Donald Grover Wise (born March 24, 1942, in

Westerly, Rhode Island Westerly is a town on the southwestern shoreline of Washington County, Rhode Island, first settled by English colonists in 1661 and incorporated as a municipality in 1669. It is a beachfront community on the south shore of the state with a popula ...

) is an American

tenor saxophonist The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B (while t ...

, songwriter, and music producer. He gained attention as reliable sideman of the singer-songwriter

Delbert McClinton Delbert McClinton (born November 4, 1940) is an American blues rock and electric blues singer-songwriter, guitarist, harmonica player, and pianist. From his first professional stage appearance in 1957 to his most recent national tour in 2018, ...

from Lubbock, Texas, for more than 20 years. Wise played with many artists and in venues all over the globe in his more than 50-year musical career. He released four CDs under his own name before retiring from the music business in 2008. Wise is married and lives with his family in

Knoxville, Tennessee Knoxville is a city in and the county seat of Knox County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, Knoxville's population was 190,740, making it the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Division and the state' ...

Development and musical career

Wise began playing music on a clarinet. At age 12 he moved to the saxophone, initially

alto sax The alto saxophone is a member of the saxophone family of woodwind instruments. Saxophones were invented by Belgian instrument designer Adolphe Sax in the 1840s and patented in 1846. The alto saxophone is pitched in E, smaller than the B ten ...

and a year later settled on the

tenor sax The tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor and the Alto saxophone, alto are the two most commonly used saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key ...

. He was inspired by the

rhythm and blues Rhythm and blues, frequently abbreviated as R&B or R'n'B, is a genre of popular music that originated in African-American communities in the 1940s. The term was originally used by record companies to describe recordings marketed predominantly ...

of the 1950s; however, he also played

country A country is a distinct part of the world, such as a state, nation, or other political entity. It may be a sovereign state or make up one part of a larger state. For example, the country of Japan is an independent, sovereign state, while ...

, swing, and

big band A big band or jazz orchestra is a type of musical ensemble of jazz music that usually consists of ten or more musicians with four sections: saxophones, trumpets, trombones, and a rhythm section. Big bands originated during the early 1910s ...

music. He joined his first band in 1957. Riding the tide of

rock 'n' roll Rock and roll (often written as rock & roll, rock 'n' roll, or rock 'n roll) is a genre of popular music that evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s. It originated from African-American music such as jazz, rhythm an ...

, they called themselves the Rhythm Rockers. Early saxophone influences were

Red Prysock Wilburt "Red" Prysock (February 2, 1926 – July 19, 1993) was an American R&B tenor saxophonist, one of the early Coleman Hawkins-influenced saxophonists to move in the direction of rhythm and blues, rather than bebop. Career With Tiny Grimes ...

Sam "The Man" Taylor Samuel Leroy Taylor, Jr. (July 12, 1916 – October 5, 1990), Sam Taylor Biography ''AllMusic'' known as Sam "The Man" Taylor, was an American jazz, rhythm and blues, and blues tenor saxophonist. Taylor was born in Lexington, Tennessee, United St ...

Earl Bostic Eugene Earl Bostic (April 25, 1913 – October 28, 1965) was an American alto saxophonist. Bostic's recording career was diverse, his musical output encompassing jazz, swing, jump blues and the post-war American rhythm and blues style, which he ...

David "Fathead" Newman David "Fathead" Newman (February 24, 1933 – January 20, 2009) was an American jazz and rhythm-and-blues saxophonist, who made numerous recordings as a session musician and leader, but is best known for his work as a sideman on seminal 1950s an ...

, and a little later,

King Curtis Curtis Ousley (born Curtis Montgomery; February 7, 1934 – August 13, 1971), known professionally as King Curtis, was an American saxophonist who played rhythm and blues, jazz, and rock and roll. A bandleader, band member, and session musician ...

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, and

Junior Walker Autry DeWalt Mixon Jr. (June 14, 1931 – November 23, 1995), known professionally as Junior Walker, was an American multi-instrumentalist (primarily saxophonist and vocalist) who recorded for Motown during the 1960s. He also performed as a sess ...

