"A Diamond Among Coal"
No Depression Magazine USA

Hi, I'm Donna. I'm a songwriter, singer and musician involved in the acoustic music scene in New Zealand for three decades. In that time I've had some amazing experiences and met some incredibly gifted artists, among them many of my personal songwriting heroes. I've had a few nods from the local music industry along the way, winning three Tui awards for songwriting and recording.

I'm often asked what motivates me to keep writing, recording and performing. I'm not tied to trophies or accolades but to loyal supporters who show up at gigs and to the seeds of creativity that still wake me in the early hours. My writing has been inspired by artists like Iris Dement, Roseanne Cash, Lucinda Williams, Russell Smith, Guy Clark and John Prine and by the newer generation of artists like Jason Isbell, Shovels & Rope, Molly Tuttle and Brandi Carlile. But the most potent musical influence on me as a child, was my mother who snatched any spare moment she had as a mother of four, picking out tunes on her guitar by the Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers. At times those influences filter through my writing and performance too. 

As a teen and into my twenties, I lived in an abusive relationship. Twelve years passed before I found a way to walk away from that and when I did, I wrote a song about leaving. That song, Destination Life, was recorded by American Bluegrass artist Rhonda Vincent and became the title track of her 2009 Grammy nominated album. 

Film footage of a tour I did across the American Southwest in 2013 became the backdrop of a feature length documentary by Kiwi film maker Bill Morris. I was joined on that tour by fellow musicians John Egenes
(tour manager/guitar), John Dodd (bass) and Jane Clark (fiddle). The film premiered at the New Zealand Docedge Film Festival 2016. The film opened the Winnipeg Aboriginal Film Festival in Canada 2017 where I was invited to perform live. The film featured at the South Texas International Film Festival 2018. Down In Eden Magazine called the film "a compelling and important social documentary". Read the full article here. 

Aside from music, I'm also a yoga teacher and graduate of the Svastha Yoga Therapy Program. This is an area I am passionate about, continual personal growth and working one to one with clients seeking a holistic approach to wellness.