Don Goodman Guitar Benson, Vermont

Don was raised in Long Island, NY and northern New Jersey where he was forced into a secluded lifestyle due to his holding on to the Groucho Marx philosophy of "never belonging to any club that would have me as a member," coupled with his humiliation due to his claims of having "invented" jazz. Forced to watch prime time sitcoms that had theme songs which told the story of the show by his parents, he turned to playing the guitar for comfort and to "pick up girls." While he enjoyed a modicum of success in those early years achieving those goals (though they weren't "real" girls), he never overcame his overwhelming fear of breakfast foods (mostly cured meats and pancakes).

Don studied with notable New York area guitar instructors Van Moretti, Harry Leahey and Russ DeFillipis and attended the William Patterson College jazz studies program. He has performed with some notable national acts (The Spinners, The Crystals and the Shirelles) as well as continuing to perform with numerous regional and Vermont-based musicians with his own group, Swinghouse, and a number of other combo groups. He currently directs the Green Mountain College Jazz Ensemble, as well as giving guitar instruction there and at Castleton State College. He has recorded 2 CDS, one of jazz standards with the Swinghouse trio and another with "Ecotones", a collection of original jazz compositions by noted Vermont musicians Jon Lorentz and Mark Harding.