Don Sechelski is a songwriter rooted in the storytelling traditions of Americana and folk-rock, where character, conscience, and consequence take center stage. His work leans into narrative with a clear-eyed sense of humanity—songs that don’t rush to judgment, but instead sit in the tension between belief and doubt.
Drawing from influences that value lyrical depth as much as melody, Sechelski writes with a craftsman’s attention to detail and a traveler’s instinct for emotional truth. “The Road to Damascus” is a strong example of that approach.
Inspired by the biblical story of sudden transformation, the song reframes the idea of conversion as the discovery of love. Built on a reflective, roots-driven arrangement, it traces the inner landscape of someone confronting who they’ve been and who they might become.
Rather than offering easy answers, Sechelski allows ambiguity to linger, giving the listener space to find their own meaning in the journey.
We sat down with Don to discuss his project, and more.
Music In Minnesota: For readers discovering you for the first time, how would you describe your sound or artistic identity?
Don: Organic and roots driven, Don Sechelski is a story teller. Simple songs that carry a heavy weight.
MIM: What inspired the project you’re currently promoting?
Don: This song is co-write with Alan Gentle. We wrote this song from a distance. He was living in Istanbul and I was in the U.S. This song is part of a larger collaboration of works with Alan that I’ll be releasing.
MIM: Can you walk us through the creation process of this project?
Don: Alan and I met online on a songwriter’s message board. I was immediately drawn to this work and writing style. We wrote a song called “Birmingham” that I released with my band, Blackfoot Daisy, in 2018.
We went on to write a number of other songs that I created demos for but never released. I was, and am still, very busy with my band and other production projects, Alan was traveling a lot and ended up moving back to the UK and our project went to the back burner.
Recently, I revisited those demos and remembered that we had some pretty good songs. I contacted Alan and started back to work. The song, “Damascus” is the first I’ve finished. In addition to this project, I’m producing one of Alan’s solo songs, and hopefully more.
MIM: Was there a particular song or moment in the project that felt especially important to you?
Don: When I went into the studio to start recording, asked Eric Toomsen, a member of my band Blackfoot Daisy, to put down a violin part. I had already recorded piano, guitar, and bass. Eric suggested the mandolin part and that changed the whole direction of the recording.
MIM: Every artist has influences. Who helped shape your sound, and in what ways?
Don: I love Leonard Cohen’s work. He uses that biblical imagery very well to express ideas that are more personal. His influence is clearly on this song. As Bob Dylan was a “son” of Woody, I’m a “son” of Bob.
It’s hard to escape the influence of Bob Dylan and his use of imagery. I like story tellers and songs that engage the listeners emotions or surprises them or makes them think.
MIM: How old were you when you began creating music?
Don: I wanted to play piano but my parents couldn’t afford one and my mother was skeptical that I’d stick with it. She bought me a Silvertone guitar from Sears for $25 and said if I could learn to play “Your Cheating Heart” and “Goodnight Irene”, she would buy me a good instrument.
Six months later, we went to a pawnshop and she bought me a nice Gibson.t my parents couldn’t afford one. My mother bought me a Silvertone guitar from Sears for $25 and told me
MIM: Do you have any hidden talents or unusual quirks?
Don: I’ve had no formal music education but I’ve taught hundreds of children to read music and play guitar or uke or bass. I don’t know if that’s a quirk or hidden talent but I’m a strong believer in passing on to the next generation of musicians. We’re all standing on someone’s shoulders.
MIM: If you could give one piece of advice to your younger self starting out in music, what would it be?
Don: Believe in your own voice above the voices of others and believe in yourself.
MIM: If someone is hearing your music for the first time, what song should they start with?
Don: Wow, that’s a great question. “Playing Catch” is a song about my son. “Room of Memories” is a song about pedophilia in the church. So the range is pretty wide.
But my recommendation would be “Wash Me Clean”. For me, it marks a change in my writing approach. Before that, I generally wrote lyrics and music at the same time.
But I’ve shifted more toward writing a complete lyric before I spend any time on the music. “Wash Me Clean” explores some of my favorite themes, forgiveness and redemption amidst a shifting landcape of what’s right and wrong. Musically, it leans heavily on the organic, acoustic Americana sound.
MIM: What can listeners look forward to from you?
Don: As I mentioned earlier, I’ll be releasing an EP of song collaborations with Alan Gentle called “Seven Hours Out”, the time difference between Georgia, U.S. and Istanabul.