. With these musical inspirations, over the years he developed his versatility and his own signature sound and became a sought-after session musician. Wise toured with various bands across the U.S. in the 1970s and '80s and has performed with

Jeffrey Osborne Jeffrey Linton Osborne (born March 9, 1948) is an American singer-songwriter, musician, and lyricist. He is the former drummer and lead singer of the American R&B/soul group L.T.D., with whom he began his musical career in 1970. Biography Earl ...

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, Maxine Brown,

Taj Mahal The Taj Mahal (; ) is an Islamic ivory-white marble mausoleum on the right bank of the river Yamuna in the Indian city of Agra. It was commissioned in 1631 by the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan () to house the tomb of his favourite wife, Mu ...

Willie Nelson Willie Hugh Nelson (born April 29, 1933) is an American country musician. The critical success of the album '' Shotgun Willie'' (1973), combined with the critical and commercial success of '' Red Headed Stranger'' (1975) and '' Stardust'' (1 ...

Marcia Ball Marcia Ball (born March 20, 1949, Orange, Texas, United States) is an American blues singer and pianist raised in Vinton, Louisiana. Ball was described in ''USA Today'' as "a sensation, saucy singer and superb pianist... where Texas stomp-rock ...

, Rickey Godfrey, Jimmie Dale Gilmore,

Tower of Power Tower of Power is an American R&B and funk based band and horn section, originating in Oakland, California, that has been performing since 1968. There have been a number of lead vocalists, the best-known being Lenny Williams, who fronted th ...

Huey Lewis Hugh Anthony Cregg III (born July 5, 1950), known professionally as Huey Lewis, is an American singer, songwriter, and actor. Lewis sings lead and plays harmonica for his band, Huey Lewis and the News, in addition to writing or co-writing many o ...

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, Teresa James and Joe Ely. A milestone was the invitation from

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

to back him on a nationally broadcast TV appearance for the ESPYs in New York City in 1997. Wise was also member of the "Allstar Band" performing the ''

Inaugural In government and politics, inauguration is the process of swearing a person into office and thus making that person the incumbent. Such an inauguration commonly occurs through a formal ceremony or special event, which may also include an inaugur ...

-Concert'' for George H. W. Bush in 1989. While recording in 1985 with Radio Zebra, a Texas rock group with whom he had toured Germany a month prior, he received a call from

to fill the position as saxophonist in his band. Wise took the opportunity and remained a pillar of the group for 23 years. He served as instrumentalist and co-producer of McClinton's Grammy-nominated album ''Live from Austin'' in 1989 and as musician of Grammy winner ''Cost of Living'' in 2005. After more tours in Central Europe and

Scandinavia Scandinavia; Sámi languages: /. ( ) is a subregion in Northern Europe, with strong historical, cultural, and linguistic ties between its constituent peoples. In English usage, ''Scandinavia'' most commonly refers to Denmark, Norway, and Swe ...

, a large fan base grew outside the U.S. and led to Wise' increased recognition and the popularity of his music. His eclectic skills brought various honors, from ''Country Sax Player of the Year'' at the Oklahoma Country Music Awards in 1980, to 2002 when he earned the ''Best Instrumentalist'' Cammy Award from the Beach Music Association. His playing style is written about in John Laughter's Contemporary Saxophone, with four of his solos from the Live from Austin CD featured on the book's companion disc. Reviewers in a variety of journals, magazines, and e-zines describe his soulful solos and just-right backup playing. In 1997 he produced the first CD of his own, which garnered excellent reviews and led to three more discs over the next eight years. Colleagues including Delbert McClinton, Marcia Ball, Gary Bunton, Britt Johansen, Robin Griffin, Bugs Henderson, Big Joe Maher, Teresa James and Steve Williams helped get his ideas heard and appreciated. Friend and co-producer, Wally Moyers, owner of Studio 84 in Lubbock, was invaluable in achieving the sound Wise wanted. Besides featuring his friends' and colleagues' talents, Wise complemented these projects with his own musicianship as a sax pro, as well as his gifts as a composer, lyricist, producer, and singer. In 2008, after an acclaimed tour of

Finland Finland ( fi, Suomi ; sv, Finland ), officially the Republic of Finland (; ), is a Nordic country in Northern Europe. It shares land borders with Sweden to the northwest, Norway to the north, and Russia to the east, with the Gulf of B ...

and

Norway Norway, officially the Kingdom of Norway, is a Nordic country in Northern Europe, the mainland territory of which comprises the western and northernmost portion of the Scandinavian Peninsula. The remote Arctic island of Jan Mayen and the ...

