Don Wise

Don Wise
Donald Grover Wise (born March 24, 1942, in Westerly, Rhode Island) is an American tenor saxophonist, songwriter, and music producer. He gained attention as reliable sideman of the singer-songwriter Delbert McClinton from Lubbock, Texas, for more than 20 years. Wise played with many artists and in venues all over the globe in his more than 50-year musical career. He released four CDs under his own name before retiring from the music business in 2008.
Wise is married and lives with his family in Knoxville, Tennessee.
Development and musical career
Wise began playing music on a clarinet. At age 12 he moved to the saxophone, initially alto sax and a year later settled on the tenor sax. He was inspired by the rhythm and blues of the 1950s; however, he also played country, swing, and big band music. He joined his first band in 1957. Riding the tide of rock 'n' roll, they called themselves the Rhythm Rockers. Early saxophone influences were Red Prysock, Sam "The Man" Taylor, Earl Bostic, David "Fathead" Newman, and a little later, King Curtis, Sam Butera, and Junior Walker. With these musical inspirations, over the years he developed his versatility and his own signature sound and became a sought-after session musician.
Wise toured with various bands across the U.S. in the 1970s and '80s and has performed with Jeffrey Osborne, Ruben Ramos, Chuck Jackson, Maxine Brown, Taj Mahal, Willie Nelson, Marcia Ball, Rickey Godfrey, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Tower of Power, Huey Lewis, Hal Ketchum, Teresa James and Joe Ely. A milestone was the invitation from Ray Charles to back him on a nationally broadcast TV appearance for the ESPYs in New York City in 1997. Wise was also member of the "Allstar Band" performing the Inaugural-Concert for George H. W. Bush in 1989.
While recording in 1985 with Radio Zebra, a Texas rock group with whom he had toured Germany a month prior, he received a call from Delbert McClinton to fill the position as saxophonist in his band. Wise took the opportunity and remained a pillar of the group for 23 years. He served as instrumentalist and co-producer of McClinton's Grammy-nominated album Live from Austin in 1989 and as musician of Grammy winner Cost of Living in 2005. After more tours in Central Europe and Scandinavia, a large fan base grew outside the U.S. and led to Wise' increased recognition and the popularity of his music.
His eclectic skills brought various honors, from Country Sax Player of the Year at the Oklahoma Country Music Awards in 1980, to 2002 when he earned the Best Instrumentalist Cammy Award from the Beach Music Association. His playing style is written about in John Laughter's Contemporary Saxophone, with four of his solos from the Live from Austin CD featured on the book's companion disc. Reviewers in a variety of journals, magazines, and e-zines describe his soulful solos and just-right backup playing.
In 1997 he produced the first CD of his own, which garnered excellent reviews and led to three more discs over the next eight years. Colleagues including Delbert McClinton, Marcia Ball, Gary Bunton, Britt Johansen, Robin Griffin, Bugs Henderson, Big Joe Maher, Teresa James and Steve Williams helped get his ideas heard and appreciated. Friend and co-producer, Wally Moyers, owner of Studio 84 in Lubbock, was invaluable in achieving the sound Wise wanted. Besides featuring his friends' and colleagues' talents, Wise complemented these projects with his own musicianship as a sax pro, as well as his gifts as a composer, lyricist, producer, and singer.
In 2008, after an acclaimed tour of Finland and Norway, Wise exited the Delbert McClinton band to devote his time to his family and hobbies. Sometimes he still plays as a guest with various artists, such as Mingo Fishtrap from Austin, Texas, or on Delbert McClinton's annual Sandy Beaches Cruise. In 2021 Wise was inducted into the Westerly High Music Hall of Fame.
Instruments
Wise plays "The Martin Tenor" built in 1951 with the Otto Link 7S, metal mouthpiece (adapted By "Doc" Tenney in Cedar Falls, Iowa). In addition, he has a Martin silver tenor saxophone (which he acquired in trade for a black Keilwerth tenor with golden flaps), a Martin alto, and a Conn soprano sax.
Awards
Country Saxophonist of the Year, 1980, Oklahoma Country Music Association
Cammy Award – Best Instrumentalist, 2002, Beach Music Association
Induction into the Westerly High Music Hall of Fame, 2021
Discography
Excerpt of productions, Wise has contributed as a saxophonist, producer, composer and/or songwriter:
Solo-CDs
All released by Horn O' Copia Recordings.
1997 In Wise Hands
2000 In the Verge of Survival
2002 Genuine Snake
2005 Swingin' Up a Storm
As sideman, session or guest musician
1981 Warhorse Band: Live in Lubbock
1985 Radio Zebra: Different stripes for different types
1988 Bugs Henderson & The Shuffle Kings: American Music
1989 Delbert McClinton: Live from Austin
1990 Genuine Houserockin' Music, Vol. 4
1991 The Best of Mountain Stage Live, Vol. 2
1992 Hot Rhythm & Cool Blues – Texas Style
1993 Bugs Henderson: Years in the jungle
1997 Delbert McClinton: One of the Fortunate Few
1998 Big Blues Extravaganza!: The Best of Austin City Limits
1998 Bugs Henderson & The Shuffle Kings: Have Blues...Must Rock
2000 Kevin McKendree: Miss Laura's Kitchen
2001 All Aboard: The Beach Boogie Train, Vol. 3
2001 The Delta Riders: Kickin' up Dust
2002 Delbert McClinton: Room to Breathe
2002 Todd Sharp: Walking All the Way
2003 Johnny Flash & The Rockets: I Hear My Baby Knocking
2003 Paul Craver: Let the Music Play
2003 Delbert McClinton: Live
2003 Bugs Henderson & The Shuffle Kings: We're a Texas Band – Live in Germany
2005 Delbert McClinton: Cost of living
2005 Teresa James: Rhythm Method
2008 Rob Roy Parnell: Let's Start Something
2010 Rickey Godfrey: Nasty Man
2012 Topcat Records 20th Anniversary Extravaganza
References
External links
Official website
Video-Interview with Don Wise on his Homepage
Don Wise & Marcia Ball on Youtube
Rickey Godfrey Website
1942 births
Living people
American male saxophonists
American rhythm and blues musicians
Rhythm and blues saxophonists
Songwriters from Rhode Island
Record producers from Rhode Island
People from Westerly, Rhode Island
Musicians from Tennessee
Songwriters from Tennessee
Record producers from Tennessee
21st-century American saxophonists
21st-century American male musicians
American male songwriters