Don Mischer's Garage Band
By Joel Topcik published

Legendary event producer Don Mischer is helming the Primetime Emmys for the tenth time on Sept. 20 (see related profile, “Primetime Emmy’s Man with a Plan”), and among the tweaks he has in store to liven up the flagging broadcast is putting a live band on stage for the first time in five years. Mischer’s passion for live music goes back to his days growing up in Texas in the 1960s. A native of San Antonio, Mischer played the steel guitar for a country band while attending the University of Texas (that’s right, in Austin, the “Live Music Capital of the World”).
When I spoke with him a couple weeks ago, Mischer said he still has that old double-neck Fender up in the attic, though it’s a bit rusty. And while he doesn’t play the steel much anymore, he’s still playing music. And he’s got a new band-his teenage kids.
“I converted part of my garage into a little recording studio,” he said. “My son plays drums and the keyboards. My daughter plays keyboards. We have vocal mikes, a little mixer and we go out on weekends and do the garage band thing.
“It is so much fun,” Mischer said. “When we get in there, I just lose track of where I am.”
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