Donna Kay Music

Biography

Her voice and vocal range saturate the senses with pleasures that can awaken, mend and nurture the soul. Her voice transcends from a gentile persuasiveness through to an aggressive rock edge. Her performances attract an eclectic group of people of all ages and walks of life…all devoted to the addicting sounds of Donna Kay.

Donna is described as a solid drummer who puts the groove in a pocket and drives the rhythm on through. The pulse and energy of any good band.

Singer, songwriter, percussionist, Donna Kay, knew from an early age she was destined for music with the native ghost dance drumming influencing her future. Growing up and spending most of her life on the shores of northwestern Saskatchewan's Ministikwan Lake, the sounds of the ghost dance drumming would stay with her forever and influence her future. The music she makes is a magical blend of styles of her influences ranging from R& B to rock and roll, disco to country. Her voice and range saturate the senses with pleasures that can awaken, mend and nurture the soul.

One only has to listen to her latest CD, The Journey, to know she has mastered her voice and continues to refine her songwriting skills. Donna is just getting started writing and recording with Alvin Chief and Little Island Cree (the boys next door), a two-time Juno nominee native drum group from Island Lake First Nation (Ministikwan Lake). Together, their original creations capture the presence of nature and fill your mind with a story, a melody, a rhythm, and a feeling that life is good. Thankfully, this is only the beginning.

Fact Sheet

Born and raised in Ministikwan Lake, Saskatchewan. Currently residing in Okotoks, Alberta, Canada.

Music Style: Blend of traditional native and contemporary.

Workshops: She has instructed workshops on vocal projection and voice care in Winnipeg, Manitoba, at the Prairie Music Awards, the Okotoks Composite High School and the Holy Trinity Academy.

Achievements & Points of Interest:
· Recorded one album, "Out of the Blue," which received national and international airplay.
· Won a Calgary based song-writing contest for the radio station, Lite '96.
· "Alberta Music Project" three songs were recorded.
· Took part in SOCAN advanced songwriter workshop in Edmonton and Vancouver.
· Performance experience in clubs, jamborees, soft seat concerts, festivals and numerous charities.
· Performed and organized the 1st, 2nd and 3rd annual Okotoks charity Christmas Concert (2003-2004), which played to a sold out crowd of one thousand people.
· Musician for Diamond Valley Christmas Concert (1993-2004).
· Composed the music and performed for the Premier's Prayer Breakfast in 1994. Also performed at three additional Mayor's Breakfasts.
· Past faculty member of Rocky Mountain College.
· The song, "The Beat Goes On," ranked #4 on the Hit List of NCI FM radio in Manitoba in 2005

Experience & Education:
· Performance percussionist, singer and songwriter, Donna Kay Music. Okotoks, AB. 25 years.
· Part time vocal teacher for 30 students, Up-Tempo School of Music. Okotoks, AB. 1997-2004.
· Part time vocal coaching for professional voice users, Private instruction. Okotoks, AB.1997-2004.
· Business partner, Johnson's Resort & Johnson's Outfitters, Ministikwan Lake, SK. 30 years.
· University of Hartford, Hartford, Connecticut. Classical Singers Convention. May 2004.
· Philadelphia Convention Center, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. International Voice Care Symposium. June 2004.
· University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona. NATS Workshop on Pedagogy. January 2003.
· Banff Arts Center, Banff, Alberta. International Voice Care Symposium. May 1999.
· Voice Study, Calgary, Alberta. Studied voice under the direction of singing voice specialist, Katherine Ardo. 1993-2004.
· Banff Art Centre, Banff, Alberta. International Voice Care Symposium. August 2006.