Meet
Don McKevitt sees himself as a songwriter and musician. He grew up on the coast of North County Dublin, Ireland.
Back in the Day
Music has been an integral part of Don’s life since he discovered the Rolling Stones at the tender age of 10. At 18 he was introduced to Eric Bell and became his roadie and photographer in Ireland and the UK. A six-week UK tour with Thin Lizzy, as the sound engineer for the opening act, spurred Don on to form his own band on his return to Dublin.
“After the Lizzy tour I founded the Highheel Sneakers. I was the principal songwriter, guitarist and sometimes vocalist. I then went solo, recorded some great songs, did the rounds of the record companies in London. Stiff Records were interested in signing me and financed more recordings. They had two A&R guys, one wanted to sign me, the other wanted to sign a London Irish band called Pogue Mahone. Dave Robinson, the CEO, chose to sign the latter”.
During this period Don also played with Tease Johnny Tease on a Bagatelle tour and with Face to Face when they recorded the single Dreams/Watch Me Run. He met a couple of American musicians in Dublin who invited him to join a bar band in Columbus, Ohio where he recorded his first single Out of Town/Did He Jump or was He Pushed?
Living the Dream
Don then relocated to London where he continued to gig and record. While there, he worked on gigs by Bruce Springsteen, Prince, Pink Floyd, REM, Paul McCartney, Rory Gallagher, BB King, U2 & Keith Richards, Lou Reed, Tom Waits, Sting, Bryan Adams, Iron Maiden, Frank Sinatra and many, many more.
His reputation as a backline tech, sound engineer and production manager led to him touring the world with bands and artists including Van Morrison, Chris Rea, Thin Lizzy, Jethro Tull, Stiff Little Fingers, Bob Geldof, The Monkees, Sisters of Mercy, The Beautiful South, Jimmy Somerville, Curtis Stigers and Everything But The Girl amongst others.
When not touring Don continued to write and record, including a four track EP Drinking Guinness & Kissing Girls/Setting Sun/Destiny/Dublin Days featuring musicians Stewart Blandamer (Q Tips, Adam & The Ants), Martin Ditcham (The Rolling Stones, Chris Rea, The Waterboys) and Sally Herbert (Liam Gallagher, Florence & The Machine).
Cois Farraige (By the Sea)
With the arrival of the coronavirus pandemic and the cessation of national and international travel, Don commenced recording what became the album Cois Farraige (By the Sea) in his home studio.
Don has lived in the USA, UK and Australia and has toured extensively throughout North & South America, Europe and Japan. In recent years he returned home to the North County Dublin coast. He has been a compassionate eater for 36 years and is an animal rights advocate and environmentalist.