"That’s my truest goal, if the music can bring them closer to their own personal truth, then I will die very happy" - Daniel Donato
Daniel Donato is no stranger to the world of country music. By the time the Nashville native was 14 years old, he was joining in on jam sessions and learning from established musicians who performed with country sensations such as Merle Haggard, George Jones, Buck Owens and Willie Nelson.
Now age 28, Donato himself has played with legends like Bob Weir, and even produced an album with the highly-accredited Vance Powell. He and his band play in sold-out shows across the country, with the next stop being Columbus’ KEMBA Live! as they open for Greensky Bluegrass on March 6.
Photo by Jason Stoltzfus.
Donato describes his sound as a duality between the traditional “three-chords and a truth” country hit formula and the complex musical exploration and lyricism inspired by bands such as Grateful Dead and the Allman Brothers.
“It's two things that are seemingly opposite and yet there's a connection between the two of them somehow, right? Like the yin and yang symbol is a duality with the black and white and yet there's a circle that ties it all together which suggests that there's a connection between the two opposites,” Donato says.
This melting pot of genre-bending sounds is what makes up Donato’s most recent album, Reflector. The 15-song record is all original material, featuring guitar-picking melodies and rhythmic percussion. A collection of dynamics that would have both Dead Heads and Honky Tonk regulars dancing.
While his songs give a lively, boot-stomping buzz, Donato writes his music to give listeners more than a half-baked ditty. As a spiritual person, he attempts to use his artistry as a vehicle to spread positive energy.
“Our society has more access to anything than any other humans have ever had, so with that there's a lot of crap that is being shoved in our face that we don't necessarily ask for, or doesn't necessarily bring a lot of meaning to our lives,” Donato says. “So if our shows can prove to be an experience that people find meaning in, that's all I've ever wanted the show to be and that's all ever music was to me.”
When Donato isn’t touring, he’s hiding in his off-grid Tennessee cabin, reveling in solitude and returning to what made him fall in love with music as a teenager, remembering the lessons he’s learned throughout his journey as an artist.
“To play a note on the guitar is to say something with words,” Donato says. “And so, you better have the faith to say what you want to say and find meaning in it and have fun with it while you're doing it.”
Maisie Fitzmaurice is an editor at CityScene Media Group. Feedback welcome at mfitzmaurice@cityscenecolumbus.com.
