Don Severs began studying the accordion with Jo Reynolds at the age of 6 in Des Moines, Iowa. He saw Myron Floren on Lawrence Welk and thought it looked like fun. His parents borrowed a 12-bass, and in 6 weeks, he played Go Way (from Book 1 of the Palmer-Hughes accordion method) from memory at his first recital. He loved getting a gold star for mastering each new piece in the Palmer-Hughes accordion method.

At 14, he began studying with Joan Cochran Sommers at University of Missouri in Kansas City, Missouri. His father flew for a hobby, and ferried Don to Kansas City about every two weeks for a lesson. At 16, he placed 2nd in the AAA US Championship in New York. At 17, he switched from piano accordion to button and won 1st place at the AAA festival in Miami in 1979. After playing a concert in the recital hall at Carnegie Hall in New York, he placed 7th in the CIA Coupe Mondiale in Cannes, France. During this time, Don was a very serious contestant and just burnt himself out. He had actually qualified to go to the 1980 Coupe Mondiale in New Zealand as well, but withdrew from the competition to take a break from the accordion.

So, by 1980, he had been exposed to the European and American avant garde as well as the rich Russian classical/folk schools of accordion. But Bach was his main passion, so he began to learn the organ on a pedal synthesizer of his own design. After giving a series of electronic all-Bach recitals, he studied pipe organ at Drake University and has now held an organist position at a Presbyterian church since 1991. He worked as a videographer and music printer while he was in school at Drake. His first marriage, which he likes to call his starter marriage, was also during this time.

In 1998, he returned to the accordion when he acquired a Pigini Super Bayan Sirius. He plays Piazzolla, Bach and a variety of other classical music. In his life beyond music, he is a corporate trainer and webmaster. He married again in 1993 to Anne Fultz, a Notre Dame graduate and commercial real estate manager for a large insurance company. They have one son, Quinn, who is 3. And a half.

Photo: Don Severs with concert accordionist Carmen Carrozza at the 1979 AAA National Competition awards ceremony in Miami, Florida, July 10, 1979.