He's spent most of his life behind guitars — singing and pickin’, from campfire circles and coffeehouses, to dance halls and concert stages. Guitarist and vocalist DON BURNHAM is best known to audiences as the bandleader of California’s LOST WEEKEND Western Swing Band (since 1985).

Born in San Francisco (June 3, 1947), DON was raised on the SF Peninsula, and he attended the University of California, where guitars, music and songwriting ultimately prevailed over other studies. Drafted by Uncle Sam in 1968, DON served in the US ARMY/Korea. He worked for a time in New York City at the National Broadcasting Company (NBC) as a news assistant, before returning to California and the West Coast music scene.

In the 1980’s, DON supported his musical doins working as a seasonal park ranger, and as “Ranger Don” developed his musical interpretative program, “Songs and Tales of California and the West.”

After years as a folksinger, troubadour, songwriter, bandleader, and entertainer, DON’S overriding interest in swing music and traditional jazz produced the Western Swing outfit LOST WEEKEND (1985), and the NEW CENTURY JAZZ BAND (1986). Ultimately these two bands “merged” (1991).

Today, the modern Western Swing band known as LOST WEEKEND www.lostweekend.ws is internationally recognized as a leading light in contemporary Western Swing. DON was honored with his induction into the Western Swing Hall of Fame in 2005. LOST WEEKEND has released three albums of classic and contemporary Western Swing music.

DON is a recognized composer (BMI)—since 1975— and his original songs are featured on his 2009 album, I Dreamed Count Basie Was A Cowboy. (Redoubtable Records). DON continues performing today, both with LOST WEEKEND Western Swing Band, and with THE BOLOS www.thebolos.com, and also as he first began, with just his Martin guitar. www.donburnham.com