Don Aaron Mixon - The Welcome Mat (A Southern Gothic Rock Trilogy) (2024) Hi-Res

Welcome to the dag blamed trailer park! This is the story of Don Aaron Mixon. True tales of being raised in the Welcome Mat trailer park, on the Florida Panhandle, in Pensacola, off of Davis Highway, in Lot D-2, from 1968 until 1988. Surrounded by bikers, wrestlers, perverts, peeping Tom’s & Tammy’s, traveling packs of school bus hippies, bands of roaming thieves, drug addicts, boozers, dope smokers, rock & rollers, hooker neighbors, acid suicide, swingers, feuds, fistfights, kidnappings, knock-down drag-out’s, hurricanes, tropical heatwaves, UFO sightings and true freedom in the wildest, greatest era in the history of Pensacola Beach and the mainland. Some of the names might have been changed to protect the not so innocent. Upon entering the park, you are subject to all park rules and regulations. No drugs allowed! No loud music either!

I knew I was in for the listen of a lifetime after just reading the back cover of Don Aaron Mixon’s double-album The Welcome Mat. What I had read was the narrative introduction and title-track to this wonderful, coming-of-age, outlaw-county-rock opera. Like a snake bite, this southern man’s version of The Who’s Tommy rapidly grabbed my attention, and held my focused attention as Mixon sang about growing up in The Welcome Mat trailer park in Pensacola, Florida. With Mixon on vocals, guitars, pedal steel, bass, keyboard, mandolin, harmonica, and drums, he is joined by long-time friend Lindberg Smith as narrator, Rob Hammersmith on drums, and Maria Grigoryeva on violin.

I love how Mixon floors the gas pedal after the initial introduction with “Double Wide Soul”. This song rocks with a searing ferocity and is generously slathered in grease. Heavy, slide-infused and grinding guitar riffs propel Mixon’s anthem to his hell-raising, neighborhood daredevil friend in “The Myth of Lindberg Smith”. It’s a hell of an homage. Gonzo-inspired stories of bikers, heroin addicts, seasonal thieves, and Mexican wrestlers lead into the key events which pushed Don into a defining moment of self-defense in “The Welcome Mat (Pt. 1) as narrated by Smith. Mixon’s song “Coal Miner & Little Boy Blue” has a Springsteen, blue-collar appeal. I dig the CB radio-inspired lyrics. Mixon adds a mysterious cloak of suspense to “Peeping Tom & Tammy” on guitar while Smith tells the eerie tale of a trailer break-in overnight which wake young Mixon and his mama from their sleep. I love the opening line, ‘She gets up at the ass-crack of dawn’ which ushers in “A Hard Way to Make an Easy Living”. The amazing guitar runs and hard-scrabble lyrics have a genuine Tom Petty feel. “The Welcome Mat (Pt. III) serves as the epilog of Don’s life at the trailer park. This music-infused narration brings The Welcome Mat to an end with a nearly ten-minute long bundle of fascinating stories about hooligans, ghouls, graverobbers, feuds, UFO sightings, Pentecostal preachers, and Old Joe.

Don Aaron Mixon invites you to swing into his world with the premiere of ‘Rock in the Swing,’ a heartfelt track from his new double album, ‘The Welcome Mat.’ Born in Wheeling, West Virginia, and raised in a trailer park in Pensacola, Mixon’s music is a raw, autobiographical exploration of Southern life, rich with narrative and emotion.

This collection is a departure from his previous six albums, as it captures Mixon’s unique vision entirely. “The Welcome Mat is 100% my vision, and my life story as the subject,” he shares. Recorded in his Atlanta studio, the album features contributions from drummer Rob Hammersmith and violinist Maria G, showcasing a blend of Americana Rock and Southern Gothic Blues.

‘Rock in the Swing’ reflects the nostalgia of quiet moments spent on the porch with his mother, embodying the album’s spirit. The accompanying video transports viewers to the heart of Mixon’s upbringing, filled with vivid imagery and heartfelt storytelling.

With tracks like ‘Double Wide Soul’ and ‘Pensacola, Here I Come,’ Mixon weaves tales of self-discovery and redemption, all while capturing the complexities of family and life’s ups and downs. Collaborating with childhood friend Lindberg Smith adds authenticity, as his narrations bring the stories to life.

The Welcome Mat’ is more than just music; it’s an invitation to reflect on personal stories and shared experiences. So settle in and enjoy the heartfelt sounds of Don Aaron Mixon—this is a musical memoir you won’t want to miss. Watch the video for “Rock in the Swing” now!