I've been fortunate to work on creating music for a few film and video projects. Here's a little information about each one, as well as some MP3 music samples.

New in 2007 - Still Waiting - Life After Katrina

This powerful documentary, currently (08 - 09/07) airing nationally on PBS follows the trials and tribulations of a large extended family from the area of St. Bernard Parish driven out by the hurricane as they attempt to return home and rebuild their lives. It’s a potent and moving piece of work, produced by Emmy Award winning filmmaker Ginny Martin. Catch it if you can. You can hear my friend Aaron Lewis doing lots of sax and clarinet on it, as well as me playing lots of things I don’t play that much like lots of trumpet parts and euphonium (baritone horn) as well as the more usual string stuff. Others who contributed were former Broadway vocalist Corliss Taylor-Dunn, percussionist Creed de Avanzar (also on guest vocals), pianist Matt Schildt, drummer James Doyle, and vocalist Johnny Watson. There’s also a CD of the soundtrack that is available. Let me know if you want one, or you can order from the website at www.stillwaiting.colostate.edu. There’s more info on all of it at that website too. It’s all been a great project to work on – I hope some of you can catch it on the tube or even order a DVD. I think the music is pretty cool too.

Roy Bedichek's Vanishing Frontier

This 1 hour documentary on the life and work of Texas naturalist, writer, and professor Roy Bedichek was produced by Emmy Award-winning Rob Tranchin of KERA-TV in Dallas, Texas and was filmed by another former Emmy Award winner,  filmmaker Ginny Martin, in 2002 and 2003. Filmed in high-definition video, the visually stunning film was broadcast nationally on PBS stations in the spring of 2003 and continues to air periodically. The program features 11 original instrumental pieces by Don, including six borrowed from Don's CD Instrument and five  compositions created for the program. Click for more information on Roy Bedichek's Vanishing Frontier or to order a VHS copy from KERA.

Song samples from Roy Bedichek's Vanishing Frontier -

1. Weaving

2. Paved Over

3. Tooth and Claw

We Did It All Ourselves

Directed by writer, political activist and filmmaker Fetzer Mills, Jr, this is an incredibly powerful and gut-wrenching story of black Americans struggling to gain the right to vote, and thus to also sit on juries, in two rural counties in western Tennessee. It is an extremely important story that needs to be told. From my (Don's) perspective, it is hard to believe that these events happened in my lifetime. From the website -

"The film recounts the struggle of African Americans in Haywood and Fayette Counties of West Tennessee - fired from their jobs, driven from their homes, and black-listed by area merchants for daring to register to vote. Mills utilizes all the tools at his disposal to tell the story - photos, news clippings, archival footage, and the compelling accounts of the veterans of the struggle. The film's original score is especially effective, a welcome companion and guide on an uplifting, emotional journey."

"The white power structure in some counties reacted to the voting rights movement by evicting the tenant farmers, refusing to sell gas, food, fuel oil, and farm supplies to blacks who registered. Banks refused credit to registrants and insurance companies canceled policies. Evicted tenants lived in three tent cities on land donated by three independent black farmers. The tents were World War II army surplus. The tent cities began in 1959 and the last families did not leave the tents until 1962."

For more information or to order a DVD of the film, go to the website.

Song samples from We Did It All Ourselves -

1. Opening theme - Shame, Shame

2. Movement

3. Garry Owen

4. In the Line

5. Closing theme - New World Symphony Largo

Hexama, Hexama

This is a short film also directed by Fetzer Mills, Jr. poking a little fun at his backwoods roots of his native Tennessee. It won the "Integral Realization" award at the International Film Festival of Barcelona (Festival de Cine Internacional de Barcelona) in 2004.

Address: Don Richmond P.O. Box 825 Alamosa CO 81101

Info, contact and order hotline: 800-689-7786

Email - DonRichmond@worldnet.att.net

Other websites - www.howlindogrecords.com www.hired-hands.com www.rifters.net www.gymptf.com