Don grew up near Boston, MA, and started playing music at around 11 years old. His very first instrument was the accordion, but it didn’t take long for him to learn that his real musical passion revolved around strings, and not bellows. So, by the tender age of 12, he started playing guitar, and by 13, had transitioned to bass.

In the mid 1960's, Don and some friends started their first band. Just your typical garage band, playing covers of whatever was the latest “hit” song. This eventually led to gigs in a number of local bands over the years, doing the bar and club scene, playing whatever the crowd or management wanted to hear, from Classics to Country, Polkas to Punk, and just about everything in between!

By the end of the 80's he was traveling from one end of the country to the other doing his non-musical job, which didn’t allow the steadiness needed to join or form a regular band, so he was playing mostly for his own enjoyment and sanity. However, in most cities he visited, there was always a jam night happening somewhere, and jamming with so many different musicians, helped him to shape a very “adaptive” playing style.

(L to R): Don Swensen, Joe Mills, Len Sloan, Jack O'Rourke and Andy Lanczi  -  ca. 1969

(L to R): Jerry Miller, Tom Murphy, Jim Hoffman, Don Swensen and Dakota Bob - ca. 2009

Along with drummer Bobby Nesbitt, and keyboardist Joe Turnbull, Rebel Storm became one of the premier new southern rock/blues bands in the U.S. and Europe. They released their first album “Stormin' South” in the fall of 2001, to critical acclaim. In 2002, Rebel Storm performed at the Whitehorse Mountain Classic Rockfest, sharing the stage with legends Elvin Bishop, Delbert McClinton, and Little Feat. Shortly after this, the band received the 2002 GRITZ Southern Music Hall of Fame Horizon Award, and they booked and financed their first European tour, performing shows in The Netherlands and Germany. In the spring of 2003, they recorded their second album “The Hard Way”, and in the fall of that year, completed their second tour of Europe, this time performing in The Netherlands, Germany, France, Italy and Switzerland, receiving much praise in the European press. Rebel Storm's music has also been included on the compilation albums “Stars ‘N Bars”, released by Z-Roxx & Manassas Records in the U.K., in 2004, and "Hand Picked & Home Grown", released by Gritz in 2006.

Rebel Storm in Germany in 2003 - (L to R): Joe Turnbull, Don Swensen, Bob Nesbitt, Billy Moss, Pat Savage

Among the awards and recognitions received by Rebel Storm and its members, Don was honored in 2002, to be voted #7 Bassist of the year, and then #5 Bassist of the year in 2003, by the readers of Bands of Dixie magazine in France. Merci beaucoup mes amis!

Don also plays on a semi-regular basis with the Blues Passage Band, a collection of local blues musicians who play mostly private functions and smaller venues.

Don Swensen with Rebel Storm at the 2002 Whitehorse Mountain Classic Rockfest

In June of 2009 Don travelled to Nashville, to take part in the 30th Annual Winters Bros Southern Summer Jam. Along with Michael Buffalo Smith, Mark McAfee, Donnie Winters, Chad Booher and Stephen Greene, they made up "Hash-A-Plenty", a tribute to Toy & Tommy Caldwell, George McCorkle & Rene Gray.

Hash-A-Plenty, an MTB tribute, at the 30th Annual Winters Brothers Southern Summer Jam, Nashville, TN 06/20/09 (L to R): Mark McAfee, Donnie Winters, Michael Buffalo Smith, Chad Booher and Don Swensen

Don's latest adventure is of course right here...Mojo Overload. Working with Debbie Myre, Lee Gregory, Jerry Wainhouse and Lance Lindgren looks to be a very rewarding experience!