Don Was

Don Edward Fagenson, known professionally as Don Was, was born on September 13, 1952 in Detroit, Michigan. Growing up in a post‑war household, he was immersed in the rich blues and jazz traditions of the Motor City, listening to legends such as John Coltrane and Miles Davis while his father, a World War II veteran, encouraged his musical curiosity. In high school he fronted a garage‑rock group called the Saturns, mastering guitar and vocals before moving to bass, the instrument that would define his career. After a brief stint at the University of Michigan he dropped out to pursue music full‑time, forming the avant‑garde funk duo Was (Not Was) with school friend David Weiss. The band achieved mainstream success in the 1980s with quirky hits like “Walk the Dinosaur,” and later experimented with jazz‑inflected projects such as Orquestra Was. Throughout the 1990s the artist‑producer expanded his portfolio, working behind the console for a staggering roster that includes Bonnie Raitt, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, and Iggy Pop, earning six Grammy Awards and a BAFTA for his film‑scoring work on Backbeat. His documentary I Just Wasn’t Made for These Times captured the fragile genius of Brian Wilson and won the Golden Gate Award at San Francisco International Film Festival. In 2011 he was appointed president of Blue Note Records, guiding the historic jazz label into the digital age while still producing rock and blues records. The combination of his bass virtuosity, production acumen, and curatorial instincts has resulted in sales approaching one hundred million albums worldwide. Beyond the studio, Don Was has crafted unforgettable live experiences, serving as music director for films such as Thelma & Louise and Toy Story, and hosting the beloved Detroit All‑Star Revue since 2008. He regularly appears on radio, first with The Motor City Hayride on SiriusXM and later with The Don Was Motor City Playlist on Detroit’s NPR station WDET‑FM. Since 2018 he has toured internationally as a member of Bob Weir’s Wolf Bros, bringing his deep‑pocket bass playing to audiences across North America and Mexico. His recent collaborations include bass contributions to Bob Dylan’s 2021 Ionic Originals sessions and production work on Ryan Adams’ Wednesdays. A devoted family man, he is married to former Virgin Records A&R executive Gemma Corfield and together they have three sons, including Tony. His sister, Nancy Potok, served as Chief Statistician of the United States, underscoring a family legacy of achievement. Through decades of genre‑spanning work, Don Was remains a pivotal figure who bridges the worlds of rock, jazz, and popular music, continually shaping the soundscape of modern American culture.