NEW RELEASE
“You’ll never grow your hair that long.” That was the only comment
my father made to me as we finished watching the Beatles on the Ed Sullivan Show. It was February 1964, I was nine years old,
and I knew immediately upon hearing that incredible music that I was born to write and perform my own songs. By 1972 my hair was
down on my shoulders, I was a “kick-butt” drummer in a garage band, and I was writing my own songs on a cheap acoustic guitar that
came from Walgreens.
In 1973 I put a bootleg 8-track tape into the player of my ‘69 Camaro RS.
Expecting to hear Led Zeppelin, which was on the cassette label, I was at first angry at hearing some guy with a frog-like voice, talking,
and then singing to an acoustic guitar accompaniment. However, I quickly became mesmerized by the perfectly crafted words, the haunting
melody, and the melancholy delivery of Kris Kristofferson as he performed, “To Beat the Devil.” Right then, my commitment to being a
songwriter was solidified, and since that day I have written some 500 songs or more. Most are complete, some are partial, and a few are
somewhat “nebulous” in their meaning, but they take up two Rubbermaid file boxes and one file cabinet drawer in my home recording studio.
(I still perform, “To Beat the Devil”, at my live shows, and I have yet to find, or write, a better song for explaining what it’s like to
have the calling of a songwriter.)
Over the last four decades I have sung and played guitar and drums in rock,
country, disco, country-rock and show bands, from Texas, to Florida, to Tennessee and back again. For a few years I was, “One of the boys
who made the noise on 16th Avenue.” Those fifteen years in Nashville paid off when one of my songs ended up on Chris LeDoux’s million selling
album, “Whatcha Gonna Do With a Cowboy”, followed by the live recording of the same song on, “Chris LeDoux: Live”. The song is called,
“You Just Can’t See Him From the Road”, and it pays tribute to one of my all time heroes, the American cowboy. Legendary country music singer
and songwriter, Ed Bruce, recorded my song, “How Do You Do That?”, which is a tribute to the only woman who has ever been willing, and able,
to put up with this gypsy life.
I have appeared in national TV commercials, a Brad Paisley country music video,
an HBO pilot with America Ferrera, several student films, and a full-length western movie, filmed at Willie Nelson’s Luck, TX, titled, “Shroud.”
My voice has been used for everything from a Nintendo video game, to a Japanese animated film, and from radio commercials for Amegy Bank and Six
Flags Over Texas, to a viral marketing campaign for the AARP. (Acting is a fun way to supplement the music career. Now, if I could just find
something to supplement the acting career. There’s not a lot of money in it, folks!)
In 2003 I began performing for corporate and association events. Combined with the
original music, I offer keynote speaking services as well as a team-building program based on co-writing songs. Co-writing a song is all about
thorough, honest, and at the same time, simple communication. (Now there’s something Congress could take a lesson from.)
That great, timeless music from the 60’s through the 90’s, from the Country, Pop
and Rock charts, is the way I unwind. Taking advantage of my digital home recording studio, I record myself playing a real set of drums and
a real bass guitar, then I mix those tracks down and rip them to an mp3. (I then hire a nine year old kid to upload the “trax” to an mp3 player!)
With “me” playing drums, “myself” playing bass and “I” playing guitar and singing live, it sounds like a cool little band. Add one of my virtuoso
friends on fiddle or lead acoustic guitar and we will play as long as you will sit and listen. We cover everyone from George Jones to The Eagles,
and from Trace Adkins to The Police. (Yeah, I even throw in some original stuff too.)
Where this crazy show-biz life is leading I don’t know, but one thing is certain. I am
and always have been a songwriter. So please check back here from time to time to find new recordings of new original songs from the kid who wasn’t
supposed to have long hair. (Hey Dad…at least I’ve still got all of mine!)
Blessings to you all,
Donnie
For Booking Information Contact:
DBLANCO Music
Boerne, TX
(830) 537-4094
bookings@donnieblanz.com