Don & Lori Chaffer: Career Highlights

As Recording Artist

• Founded the band Waterdeep (1996)

• Toured full-time (1996-2003)

• Sold 150,000+ units as independent artist (1996-1999)

• Signed a record deal with Squint Entertainment (1999-2001)

• Created our own music festival, Everyone’s Festival (1999-2001)

• Recorded over 25 albums either solo or with Waterdeep (1995-present)

• More detailed credits below.

As Producer/Engineer/Songwriter

• Set up and ran Recording Studios

  • The Culture House, Olathe KS (2005-2006)

  • The Conductor, Kansas City, MO (2006-2009)

  • Woodland Studio C (Gillian Welch & Dave Rawlings), Nashville, TN (2009)

  • The Conductor, Antioch, TN (2010-present)

• Produced 50+ albums for other artists (2003-2015)

• Signed Songwriting deal with Simpleville (2007-2013)

  • Had dozens of label cuts, radio singles, and television placements.

• More detailed credits below.

In Theater

• As Composer, Lyricist, and/or Librettist (2007-present)

  • Created 11 shows

  • Countless table readings and full readings

  • 15+ full productions

  • NYC Publisher, Samuel French, published Sparkley Clean Funeral Singers (2016)

• As Music Director/Arranger

  • Studio Tenn, Nashville, TN:

    • Big River (2012)

    • The Hank Legacy (2013)

    • The Cash Legacy (2014)

    • The Hank/Cash Legacy (2015)

    • The Cash Legacy (2017)

  • Capital Repertory Theatre, Albany, NY:

    • The Sparkley Clean Funeral Singers (2013)

  • River & Rail Theatre Co, Knoxville, TN:

    • The Unusual Tale of Mary & Joseph’s Baby (2018)

• More detailed credits below.

Awards, Fellowships, Commissions

• ASCAP award (“Wicked Web”), 1999

• Radio and Records Song of the Year Award (“You Are So Good to Me”), 2003

• ASCAP award (“What Life Would be Like”), 2008

• New Directors New Works Grant, The Drama League, 2010

• Yale Institute for Musical Theater Finalist, 2011

• Eugene O’Neill Music Theater Conference participant, 2011

• Georgia Bogardus Holof Lyricist Award, 2011

• Richard Rodgers Award Finalist, 2011

• Richard Rodgers Award Finalist, 2012

• Spark and Echo Arts Commission, 2014

• Bespoke Musical Festival Commission, 2014

• Pacific Theatre Commission, 2014

• Eugene O’Neill Music Theater Conference semi-finalist, 2017

• Eugene O’Neill Music Theater Conference semi-finalist, 2019

• River & Rail Commission, 2019

Theatrical Works

Recording, Producing, & Songwriting

Music for television

(Partial Credits as producer, songwriter, and/or recording artist)

Partial credits include songs on: Private Practice, Pretty Little Liars, One Tree Hill, Eli Stone, Flashpoint, The Client List, Make It or Break It, Beauty and the Beast, Younger, Necessary Roughness, Red Band Society, Melissa and Tye, Teen Mom, Sixteen and Pregnant. 

Production, Songwriting, Engineering

(Partial Credits as producer, songwriter, and/or engineer) 

Partial credits include songs/recordings with: Indigo Girls, Caitlyn Smith, Sara Groves, Third Day, Bebo Norman, All Sons & Daughters, Big Daddy Weave, Matthew Perryman Jones, Katie Herzig, Matt Wertz, Andrew Peterson, Sandra McCracken, Robbie Seay, Nathan Tasker, Jami Smith, Jennie Lee Riddle, Addison Road, Jenny Simmons, Steven Delopoulos, Geoff Moore, Andrew Osenga, Kendall Payne, Maeve, Sevenglory, Chasen, Christopher Williams, Eddie Kirkland, Trent Dabbs, Ben Rector, Natalie LaRue, Pawn Shop Kings, Remedy Drive, The Swift, Tricia Brock, Attaboy.

 Albums as Recording Artist