, Wise exited the Delbert McClinton band to devote his time to his family and hobbies. Sometimes he still plays as a guest with various artists, such as Mingo Fishtrap from

Austin, Texas Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of Texas, as well as the seat and largest city of Travis County, with portions extending into Hays and Williamson counties. Incorporated on December 27, 1839, it is the 11th-most-populous city ...

, or on Delbert McClinton's annual Sandy Beaches Cruise. In 2021 Wise was inducted into the ''Westerly High Music Hall of Fame.''

Instruments

Wise plays " The Martin Tenor" built in 1951 with the Otto Link 7S, metal mouthpiece (adapted By "Doc" Tenney in

Cedar Falls, Iowa Cedar Falls is a city in Black Hawk County, Iowa, United States. As of the 2020 census, the city population was 40,713. It is home to the University of Northern Iowa, a public university. History Cedar Falls was first settled in March 1845 b ...

). In addition, he has a Martin silver tenor saxophone (which he acquired in trade for a black Keilwerth tenor with golden flaps), a Martin alto, and a Conn

soprano sax The soprano saxophone is a higher-register variety of the saxophone, a woodwind instrument invented in the 1840s. The soprano is the third-smallest member of the saxophone family, which consists (from smallest to largest) of the soprillo, sop ...

Awards

* Country Saxophonist of the Year, 1980, Oklahoma Country Music Association * Cammy Award – Best Instrumentalist, 2002, Beach Music Association * Induction into the ''Westerly High Music Hall of Fame'', 2021

Discography

Excerpt of productions, Wise has contributed as a saxophonist, producer, composer and/or songwriter:

Solo-CDs

All released by ''Horn O' Copia Recordings''. * 1997 ''In Wise Hands'' * 2000 ''In the Verge of Survival'' * 2002 ''Genuine Snake'' * 2005 ''Swingin' Up a Storm''

As sideman, session or guest musician

* 1981 Warhorse Band: ''Live in Lubbock'' * 1985 Radio Zebra: ''Different stripes for different types'' * 1988 Bugs Henderson & The Shuffle Kings: ''American Music'' * 1989 Delbert McClinton: ''Live from Austin'' * 1990 Genuine Houserockin' Music, Vol. 4 * 1991 The Best of Mountain Stage Live, Vol. 2 * 1992 Hot Rhythm & Cool Blues – Texas Style * 1993 Bugs Henderson: ''Years in the jungle'' * 1997 Delbert McClinton: ''One of the Fortunate Few'' * 1998 Big Blues Extravaganza!: ''The Best of Austin City Limits'' * 1998 Bugs Henderson & The Shuffle Kings: ''Have Blues...Must Rock'' * 2000 Kevin McKendree: ''Miss Laura's Kitchen'' * 2001 All Aboard: The Beach Boogie Train, Vol. 3 * 2001 The Delta Riders: ''Kickin' up Dust'' * 2002 Delbert McClinton: ''Room to Breathe'' * 2002 Todd Sharp: ''Walking All the Way'' * 2003 Johnny Flash & The Rockets: ''I Hear My Baby Knocking'' * 2003 Paul Craver: ''Let the Music Play'' * 2003 Delbert McClinton: ''Live'' * 2003 Bugs Henderson & The Shuffle Kings: ''We're a Texas Band – Live in Germany'' * 2005 Delbert McClinton: ''Cost of living'' * 2005 Teresa James: ''Rhythm Method'' * 2008 Rob Roy Parnell: ''Let's Start Something'' * 2010 Rickey Godfrey: ''Nasty Man'' * 2012 Topcat Records 20th Anniversary Extravaganza

References

External links

Official website

Video-Interview with Don Wise on his Homepage

Don Wise & Marcia Ball on Youtube
*
Rickey Godfrey Website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wise, Don 1942 births Living people American male saxophonists American rhythm and blues musicians Rhythm and blues saxophonists Songwriters from Rhode Island Record producers from Rhode Island People from Westerly, Rhode Island Musicians from Tennessee Songwriters from Tennessee Record producers from Tennessee 21st-century American saxophonists 21st-century American male musicians American male songwriters