IN a bitter sweet turn for fans, OPM band December Avenue has announced that bassist Don Gregorio is parting ways with them. 

Don released his official statement on the band’s Facebook page, attributing his departure to his desire to “focus on his growing family”. 

“After 17 years of being the bassist of December Avenue, I’ve decided to step away from the band to focus on my growing family,” he wrote. 

“It wasn’t an easy decision, but I know it’s time for me to be fully present for my wife and our kids.”

Don expressed gratitude for the support he received from their fans throughout his career. 

“Maraming salamat sa lahat ng sumuporta – sa shows, sa messages, at sa pagmamahal niyo sa music namin,” he said. 

Meanwhile, December Avenue fully supported their bandmate’s decision, stating in their post that “family comes first.”

“Don isn’t just our bassist— he’s one of the founding members of December Avenue. For the past 17 years, we’ve shared so many memories on and off stage. 17 years of chasing our dreams and travelling the world with our music,” the post reminisced. 

“And while it’s tough to imagine playing without him beside us, we fully support and respect his decision to put his family first. That takes courage, and we’re proud of him for it.”

The band thanked Don and emphasized that they are not going to replace him.

Meanwhile, Don thanked his bandmates and encouraged people to continue to support them.

“They’re not just my band— they’re my brothers. And they’ve still got so much more to share with you,” he said.