The DonJuans – GRAMMY Award-Winning Country Music Duo Don Henry and Jon Vezner

The DonJuans—GRAMMY Award-winning songwriters Don Henry and Jon Vezner—bring decades of celebrated songwriting and rich harmonies to Godfrey Daniels. Their iconic hit “Where’ve You Been” made country music history, and their songs have been recorded by legends from Ray Charles to Miranda Lambert. Join us for an evening of finely crafted songs and warm storytelling in our renowned Live Music Listening Room, where every note resonates in an intimate atmosphere.

THE DONJUANS
thedonjuans.com

By their name, you might assume that the DonJuans rely merely on their good looks. However, you will be impressed to know that the group includes two GRAMMY® Award-winning songwriters, Don Henry and Jon Vezner. Their song, “Where’ve You Been” (recorded by Kathy Mattea) was the first song in country music history to sweep all major song of the year honors, including the GRAMMY®, ACM®, CMA, and the Nashville Songwriter’s Association International (NSAI) awards.

In the nearly 25 years since “Where’ve You Been,” Don and Jon have performed in venues from the Bottom Line in New York City to the Bluebird Café in Nashville, sharing stages with artists as diverse as Joey Ramone, John Hartford, Michael Johnson, and David Crosby. Their songs have been recorded by a multitude of artists including Janis Ian, Ray Charles, John Mellencamp, and Miranda Lambert to name a few. Working as a duo, the DonJuans bring an impressive array of songs, experience, and gifted musicianship.

Jon Vezner
Grammy award-winning songwriter, Nashville-based Jon Vezner is a tunesmith of rare sensitivity and dry wit. His catalogue of recorded songs, topped by the poignant “Where’ve You Been,” reflects his straight-to-the-heart sensibility and emotional awareness. Vezner weaves the particulars of his own feelings with the lives of people he has known into universal themes that deeply touch listeners' emotions.

Vezner was honored with a Grammy for “Best Country Song” and the Nashville Songwriters Association “Song of the Year” in 1990, for “Where’ve You Been” – the true story of Vezner’s grandparents – co-written with Don Henry, and recorded by Kathy Mattea. “Where’ve You Been” was also honored as “Song of the Year” by the Country Music Association (CMA) and the Academy of Country Music (ACM). Jon was also voted “Songwriter of the Year” by the Nashville Songwriters Association International.

Jon’s catalogue of songs reads like a songbook itself, interpreted and recorded by some of the greats in the business such as Martina McBride, Reba McEntire, Faith Hill, Steve Wariner, The Wiggins, Clay Walker, Diamond Rio, BJ Thomas, Janis Ian, John Mellencamp, Nanci Griffith, Judy Collins, and Native American artist, Bill Miller, to name a few.

Jon’s production credits include such artists as Danny O’Keefe, Victoria Shaw, and singing legend Patti Page.

Don Henry

In Morgan Hill, California in the early 1970s, records like “The Band” by The Band and “Honky Chateau” by Elton John prompted Don Henry to begin writing his own lyrics to Jim Croce melodies. Then he learned to play guitar with a Paul Simon songbook. After that it was an education in The Beatles, Cat Stevens, Harry Nilsson, Carole King, and Joni Mitchell.

Then Randy Newman’s “Good Old Boys” and “Old No. 1” by Guy Clark changed his life. In April of 1979, at 19, Don made his way to Nashville.

After spending 4 years as the tape copy/librarian for Tree Publishing Company, cataloguing some of the best songs by some of the best songwriters in Nashville (Sonny Throckmorton, Bobby Braddock, Harlan Howard, and Curly Putman), Don’s own songs started getting recorded and he was moved to full-time staff songwriter. Ray Charles, Conway Twitty, the Oak Ridge Boys, T.G. Sheppard, John Conlee and Kathy Mattea are just a few who recorded Don’s songs during this period.

In 1990, Don and Jon Vezner received song of the year awards for co-writing Mattea’s critically acclaimed hit, “Where’ve You Been”. Awards from the Grammys, as well as from the ACM, the CMA, and the NSAI culminated in that recording becoming the first song ever to be so honored by all four organizations.

In 1991 “Wild In The Backyard” was released on Sony/Epic Records. Billboard’s Ken Schlager chose the debut album as one of 1991’s Top Ten records, as did Larry McClain of BAM Magazine. Rolling Stone liked it enough to profile Don in their “New Faces” column.

In 2013 Miranda Lambert had a hit with Don and Phillip Coleman’s song “All Kinds Of Kinds”.

At Don’s shows, you’ll easily spot those who have yet to hear his songs. Upon first experiencing them, the listener is often moved to laughter or tears, sometimes both at the same time! And everyone leaves humming, because Don Henry’s songs stay with you.