Armed with a sense of adventure, a road atlas, and a flute, Don Conoscenti left his Chicago home at the age of 17. He never looked back and has been on the road ever since. He traveled the country by hopping trains and hitchhiking from place to place. Along the way, he taught himself to play a number and variety of acoustic and electric instruments. "I believe the current tally is 10," he said with a laugh. He’s performed in more than 30 rock, funk, and R&B bands and done session work on countless recordings. Percussion, guitar, dulcimer, and keyboards are just a few of the musical voices at which he is proficient.

The rock ’n’ roll lifestyle proved a negative force, however, and Conoscenti decided to get out. "It was almost like a bad drug addiction problem," he remembered. "It had become destructive for me to be in the music business." But four years of cold turkey rekindled his desire to create music and, he said simply, "It called me back."

With his focus on a solo career, Conoscenti dug in and hit the folk circuit. Promoting, traveling, and performing 150 shows a year has kept him moving at an exhausting pace.

"A lot of my writing comes from motion," said Conoscenti. Whether trail running or on one of the never-ending drives between gigs, he seems to always be moving. The songs he writes bear witness to the miles that have passed beneath his feet. He is both introspective and forward-thinking, with a spiritual approach to his music. The lyric "Don’t look down, look forward" ("Jump This Train") seems to embody his adventurous spirit and positive outlook.

The future looks bright for Conoscenti. He recently won first place in the Rocky Mountain Folks Festival’s songwriter competition. He has also lent his skills to a project that Ellis Paul is producing. In addition, he hopes to pursue his interest in film, film scoring, and acting. For the time being, he’s headed out on the road again, determined to create music that will make a difference. "It’s the soundtrack to my life," he said.