Donald Charles Chilcott

Donald Charles Chilcott, 73, died on August 17, 2026, in Coeur d' Alene, Idaho.

Born on June 3, 1953, in Los Angeles, California, Donald Charles Chilcott built a life shaped by music, work, friendship, family, and a search for spiritual grounding in Christ. He graduated from San Gabriel High School in 1971 and soon afterward attended music classes at Pasadena City College. He also studied banjo under David Lindley and was a proud graduate of The Musician's Institute of Hollywood, where he studied guitar under Robben Ford.

Music was a defining thread throughout Don’s life. As a teenager, he played with Etta James and later became lead guitarist for the Los Angeles-based band Dust. Over the years, he played with numerous bands, but also valued the quieter, more private side of music through his home studio recording life. In the 1980s and 1990s, he was a beta tester for recording software emerging from the San Francisco Bay Area scene. His work also included scoring the film Bits and Pieces and performing at Santa Cruz events including the comedy benefits for the Santa Cruz AIDS Project, The Last Laugh and Laughquake. He was widely known as a premier jazz funk and blues guitarist, and he loved jamming with his musician families in Los Angeles, Santa Cruz, Coeur D' Alene, and Chewelah and Spokane, Washington. Those gatherings, collaborations, and performances formed an enduring part of his life and the way many people knew him.

Alongside his musical life, Don worked in a very different trade. His 9-to-5 job was operating A-Able Mobile Locksmith out of Felton, California. In that role, he became known as “The Scotty Man,” often arriving with one or two black Scottish Terriers along to supervise. The nickname stayed with him and became part of the way he was remembered in the community.

Don also loved to fish. He fished in areas surrounding Los Angeles, and after moving to the Santa Cruz Mountains, he especially loved fishing at Loch Lomond. It was there that he enjoyed taking his daughters after school for daddy time, creating hours and memories centered on being together outdoors. He also especially loved motorcycles and proudly owned a gunmetal grey millennium edition Indian Chief for many years.

His life reflected both religious exploration and a steady commitment to service. Donald was a seeker. He had been raised Jehovah's Witness, converted to Mormonism, then explored the Evangelical Covenant Church, and finally found a home in the Catholic Church. He was a proud member of the Knights of Columbus. He also found spiritual connection, fellowship, and opportunities to be of service to others through his lifelong membership in 12–Step Programs. Don believed in showing love and kindness to any one who needed it, and he was always quick to offer a ride, a meal, or simply an ear to bend.

Those closest to Don knew him as a man of few but well-chosen words. He loved and

adored his daughters most of all and was a great friend to his former wife. He cherished his close friends in music, church, and the various 12-Step Programs that remained important throughout his life. He was a tender father who shared a special world with his children, one filled with many nicknames, funny voices, special songs, and homemade tamales. He remained close with all of us, regardless of changed family configuration.

Donald Charles Chilcott is survived by his daughters, Angela Chilcott and Fig Chilcott (Elizabeth Rose Cahill), and her spouse Sean Cahill; his former wife, Karin Babbitt; his brothers, Mike Chilcott, Jerry Chilcott, and Tim Chilcott; his nieces and nephews, Heidi, Tom, Holly, Joshua, and JR; his lifelong friends, Paul Mata and Michael Schwartzman; and his sweetheart Debbie Voile. He was predeceased by his father, Jerry Roy Chilcott, and his mother, Ruth Chilcott.

Don will be remembered in the many worlds he moved through with consistency and purpose: in music rooms and recording spaces, on fishing and firearm target practice outings, on the road as “The Scotty Man,” in fellowship and service, and in the private language of family life that meant so much to him and to those who knew him.

A note from Don’s daughters:

These facts about our father may paint a picture of his life, but they don't come close to capturing who he was or what his loss means to us. Our father was precious to us. He was curious about our lives and always made sure we knew how proud he was of us. Whenever we visited, every cashier, waitress, or passerby was sure to get an earful about who we were and what we were doing with our lives. Our dad made sure we knew that we were loved and cherished. Not all daughters receive that from their fathers, but we did.

And so, we want to say how proud we are of our dad. Proud of where he came from. Proud of how he fought. Proud of the life he lived. Proud we are his daughters. We love you, D. Always and forever.

A Funeral Mass will be held on October 10, 2026, at 11:00 AM at St. Pius X Church 625 E Haycraft Avenue. A reception at the church will follow the mass. Later that evening at 6pm a jam will be held at Knucklehead Brewery 9265 N Government Way, Hayden, ID. 

All are welcome to celebrate the loving memory of Don.