Donal Hinely--guitar, vocals...glasses?
On one hand, I'm a singer/songwriter in the Texas tradition, telling hard luck stories and writing music that skirts the outer fringes of country, folk, bluegrass, and straight ahead rock. On the other hand, I'm a practitioner of the obsolete art of the glass harmonica and entertain thousands of people each year with my homemade musical instrument at festivals, street fairs, coffee houses, and special events.
This requires a split personality.
But as the great Townes Van Zandt once said, "I may be a schizophrenic but at least I've got each other."
Though I don't have a working band at the moment, I have been fortunate to work with some great folks on my last three records:
David Henry
Will Kimbrough
Kim Richey
Tommy Womack
Chris Carmichael
Mindy Smith
Fats Kaplin
Dave Francis
Steve Bowman
Robin English
John Henry Trinko
Park Ellis
Ken Coomer
Johnny Bellar
John Wheeler
Dave Harrison
Tommy Williams
Nashville is a verdant valley...
Influences
Terry Hinely, Steven Fromholz, Hank Williams, Nick Lowe, John Prine, Bill Hicks, Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt, Cheap Trick, John Martyn, Paul Simon, Richard Thompson, Wire Train, Bruce Springsteen, Leonard Cohen, The Beatles, Johnny Cash, Tom Waits, Captain Kirk, The Monkees, The Doors, Woody Guthrie, Joe Jackson, Elvis Costello, Steve Martin, REM, The Who, Kurt Vonnegut, Van Morrison, Willie Nelson, The Kinks, Neil Young, U2, Nick Drake, Rolling Stones, Steve Earle, John Hyatt, The Replacements, The Molly Maguires, MTV, Billy Joel, Planxty, Son House, Big Bill Broonzy, Peter Case, Rodney Crowell, Frank Zappa, David Letterman, Joe Ely, Doc Watson, Dean Martin, Bruce Cockburn, Sam Cooke, Guy Clark, Steve Forbert, Lonnie Johnson, Dave Alvin, Ramblin' Jack Elliot
May 8th, 2008: Blue State Boy is now available on ATOM Records!!! Just go to www.atomrecords.com and get you some. You'll be glad you did.
"A song like "Giants" is one many of us will be humming to ourselves as we speak up, speak out and march towards voting booths in 2006 and 2008 to turn America around."--Tony Peyser, BuzzFlash
"This Texas songwriter isn't afraid to use a guitar to get his message across...quality song craft."--Paste Magazine
"A great folk/Americana album...'Shock and Awe' is the best political song I've heard all year."--Greg Grant, Online Folk Festival
"To call him literate would be an understatement...Hinely's writing ability earns him a place alongside other Texas luminaries such as Earle,
Van Zandt and Keen."--Don Grant, Freight Train Boogie
With roots sunk deep in the same storytelling tradition of Texas singer/songwriters like Steve Earle and Townes Van Zandt, Donal Hinely speaks in a voice that is both intimate and authentic. Spinning tales of hard luck, love, missed opportunity and die-hard hope, Hinely writes songs that skirt the outer fringes of country, folk, and straight ahead rock. Dave Higgs, host of NPR's syndicated Bluegrass Breakdown, put it simply: "this is really good stuff--sharp, insightful writing married to memorable tunes."
Born and raised in Denton, Texas, Hinely began writing songs at an early age and honed his craft in several original music projects including a regionally successful college rock band called the Agents of Kaos and the acoustic duo Glasnots. In 1994, he moved to Nashville to join the songwriting community where he has since garnered recognition for his stirring songs and honest performances. His breakthrough CD, We Built a Fire (2002, Scuffletown Records) was co-produced by David Henry (Cowboy Junkies, Josh Rouse) and features appearances by Grammy nominated singer/songwriter Kim Richey, recording artist Mindy Smith, guitarist Will Kimbrough (Todd Snider, Rodney Crowell), and members of Wilco, the Edwin McCain Band, and Hayseed Dixie.
Hinely's 2005 release Giants received significant attention from folk and roots radio, remaining on the Americana Music Association album airplay chart for 11 weeks and debuting at 6 on the Euro Americana Chart. In November 2005, “Giants” was the most added single in US folk radio according to the FOLK-DJ list survey. Critically lauded by both indie and mainstream press, Giants was nominated for album of the year by the Independent Music Awards, the Indie Acoustic Project, and the Acoustic Music Awards.
Hitting all points of the compass in 2006, Hinely was a showcase artist at South by Southwest Music Conference in Austin, Texas and the North by Northeast Festival in Toronto, Canada. In 2007, Hinely was named a New Folk Finalist at the Kerrville Folk Festival in Texas. 2008 marks the release of Blue State Boy an album of all new songs featuring Will Kimbrough and guests Fats Kaplin, Tommy Womack, and Steve Bowman, formerly of Counting Crows.
Hinely is also a noted practitioner of the glass harmonica and plays a homemade set of 24 water-tuned wine glasses and brandy snifters. As a glass player he has performed for
thousands of patrons at festivals and street fairs and has three albums of instrumental glass music to his credit.
Hello, it's me, Ruby Jane.To those who don't know me, I am a 14 year old fiddler, songwriter. I have some songs posted that are fresh out of the studio. Let me know if you like the new songs..be one of the first to hear, even before they are released!Thanks! new videos too! Ruby Jane
Hi there Donal, hope all's well in yer world and yer mind. Just droppin' by tae let ye know about the new STY at www.alienpig.co.uk It would be nice if ye could drop by and have a wee snuffle about. Stay forever free with love and good vibes from the STY. PIG X ;@)
Hey!
Thanks so much for the add! You sound great! We'd love to have you come out and record anytime. $30/hr for studio time AND an engineer. :) Plus I bet I could get my wife to throw in some good eats!
Keep Crankin' those Groovy Jams!
Bart and Delaney
Lakeshore Studios
whats goin on man? Iraq still sucks just seeing how you were doing? Did you hit it big yet man? Is your music on Zunepass yet? Ill Download it if it is. Anyways just sayin hey. Have a good one, and drink a beer for me!
Thanks for the Friend request!Glad you found me.Really glad my name is Mona!Yeah,it's like you sing Mona,Mona only to me!Now I get to listen to Great music and I will pass this info.for your tunes to my friends and family!Rock on Donal Hinely Style!
Had I a nickel for every time someone sang 'Mona Lisa' or Bo Diddley's 'Mona' to me in a honky tonk, I'd be a wealthy woman. But I would pay to have 'Mona Mona' sung to me! Thanks for the add. mona
Your Obama update received loud and clear. Fine correspondence sir. "Out of Body" demo on ourpage showing a hint at a changing direction? Click on over... Here's to the next 8 years bros.. beam boys and girls
Thanks so much for the friend request and checking out my music! My new CD can be purchased on my myspace page and you can see my new music video there as well. All the best, Deborah Lombardi
Your music sounds great! Do you ever come north? Maybe we'll see you at some festival somewhere! We do a big music/camp scene at Falcon Ridge, though that looks like a busy renaissance fest time for you. Tomorrow is a BIG day! Take care-Beth