Don Sanders collection

This collection consists of photographs of Don Sanders performing, his promotional photographs, and Sanders with other musicians.

As a student at University of Houston, Don Sanders began writing and composing his own music in 1963. He eventually joined the growing folk scene at Anderson Fair Retail Restaurant. He has performed at Liberty Hall, Kerville Folk Festival, Sand Mountain Coffee House, the Old Quarter, the Grand 1894 Opera House, and Hofhienz Pavillion.

Sanders started Mean N' Low Records in 1972 as a vehicle to release his own albums, a self-titled 12", "Extended Play," and "Limited Edition." He has also released the albums "El Mosquito in My Kitchen" (2006) and "Limelight" (2015).

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, he played clubs and at universities in Texas. He was a favorite at Texas A&M and was the influence for Lyle Lovett's "This Old Porch." Lovett even interview him for the school's newspaper. During this time, he began teaching music to children at the Gatesville School for Boys and elementary schools in the North Forest School District. He continued teaching music to children throughout the 1990s and 2000s.

Don Sanders continued to play in and around Houston and died in 2018.

The original materials are held by the Woodson Research Center in Fondren Library. Search the finding aid/inventory for the Don Sanders collection, MS 648.