Celebration of Life for Donny Baker
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Join us for a Celebration of Life for Donny Baker
A guy who was always full of life. This will be a full day of live Rockin’ Blues music that Donny loved. Butch Armstrong, Alan Greene, Rockside, Anthony Lovano Blues All-Stars, Madison Crawl and more friends will play to honor the musical legacy of Donny.
To keep the energy hot – the way Donny would have liked it – the bands will walk out and play with little to no switch over time.
Donny Baker was born in Pittsburgh and moved to Cleveland Hts. at five years old with his twin brother, older sister and older brother. He shared his story of wanting a guitar for so long and finally receiving one that was a plastic guitar with four strings and a plastic cover to show where the chords were. Even at a young age he figured out how to play it. He learned by listening to the radio and records and then played along. Donny also learned a trade as an Electronics Systems Tech.
Donny became interested in the Blues because his Mom played violin and his Dad always had music playing. Cleveland radio was awesome and he was always listening to the radio to hear multiple styles of music. “I heard Chet Atkins, Lonnie Mack, Chuck Berry, Bo Diddley, The Stones, The Beatles and all of the English invasion and the Chicago Blues players.” Guitar was Donny’s main Blues instrument for over 50 years. He graduated with a music degree but was mostly self-taught, primarily listening by ear.
He also learned much from Glenn Schwartz and Bill D’Arango and loved to play all types of Blues. Donny’s biggest influences were all of the Chicago Blues Guys, Robert Jr. Lockwood, John Lee Hooker, Howlin’, Wolf, Magic Sam, Buddy Guy, Lightnin’ Hopkins, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, (huge fan of Jimmy Page) and the Yardbirds. Donny taught while in California for 25 years and continued to teach after returning to Cleveland. He’s taught at Motter Music, Sam Ash and Chagrin Valley Music. He taught all styles of Blues and developed his own teaching technique, primarily teaching American Music with the electric guitar, ukulele, piano and mandolin.
Donny played with many local Cleveland groups and musicians including Missing Lynx, Lloyds of London, E.T. Hooley, Mr. Stress Blues Band, Jimmy Ley Band, Rainbow Canyon, The Jim Miller Band, Madison Crawl, Jazz Cabbage, and Rockside Band. He was also on the Gene Carrol Show in Cleveland and has done some recording with Madison Crawl, along with hosting the CBS Roots of Rustbelt Blues Jam, Bad Boys of Blues Jam and the Alan Greene Sunday Night Jam at Cebars.
When people speak of Donny Baker, there are few words that really can describe his unique playing style. It has enamored him to many who heard him. He was unpredictable but always entertaining and responsive to the players he was playing with. Donny was inducted into The Cleveland Blues Society Hall of Fame in 2024.
