Enjoy live music by Don Cameron on Thursday, March 12 at Jacksons.
Don Cameron has never been especially comfortable writing about himself in the third person, finding it a little silly by nature. That said, what follows is a mostly factual account. Any omissions are intentional and made strictly in the interest of brevity.
He began playing in bands well before he was technically qualified to do so. Fortunately, everyone else was just as bad. He played anywhere, anytime, and for a very long while wasn’t particularly good at it. Then, as famously proclaimed in Monty Python and the Holy Grail, he “got better.”
In 1989, Cameron joined The Marshall Tucker Band, one of the original Southern rock groups. Initially brought in to cover lead vocals while longtime frontman Doug Gray recovered from a serious illness, he remained with the band for nearly five years. His vocal similarity to Gray inspired fellow band members to spread the rumor that he was Gray’s nephew—an explanation that was met with remarkably little resistance from fans. When Gray returned to the road, Cameron continued to sing lead on select songs, including “Take the Highway” and “Ramblin’,” in every set.
After returning to his hometown in 1995, Cameron accepted a recording engineer position at a local studio, stepping for the first time to the other side of the glass. He brought no prior experience running sessions and made an impressive number of mistakes. Over time, however, the work became less stressful and the results less cringeworthy.
Since the summer of 2006, Cameron has been with the Lincoln Park Performing Arts Center and Charter School. What began as a 10-hour-per-week adjunct role teaching audio recording quickly evolved into overseeing nearly all sound-related operations. He has mixed more than forty musical theater productions, designed sound for countless plays, mixed live performances by local favorites and national legends, and even produced lunchtime performance extravaganzas for students. In short: he got better.
When not fulfilling his unofficial role as the “Phantom of Lincoln Park,” Cameron continues to perform regularly. For the past twenty years, he has worked with the same power trio, The ADD Band—typically Don Cameron on bass, Dave Granati on guitar, and Andy Taravella on drums, with only occasional lineup variations.
His preferred performance mode, however, is solo—usually with a guitar (or three, all of which get played). He enjoys the self-reliance, and his solo song list is easily three times larger than that of any band he’s part of.
More information about his performances, schedule, and current projects can be found on his performance page.
Thursday Night Live Music at Jacksons, where local talent takes the stage!
Whether you’re sipping on a signature craft cocktail, enjoying dishes from our elevated kitchen, or simply soaking in the warm, inviting ambiance, it’s the perfect way to ease into the weekend.
Our lineup features a rotating mix of acoustic artists, soulful duos, and upbeat performers. Gather your friends, grab a table, and experience the energy of live music paired with exceptional food and drink.