integrity, along with the quality of his own work, has served as the foundation for his artistic reputation among serious musicians and songwriters, along with promoters of live venues. He plays and sings his own style of country blues, developed through the years of writing, recording and performing. The "new traditionalist" sing new songs in old fashioned ways and represent the most commercially successful trend to ever hit country and blues music.
White is not a new traditionalist, he is a traditional traditionalist, and his tradition is excellence. If you want to know who is truly talented in the music business, don't ask the publicists, booking agents, managers or others in the front offices. Ask those on the front lines - the singers, songwriters and players. They gauge an artist by the way he touches their heart with no regard to whomever tops the charts. Their opinions are based on feelings, not figures.
White is a household name among the knowledgeable. J.J. Cale, who helped White start his first band and played guitar in that band, fostered an increased interest in country music because of White. So did other artists who are an integral part of "The Tulsa Sound," an American art form known nationally to serious listeners. Rockin' Jimmy Byfield, Gus Hardin, Ronnie Dunn [of Brooks and Dunn], The Tractors and Debbie Campbell all performed the Tulsa Sound before they performed nationally. And they all listened extensively to Don White.
White is a songwriter's songwriter. Rosanne Cash, The Oak Ridge Boys, Suzy Boggus, Razzy Bailey, and Davis Daniel are some of the artists who have recorded White's songs. White is a regularly requested studio musician who has worked with Waylon Jennings, J.J. Cale, Marty Stuart, The Tractors, Jamie Hartford, Katie Moffit, and Johnny Rodriguez.
He has performed as a solo act and with his own band in concert with Waylon Jennings, J.J. Cale, Dwight Yoakam, Suzy Boggus, Willie Nelson, Don Williams, George Strait, Gus Hardin, Delbert McClinton, Toby Keith, David Allen Coe, Merle Haggard, Ry Cooder and others.
One music critic put it this way, "Don White is one of the originators and perpetuators of the Tulsa Sound. Don White's sound is a smooth blend of Rhythm and Blues, Country Blues, Honky Tonk Shuffle and Rock and Roll with a kind of hard-bitten optimism. So listen to White and discover what those in the know have known. Find America's best-kept creative secret and let your senses burn. They will - from the flame of the artistic excellence."
