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"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.