Don was born in 1959 in Auckland, studied English and Music at Auckland University, and played French Horn and percussion in the Auckland Sinfonia from 1979-82. He was a member of the percussion ensemble From Scratch from 1979-86, and was drummer and singer with Auckland band Blam Blam Blam from 1980-82. Together with Harry Sinclair he formed The Front Lawn in 1985, and they performed at the Edinburgh Festival in 1988 and 1989, as well as in Europe, the USA, Australia and New Zealand until disbanding in 1990. Don has been singer and main songwriter in The Mutton Birds from 1991 to the present day. The group signed to Virgin Records UK in 1995, and were based in London from then until 1999, touring all over the world.

Don now lives in Auckland with his wife and their two children, where he is currently working on TV soundtracks and writing songs for the next Mutton Birds album.