Biography
He spent his early childhood years in Montreal, before his family moved to Williams Lake, British Columbia. He has played guitar since age 11. [1] In March 1985, Alder put his music career on hold to accompany his friend Rick Hansen on his Man in Motion world tour. [2] In January 1988, Mayor Woods of Williams Lake presented a certificate of merit to Don Alder for "Disabled Awareness - Man in Motion". [3]
Don Alder's character appears in the feature film "Heart of a Dragon" (2008), a movie about the Man In Motion Tour, [4] with Andrew Lee Potts playing the character of "Don". Don Alder also worked on this movie as a technical advisor. [5]
Alder is also featured in a play called "Rick: The Rick Hansen Story", which is also about the Man in Motion Tour. [6]
Don Alder was a member of the Canadian National Paralympic team in Atlanta for the 1996 Games and again in 2000 for the Games in Sydney, Australia. Alder did not participate as an athlete but as the equipment manager and wheelchair technician. [7]
In 2007, Don Alder became International Fingerstyle Champion. [8] In 2010, he was the Guitar Superstar contest winner. [9] In 2011, he won the World Wide Guitar Idol contest. [10] In 2013, he won Brand Laureate Award (Malaysia) for his contributions using his guitar and music to help and inspire others around the world. [11] In 2015, he was awarded the "Domenic Troiano Guitar Award" in the category "multi-genre". [12] Today, Alder continues to play to Canadian, American, European, [13] and Asian audiences. In 2016, he was nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award and a Western Canadian Music Award. [14] In 2017, he won "Artist of the Year" at the Vancouver Island Music Awards. [15] In 2021, the BC Entertainment Hall of Fame honored Don Alder with a Star Meritus status. [16] Alder has performed at venues around the world, including Muriel Anderson's All Star Guitar Night which he performed at five times. [17] He writes and performs all of his own music, and has released seven albums. [18] His CD, Not a Planet earned him a nomination for Instrumental Solo Artist of the Year at the Canadian Folk Music Awards in 2009. [19]
Greenfield Guitars designed a signature guitar for Don Alder, known as the G4-Don Alder model, which is a G4 married with a Novax Fanned Fret fingerboard. [20]
In August 2016, Don Alder signed on with the Fret Monkey Record Label. [21]
Don Alder has written for iGuitar magazine. [22]
Don Alder performed with Keith Knight as "Extreme Guitar Duo". [23]
Don Alder has done volunteer work for the Vancouver Adapted Music Society.
Don Alder also volunteered as "Artist as teachers" for DAREarts, [24] a Canadian charitable organization that uses educational experiences in the arts to empower children and youth facing life challenges, with confidence, courage, and leadership skills to unlock their potential and ignite change in their lives and communities.
He is also a featured performer for Synergy Collective. [25]
Don Alder has many endorsements, including Seymour Duncan, Yamaha Guitars, Riversong Guitars, [26] Santo Angelo Cables, Tonewood Amps, Journey Guitars, Leviora Guitars, Guitar Hands, Ernie Ball, and Dyer Harp Guitars. [27]
In fall 2014, Riversong Guitars, Kamloops, BC, Canada built a "Don Alder Signature Baritone", featuring many design innovations, including a new bracing system, bridge design and a new electronics package (Slap). This new guitar was presented to the public at NAMM 2015 in Anaheim, California. [28]
In April 2014, Don Alder performed the song "Space Oddity" together with Canadian astronaut and ISS Space Station Commander Chris Hadfield. The third Canadian on stage at this event, which took place in Kona, Hawaii, was actor William Shatner.
In 2024, he was appointed as a member of the Order of Canada. He lives in Vancouver. [29]
Penticton Herald: "Don Alder, the King of Strings." [32]
Vancouver Magazine: "Don Alder is widely acclaimed as one of the finest acoustic guitarists in the world." [33]
"In einer sehr melodiösen Klangsprache entfaltet der Meister der Gitarre einen Song ohne Worte, ein musikalisches Zwiegespräch zwischen zwei "Stimmen" seiner Gitarre." (WAZ Herne, 12/2016 - With his very melodic sound language the guitar virtuoso creates a song without words, a dialogue between two "voices" of his guitar.) [34]
"Don Alder ist nicht nur Gitarrist, sondern auch Sänger. Seine Songs sind auch deswegen abwechslungsreich, weil er sie zum Teil auf einer Harfengitarre spielt, die Alders Klangspektrum noch einmal erweitert." (NOZ, 09/2017) - Don Alder is not only a guitarist, but also a singer/songwriter. He's offering a big variety of songs by using different types of guitars, f.e. his harp guitar, which offers a wider sound spectrum than a normal acoustic guitar. [35]
"Der Kanadier ist der international mit den meisten Titeln ausgezeichnete Gitarrist und manchmal denkt man, es würde nicht nur ein Gitarrenspieler auf der Bühne stehen." (Leverkusen, 11/2017) - The Canadian is an international successful guitarist who won several awards, and sometimes his music sounds like there is not only guitarist on stage. [36]
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