There is no one-word description for what Don White does. He has survived and thrived for twenty years, bringing his audiences to laughter and tears in his live performances, studio recordings, and on the printed page. He is a storyteller-comedian-author-troubadour-folk singer-songwriter. He is a walking challenge to the phrase “file under.” Best to just sort him under “Don White.”
“It’s a weird, unique blend, I think. I’m not sure how you sell this. It would be easier if, say, I just played gospel music. You could say that. But I kind invented what I do. There’s no easy way to say it.”
White started out as a songwriter and took a detour through Boston’s swinging comedy scene in the early 90s before coming back to the city’s venerable folk scene with a whole new approach. White now had the toolkit of both songwriter and club comedian – he was “comedian funny,” not “folk funny,” he says. “I was bringing comedian sensibilities to my show, and then I had a couple of emotional songs like ‘I Know What Love Is’ s