Daniel O'Donnell's Long Journey

Music Phenom Releases First CD Of Songs Written Or Co-Written Himself

By John Mooney

"There are no words to describe the feelings that I get from an audience when I perform on stage. It is heaven on earth to me. Without the people who follow me I would not have this life. They say that when you're doing a job that you love, you never work a day in your life. Well, that is certainly the case with me."

Donegal-born music phenomenon Daniel O'Donnell has sold over 10 million albums and 2 million DVDs and starred in seven PBS specials, including Daniel O'Donnell - Can You Feel The Love, which debuts in March. His worldwide success is a far cry from the day he used his life savings to record and release his first song more than 20 years ago. The 45-year-old singer's life is a tale of humble beginnings and a journey to incredible musical stardom.

It's hard to believe the boyish looking O'Donnell has been in the entertainment business more than two decades. In that time, he has built a vast and loyal fan base, eager to experience his trademark combination of country music, inspirational ballads, '60s pop and Irish standards.

The son of Francis and Julia O'Donnell of Kincasslagh, Co. Donegal, he has four siblings: John, Margo, Kathleen, and James. When he was a boy just six years old in 1968, O'Donnell's father died from a heart attack at age 49. He spent his childhood summers with his grandmother on the now uninhabited island of Owey.

"Owey is an island that had no electricity or inside toilets. When younger people left for work and saw what the world outside had to offer, they didn't want to come back," the entertainer recounted. "Any community needs a mix of ages."

His interest in music began as a teenager, when he told his sister Margo, an established performer in Ireland, that he wanted to become a singer. In 1980, he joined her band to pursue his dreams. When he formed his own band, he quickly discovered that success doesn't come easy. After months of financial problems, O'Donnell found himself washing dishes at Dublin's Central Hotel and seriously contemplating emigrating to Canada.

As the now legendary story goes, he decided to make one last ditch attempt at stardom by putting £1,200 of his own money into recording Johnny McCauley's My Donegal Shore and selling most of the copies independently. Little did O'Donnell know, with thoughts of emigration on his mind, that the song was receiving substantial Irish radio airplay and that the buzz about the young singer had reached Ritz Records, which signed him to a recording contract.

"I never thought America and Canada would open up like they did. I knew the market was there, and we did it through Public Television," the singer explained.

In 1987, O'Donnell's second album, I Need You, hit the U.K. Country Album Charts and set a precedent that has seen every subsequent album enter the charts, often at #1. On several occasions, he has held multiple Top 20 positions at the same time. In fact, in December 2004, he had nine out of the top 15 albums - including the #1 spot - on Billboard's World Albums chart.

"That was quite something - amazing, really," said O'Donnell, who is often called a country artist, but believes no one label really describes his music. "When I started singing it was for the love of the music and fulfillment. It wasn't to be well-known. I am happy just to be able to do something I enjoy."

O'Donnell is quite proud of his latest release, Until The Next Time, the first CD of songs he has either written or co-written. Among the 15 tracks is a poem his mother wrote called My Lovely Island Home that he set to music. It's an homage to Owey, off the coast of Donegal.

Over the course of his career, the singer has become a household name and has played at venues such as London's Royal Albert Hall, the Sydney Opera House, the Grand Old Opry in Nashville, and New York's Carnegie Hall.

"Never in my dreams did I think I'd play Carnegie Hall. There were people there from my village at home. I thought, How did I get here?," O'Donnell recalled. "It was emotional for me. Carnegie Hall is light-years from my little village."

In 2002, Queen Elizabeth II awarded O'Donnell with an honorary Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his services to the music industry. (It was presented by Prince Charles in a Dublin ceremony.) However, of all the accolades he has received over the years, including numerous gold and platinum records, he is most pleased by being named 1989 Donegal Person of the Year.

"I've been Entertainer of the Year in Ireland a number of times, but Donegal Person of the Year meant the most to me because it was from my own people," said O'Donnell, whose sister, Margo, is this year's winner. "It recognizes people who have brought honor to the County, including goalkeeper Packie Bonner and Donegal's 1992 All-Ireland Team."

Among his on-stage highlights he counts singing with Loretta Lynn, who has always been one of his favorite performers. His other influences include country singer Jim Reeves, Cliff Richard, and his sister Margo, who helped him launch his music career.

Away from the spotlight, Daniel O'Donnell has devoted time and energy to the Romanian Challenge Appeal, a charity that became a personal crusade after his neighbor, Eileen Oglesby, showed him pictures of the Eastern European country.

O'Donnell donated the proceeds from Give A Little Love, a song that felt to him like it was written for the cause. The singer later went to Romania to see where the money is going.

"It's the best thing I've done because of my celebrity. I have a voice to speak with and an opportunity to make a difference," said O'Donnell, who has helped raise $3 million for the needy in Romania. "The generosity of the public is overwhelming."

The key to O'Donnell's performances is his strong connection with his audience. Over the years, he has received marriage proposals but "maybe not as many as you'd expect." In November 2002, the performer found true love and married Majella McLennan, who has two teenage children from a previous marriage. The couple met while on holiday in Tenerife, where O'Donnell now owns a second home and lives a comfortable life.

"I really enjoy people and interacting with them. My disappointment is that I'm not 20 years younger," said O'Donnell who has cut back on his touring schedule. "My life is very structured when we are touring. I like the opportunity to play golf or just do nothing at all."