Don Alder, Guitar Player Magazine’s 2010 Guitar Superstar winner, with deep roots in Williams Lake, will be in concert at the Gibraltar Room this Friday evening, Nov. 18.
A life-long friend and key promoter with Man in Motion Rick Hansen’s foundation to raise funds for spinal cord research, Alder has taken his acoustic guitar playing from hobby status to becoming one of the top finger-picking guitarists in the world.
Among many other awards, Alder was named Guitar Player Magazine’s 2010 Guitar Superstar Winner and the 2007 International Fingerstyle Champion.
Alder plays acoustic fingerstyle guitar with a passion and wow factor that has earned him a reputation as Vancouver’s best-kept little secret along with multiple endorsement deals with major manufacturers and a collaboration with Greenfield guitars to produce a signature acoustic guitar — the Don Alder G4 model.
Alder’s unique playing style incorporates fingerpicking with simultaneous percussion on the soundboard to create a wall of sound. He is often referred to as sounding like a four -piece band.
Alder’s music is his own unique weave of deeply textured melody and story. Lyrical and compelling, his original songs are notes of exploration — some passionate and haunting, some hard-driven, others light and teasing. In quiet pieces or pushing right to the edge, Alder’s phenomenal fingerstyle playing and rich voice captivate.
Alder continues to play to Canadian, American, European, and Asian audiences, sharing stages with grand master acousticians such as Peter Finger, Jacques Stotzem, Bob Evans, Andy Mckee, and Masa Sumide, John Parr (St. Elmos Fire), Ellen McElwaine, Cassius Khan. He has also performed at festivals as a headliner which included artists such as Don Ross, Pierre Bensusan, Del Vazeau, Ric Emmet, Dave Martone.
Special guest artists at Alder’s concert Friday evening will be Pharis and Jason Romero of Horsefly.
All proceeds from this special concert will go to the Station House Gallery.
Tickets are $25 each and available at Audio Video Unlimited and the Station House Gallery.
