Dan Donnelly (singer) facts for kids

Dan Donnelly is a talented singer and songwriter from Northern Ireland. He is also a musician who plays many instruments. Since 2022, he has been a member of the popular band, The Levellers.

Dan's Music Journey

Early Days in Belfast

Dan Donnelly grew up in Belfast. He started playing in local bands there. One of his first successful bands was called Watercress. It was a four-person acoustic folk-rock band. Dan played guitar, mandolin, percussion, and even a homemade didgeridoo.

Watercress released six short music collections called EPs. This was between 1995 and 1998. In 1998, they released their only album, Bummer. All their music came out on their own local record label, Creeping Herb. One of Dan's songs, Candlemaker, became a number one hit on the Irish Indie Chart. Watercress played their last show in Belfast in December 2000. The band broke up in early 2001.

Solo Career in New York

After Watercress ended, Dan moved to New York City. He wanted to start a solo music career. While living there, he released two studio albums. These were Bootleg in 2005 and Yearning a Living in 2007. His songs were played a lot on BBC Radio. He also released a live album called Live in NYC in 2008.

Dan's band, Sonovagun, helped him on these albums. The band members were Sean Barry, Graham Finn, Ray Burns, and Roy Harter. Dan also played music for other artists. This is called being a "session musician." One artist he worked with was Joy Zipper.

Back to the UK

In 2009, Dan moved back to the UK. He settled in Exeter, Devon. In 2010, he signed with a record company called IRL. He released a song called Running in October 2010. His album Country & Northern came out in May 2011. Around that time, Dan also recorded a cover of Paradise City by Guns N' Roses. This song was used in a TV advertisement for Anchor Butter. Later, he moved to Middlesbrough in the North East of England.

Touring and Collaborations

Dan Donnelly has performed many solo shows. He has also opened for other artists. These include The Levellers, Damien Dempsey, Duke Special, and The Dodge Brothers. He has also played as part of the live bands for The Levellers, Oysterband, and Joy Zipper.

His own touring band, Sonovagun, has included famous musicians. Ali McMordie from Stiff Little Fingers played bass guitar. Television composer Roy Harter played keyboards and the theremin.

Dan has also performed at many summer music festivals in the UK. These include Glastonbury Festival, Beautiful Days, and The Big Session. He has also played at festivals across Europe.

In 2014, Dan joined the alternative rock band The Wonder Stuff. He helped write songs for their album 30 Goes Around the Sun. This album reached the top 40 on the music charts.

In 2018, Dan became the lead singer and guitarist for a French band. They are called The Celtic Social Club. After playing at many European festivals, they released an album. It was called From Babylon to Avalon and came out in 2019. Dan helped write the songs for this album.

Dan's fifth solo album, Are We Having Fun?, was released in November 2018. It came out on On the Fiddle Records. Before the album, he released two songs: Time of Our Lives and I Don't Care.

In 2020, Dan started a new project called The Wooden Faces. He worked with Goulven Hamel and Anth Mills. They released an album called Flying the Wrong Way in May 2020.

Recent Activities

Dan earned a master's degree in music in 2019. He currently manages a music venue, pub, and kitchen in Sunderland. It is called The Peacock. He runs it with his business partner, Barry Hyde. Barry is from the band The Futureheads. Before this, they managed The Academy of Music and Sound in Gateshead. Dan is also a member of a male voice choir. It is called Infant Hercules and is based in Stockton on Tees.

In 2022, The Levellers announced that Dan was joining them full-time. This happened at the same time he left The Celtic Social Club.

Dan Donnelly's Music Albums

Solo Albums

• Running E.P. (2010)
• Country & Northern (2011)
• Are We Having Fun? (2018)

With Watercress

• Candlemaker E.P. (1996)
• Tripped Up E.P. (1996)
• Bummer (1998)
• Oh Yeah E.P. (2000)

With Sonovagun

• Bootleg (2005)
• The Beach E.P. (2006)
• Yearning a Living (2007)
• Live in NYC (2008)

With The Wonderstuff

• 30 Goes Around the Sun (2016)

With The Celtic Social Club

• From Babylon To Avalon (2019)
• Dancing or dying ? (2021)

With The Wooden Faces

• Flying The Wrong Way (2020)