Daniel Donato
Nashville Guitar Slinger
interview by Eric Dahl
I first met Daniel Donato in the parking lot of the Nashville Fair Grounds as I was attempting to find a Guitar Show. Donato was kind enough to recognize the lost bewildered look on my face and stated,“ The Guitar show is up and to the right, you don’ t look like you’ re headed to the gun show.” From this point on Daniel and I have stayed in contact as he became a lower Broadway guitar playing sensation! Donato secured one of the most coveted Broadway gigs in Nashville by filling the lead guitar position at Robert’ s Western World in the Don Kelly Band a tradition at that location since the mid 90’ s. Previous guitarists that have held this position included Brent Mason, Johnny Hiland and JD Simo. I caught up with Daniel recently to discuss his guitar playing and some of his favorite pieces of music gear.
ERIC DAHL: How old were you when you started playing guitar and who motivated you?
DANIEL DONATO: I was 12 years old and by happenstance had turned on Paradise City by Guns N Roses because the album cover looked cool. I haven’ t looked back since. Plus my dad always had a guitar around the house as I was growing up.
ERIC: What was your first gig?
DANIEL: I started out busking on the streets of lower Broadway in Nashville.
ERIC: Who has the best hot Chicken in Nashville?
DANIEL: KFC
ERIC: How old were you when you started playing in Don Kelly’ s band at Roberts Western World and how long did you stay?
DANIEL: I started playing with Don when I was around 17 years old and stayed for a little over 3 years playing a total of 464 shows.
ERIC: You recently left your regular gig with the Don Kelly Band in late 2015 and joined“ The Wild Feathers” band. How did you end up joining the band?
DANIEL: My friend Sadler Vaden, who is an awesome guitar player, had introduced me to Joel King, who is the bassist in the band. We all got together and things seemed to click pretty quickly. We’ re recording music starting in June.
ERIC:“ The Wild Feathers” are scheduled to play the Ryman what are your thoughts on this and what other venues do you dream of playing?
DANIEL: It’ ll be a gig for the books! I’ ve wanted to play the Ryman since I used to busk in front of it years ago. I’ ve always been a fan of the venue itself and its history. The Ryman is number one on my list. Carnegie Hall would of course be a dream as well.
ERIC: If you could only have one guitar and amp on a desert island what would they be?
DANIEL: An old Telecaster with this awesome Twin Reverb that I played at Carter Vintage Guitars the other day.
ERIC: What is it about the Telecaster that attracts you to it?
DANIEL: It’ s the blankest canvas of a guitar that I’ ve come across. I try to keep my sound very‘ guitar through an amp’ sounding. Similarly to how bluegrass players simply want a great acoustic and a great mic, I mainly
I’ ve wanted to play the Ryman since I used to busk in front of it years ago. I’ ve always been a fan of the venue itself and its history.
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