ALAMOSA — Don Richmond is taking the stage at Society Hall Saturday night for a solo performance. In recent years, this has become an unusual thing for Richmond to do, given the number of performances he has booked and his other interests.  

But even if it was a common occurrence, two hours listening to Don Richmond is not quite like any other concert. The number of instruments he plays – more than twelve, many of them lined up on stage for him to use – is just a foreshadow. There’s a reason that other musicians routinely introduce him as the “amazing Don Richmond”, as if “amazing” is his true given name.  

And this Saturday night will be especially…special.   

Billed as “an intimate birthday evening”, Saturday’s concert is a celebration of Richmond turning seventy years old. It’s also an homage to a career that spans 55 years, so far, and includes a library of CDs recorded with three different well known and loved bands and solo CDs that provide a home for the award-winning songwriter’s songs that “don’t fit the band” he’s in at the time. 

Richmond also has a long list of accolades and accomplishments to go with the discography. Writing soundtracks to three different documentaries, honorary degrees and governors’ awards, penning and publishing a book on performance psychology and creativity and credits as a much sought-after accompanist for literally too many well-known performers to name. The list is impressive.  

Sometimes the list may bring people to his concert to see what all the brouhaha is about, but it’s his music – his skill, his style, the power and idealism and passion for things larger than ourselves that reside in the soul of what he writes and sings – those are the things that keep audiences coming back time and again. 

“Don is so musical on so many levels,” internationally known, two-time Grammy nominee and good friend Eliza Gilkyson told the Valley Courier. “Musically, he’s really complex and can go to a lot of different levels on a lot of different instruments. He’s just…yeah…he’s amazing.”  

As Richmond turns the corner on 70, it’s natural to take a look at life. 

“I’m just amazed that I’ve been able to do this for so long,” he says. “I never dreamed when I was 20 or 30 that I’d still be doing this at 70. I always thought I’d do this until I wanted to do something else. That never happened.” 

His own words seem to stop him for a moment. “I’m just very grateful that I’ve been able to do music and that I’m at a nice place with it. I get to play good venues with good people, whether it’s The Rifters or I just got back from doing five nights with Eliza Gilkyson in Texas and Oklahoma.”  

And then he smiles. 

“I’ve made some wonderful friends over the years. Those are the real treasures of it all. Those relationships. That energy that passes back and forth both in the performance and in the friendship is a very beautiful thing.” 

He says he’s equally grateful for Howlin’ Dog Records, his highly successful recording studio where he produces the music of other artists.  

“And an outgrowth of all that is Howlin’ Dog Music Group,” he says, referencing a non-profit he and his wife co-founded with others for the purpose of awarding grants to help artists record their music and archive the enormous collection of local and regional music that Richmond has produced over the years.  

“It feels good to sort of give back a little and help others move forward in their journeys” he says.  

Still, after thousands of performances, recording 26 CDs and producing, mixing and even accompanying on hundreds of the CDs of other artists, music continues to be his muse.  

“There’s an allure to the mystery of music,” he says, and his voice sounds truly full of wonder. “Why does it do what it does? A certain song that just skewers you or whatever. It’s just a few notes, a few chords and some words. Why does it do that? It’s a mystery. It’s also a really cool thing to dance with. You might have a song that pops out and does that for someone else.” 

 When asked if music has become more intimate to him as he grows older, Richmond thinks for a moment. “There’s more depth. You’re drawn to things that show more depth. I don’t want to get jaded but you do get sort of harder to impress. I want the heart.” 

He contrasts that with a type of musical performance that’s commonplace. “It can be fancy with a lot of notes. You can get all dressed up. You can have flash and dash and fireworks and back-up singers. All of that.  

“And then you can have a person up there just strumming an acoustic guitar who can barely play the chords. But there can be something come through that just–“ Richmond suddenly pounds his heart with his fist. “I’m impressed by the heart. I want to be moved. I don’t want to be hard to impress. I love to be blown away.” 

The next and final question is inevitable. What’s next?  

Giving back. Giving back is next. 

Saturday’s concert is also a “bit of a fundraiser” for Howlin’ Dog Music Group (HDMG) with the sale of a USB titled “The Accompanist”, an extraordinary collection of 15 performances at Society Hall where Richmond sat in with the likes of Susan Gibson, Jeff Hanna (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band), Verlon Thompson, Eliza Gilkyson, Michael Hearne, Tish Hinojosa and others.  

“That’s one of the things Don does so well,” says Teri McCartney, HDMG co-founder and Richmond’s wife. “He’ll sit in and play songs he’s never heard before. And we had all these wonderful videos, so we’re making it a fundraiser.” 

The suggested donation is $70 and people can either buy the USB or get the link to download the music.   

“Whatever money raised will be put to excellent use,” she says. “We gave away eight grants to artists this year, and archiving the music will be a massive project. Transferring will be involved. And cataloging. And there’s 30 years’ worth of projects in our attic, not to mention other studios in the region. We’ll start small — hopefully hiring ASU music students and other locals interested in the project to get things transferred and digitalized.” 

Don Richmond is a blessed man in many ways, one of which is just not seen that often in people. He is doing what he was meant to do, following the path he was meant to follow. Celebrate that at his concert, Saturday night at Society Hall, 400 Ross in Alamosa. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Show starts at 7 p.m. Tickets are $20 at www.societyhall.org or the Green Spot on State Avenue. (And there’s cake!)