Former English Teacher Adapts to Life as a Rockstar

You may not picture an English teacher as being a rockstar, but for songwriter and guitarist Don Cooper, that’s exactly what he’s working to become.

Three years ago, Cooper formed the music group, ‘Don Juan,”  along with guitarist, singer, and songwriter, John Dodge. For three years, Cooper didn’t believe he could make a living with his music, so he kept his day job as an English teacher. Eventually, he decided he was tired of living his life “with a just-in-case attitude,” and decided to focus on music instead.

Last summer, the group played a show in New York with Jackson Browne and James Taylor. Dodge says, “James has been a real fan for awhile and Jackson Browne turned into a real solid supporter.” However, one critic is not a fan and said, “They do nothing original. They steal all of their songs and the ones they do write are not worth hearing.

The group plans on recording in the spring. According to Dodge, “There will be a product on the streets, on the airwaves, we hope, by the end of the summer.” While writing songs, the group often squabbles over the details, but it’s the “creative tension” that helps the group mold a new song. “Writing songs together ain’t easy. We’re writing quite a few, but it’s tough. But it’s worth it.”

Comments

  1. Good headline, but it does suggest a focus on one person, rather than the duo. Good selection of quotes; good selection of info for a focused story.