Donna Dunne Music

Donna Dunne is without question the most exciting artist on the Irish music scene today. With her love for Elvis, Johnny Cash, Dean Martin, Frank Sinatra, Wanda Jackson, The Stray Cats &Little Richard, Donna has put all her influences and passion into her own music and calls it “Rockabilly for Today” 

Donna started performing at the age of sixteen but with her love for early 1950’s rock n roll music, she didn’t quite fit into the “norm” of what her peers were listening to. Although this was her comfort zone, Donna had to put aside her passion and performed live with different bands for numerous of years to gain live experience. 

During this time, Donna started to write songs. She wrote her first song at age of twenty- two and after a few years, Donna has now a collection of original material. But it is only now that she would consider herself as a “songwriter”

“When I first started writing words to music, that’s exactly what is was, Words. I didn’t realise what I was doing and I would end up with an accidental song which can sometimes be the best songs but I didn’t feel the passion for them. Now when I write songs I make sure it is something I am very passionate and proud about so that I can give a real performance” 

After a trip to Memphis in May 2011, Donna came home and realised that roots, blues and rockabilly music was her designated path in life and it was time to do something about it after all this time. Donna put out advertisements and got a band together to back her. After only a very short time, Donna and her band have made a huge impression but this is only the beginning of Donna’s very long journey. Donna has now got four of Ireland’s top musicians to back her during this journey. They include:

Will Nolan began playing guitar at an early age when he “borrowed” his ‘teddy boy’ brother’s guitar. He has vast experience playing Rockabilly, Blues, Jazz, Bluegrass, Tradition Irish and Folk music. Will has shared the stage with Imelda May, Finbar Fury, Declan O’Rourke, the Wolftones, Sean Foy and Phelim Drew to name a few. 

Edward Tapceanu, from Montreal, Canada, currently holds a permanent position with the National Symphony Orchestra as double bassist since 2006. Since his late teens, before being involved in classical music, he's been playing American roots music from the 1920's onwards with notable Montreal musicians. He was a member of Roy Thompson & his Royal Acadians, Montreal rockabilly band that backed up           1950's legend Eddy Bond on European tours in the mid-2000's. In Dublin he's also a member of Saint John The Gambler, and has been active as a gigging &session musician on electric & double bass.

Niall O'Sullivan - Trumpet has worked with some of the biggest names in music including Amy Winehouse, Michael Buble, Tom Jones, The Pogues, Curtis Stigers, Lalo Schifrin, Dione Warwick. His debut album went straight to #1 in the iTunes Classical charts. http://www.niallosullivan.ie/

Gary Grant – Drums has worked on broadway and travelled the world with riverdance the show. He performs in all genres of music from rockabilly to classical. 

The next few months we will be seeing Donna & her band performing live throughout Ireland but more importantly Donna will be starting her exciting album which she has decided to call “Woman in Black” 

“Rockabilly is in my blood. If you believe what you preach, then you can take it all the way because it’s not false, it’s real and people can relate to that” 

DONNA DUNNE - ROCKABILLY FOR TODAY