Don Hess

Based in Williamsport, Pennsylvania, Don Hess a.k.a. "Mando-Medicine Man" is a real physician who is also a singer-songwriter, mandolinist, harmonica player, performer and recording artist. He picked up mandolin as a kid, eventually discovering a percussive technique employing Jethro Burns-style chords out of a Celtic tuning. Hess was also profiled in a film documentary, "Doc On The Sock," a film about hiking the mountains in central Pennsylvania. In the 90s he fronted a well-received folk rock trio, Orphans No More, which became the title of his full-length (and best known) recording, ORPHANS NO MORE (produced by Johnny J. Blair). The song collection mixed neo-traditional American folk music with gospel, jazz, reggae, r'n'b and rock. The project drew comparisons to Pete Seeger, Bruce Cockburn, and Rich Mullins.