Don Strong

DON STRONG is an active music producer, performer, teacher, filmmaker and “midwife” to creatives.

An active performer, recording artist and resident of MN since 1994, Don Strong was raised in the East Coast music hotbed known as New York City.

Don’s professional musical career started on the East Coast in 1975 with his debut LP release called Soul Translation: A Spiritual Suite in 1975 for Triad Concept Records- which was also his senior honors thesis project.

Along with two recent graduate degrees in film production and screenwriting, Don earned a double major BA in music with honors and English from Wesleyan University in Connecticut.

In the 80’s, Strong worked as a staff writer in New York City for the contemporary hip-hop label DEF JAM Records while he pursed a day job as a band and choir teacher in Harlem and the Bronx. That job will toughen one up! ;)

Don has won numerous awards and grants as a songwriter and composer. He has a wide interest and deep musical knowledge of a variety musical styles.

From 2003-2004 Strong worked regularly as a freelance composer and sound designer for live theater productions at local companies such as American History Theater, Children’s Theater, Stages and Theater MU.

A devoted, former member of the NYC-based Songwriters Guild, in 2014, Strong founded Songwriters Circle / Twin Cities to fill a particular niche with local songwriters.

As a producer, Don has produced songs and albums for many singer-songwriters/bands such as Chastity Brown, Zoe Says Go, Dave Dvorak, Mayyadda, John Siqveland, Patrick Bonier, Scott Zoel and many others.

As a producer, LET THEM SING (2016) was his first compilation of local artists as a producer.

The GRIND (also the name of his new web TV songwriter series on YouTube)
Is a new, jumbo collection of 38 songs by 25 artists from Songwriters Circle / Twin Cities and a couple MAS members as well. The music on this deluxe, triple CD set now complete and mastered and is due to be released before summer.

SAMPLES

MISSISSIPPI / MAYYADDA
https://soundcloud.com/mayyadda/mississippi

Songwriters Circle / Twin Cities Compilation TEASER
https://soundcloud.com/user-956295035/the-grind-compilation-teaser

LET THEM SING / Songwriters Circle / Twin Cities Compilation 2016 Teaser
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgxOeP7ZTac

I DON’T KNOW IF I LIKE LOVE
https://soundcloud.com/don-strong-productions/i-dont-know-if-i-like-love

SPRING SONG with ELDER SONGWRITING NATIONAL PROJECT
https://soundcloud.com/don-strong-productions/songwriting-teaching-with-elders-218

JASONS STORY (short radio skit with High School Student actors)
https://soundcloud.com/circle4songwriters/jasons-story-drama-skit-production-by-professor-rock-based-on-a-true-story-by-jason-arce

CLUMSY
https://soundcloud.com/dave-dvorak-673841019/clumsy

THINGS YOU CANNOT MEASURE
https://soundcloud.com/dave-dvorak-673841019/things-you-cannot-measure

TIME ON MY SIDE / DON STRONG & DANNY FROMM
https://soundcloud.com/user-956295035/time-on-my-side-vocal-master

HELLO GOD ITS ME
https://soundcloud.com/user-488763389/hello-god-its-me-f1-061119

WE COULD BE DANCING
https://soundcloud.com/don-strong-productions/we-could-be-dancing-by-don-strong-edit

THAT GUY
https://soundcloud.com/user-304612339/that-guy

WALKIN’ ON THE WATER
https://soundcloud.com/don-strong-productions/demo-2-walkin-on-the-water-don-strong

SEASONS OF LOVE preview jazz CD / DON STRONG
https://soundcloud.com/user-524611110

STELLA JANE / Dave Dvorak
https://soundcloud.com/don-strong-productions/13-track-13-1

YouTube SONGWRITER SERIES:

The GRIND: A Pandemic Home Companion with Minneapolis-based music producer DON STRONG
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvVE0hNCMdE

Promo video teaser for music CD “The GRIND” produced by Don Strong for Songwriters Circle / Twin Cities DSP:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9eWmLez1Trc