Don Peterson
Arriving in Victoria in 1967, Don Peterson began playing initially with his brother’s guitar and it wasn’t long after his mother enrolled him in lessons at Art Hall’s on Cook Street. He connected with his neighbor Lloyd Haskell who played guitar and they would venture downtown to visit club’s like the Blacklight A GoGo on Wharf St. and others getting his earliest taste of live music being performed. When his friend Lloyd began playing in Muther Troll, he would watch rehearsals at their band house over on Camosun St. That combined with Bob Roe’s group, The St.Vitus Dance Band rehearsing in his mom’s basement, he would study and learn about band dynamics. It wasn’t long before he created his first group Primeval Road with bassist Bruce Davies, drummer Stan Taylor and guitarist Mauro Azzara. From there, a long path of touring with groups, duo’s, and orchestra’s around the world brought him back to Victoria, teaching his craft at Nelson’s, Ward, Tempo Trend and Long and McQuade music stores where he still shares his expertise with the next generation of budding musicians, while performing all styles of music from rock to country because he just loves to play. He’ll sometimes do up to three performances, in three different genres a day. Don’s guitar knowledge is unprecedented and he always willing to share with others. His current project, Don Peterson & The Push, perform regularly to full houses with packed dances floors. Written for Don Peterson by the Royal City Music Project.
