Jon and Stacy are featured in Gone Country Magazine. They interviewed them for the launch issue that released in February. They are also performing for the magazine's launch party tomorrow night. I'll post pics of that event later!
http://www.gonecountrymagazine.com/donahuenite.htm
Also check out their new website. www.myspace.com/donahuenite Sign their guest book, anyone can! I've been designing it since I don't have any houses to design at the moment ; ) I've also been "managing" them. I've been thier PR agent, image consultant, business manager, and booking agent. I tell you what, it's a full time job! Pray that I do find a "money making" job!
Here is the article:
Jon Nite and Stacy Donahue had both been carving out their names as solo artists before a chance meeting saw the idea of a duo come to light and Donahue Nite was formed. Though they are brand new to the Nashville music scene a buzz already surrounds them. They perfectly blend their distinctive voices together and after one song you will think they had been doing this forever. Stacy and Jon both took the time to chat with us about their music, their live shows, record labels, and more. I want to take a moment to thank both of them for their time and great answers to our questions and wish them the best luck with all of their future success.
1. You both have spent time as solo artists before coming together to form Donahue Nite. What were you able to learn playing and recording as a solo act that you have been able to incorporate into being a duo?
J: As a solo artists, we both found our voice. We found a style of new country that musically moved us and one full of stories that spoke to the everyday folks working hard to get through life. We are those folks. The cool thing is when we combine, we are both moved by the same style of music. We both share a vision of what we wanna say to this big old world. The charisma, the sultry vocal texture, and the emotion that we each have on our own fits together, lock and key.
S: I think the main thing we have learned is that all artists have strengths and weakneses. So, what makes Jon and I work so well together is that my weakneses are his strengths and visa versa. What we were lacking as solo artists is what brings us together as a duo. Its a win win situation and its awesome!!!
Also, I feel we are both business smart. We both understand that this is the "music business". So instead of us trying to handle everything individually, now there are two of us. Not to mention all the support that comes with each of us.
We also both have very unique and powerful voices. That's something that you usually don't find in a duo act. Usually one person sings and the other is just doing the harmonies. Jon and I both can sing and have very wide ranges so that's something that makes us unique. We are also both really strong writers (jon more than me). So that has helped increase our odds too.
2. What have you experienced in the young career of Donahue Nite that makes performing in a duo more of a challenge than performing as a solo artist? And how did you get through those obstacles if there were any?
J: It is a challenge to find a champion in music city. To break through, you need somebody who believes in you enough to go to bat for you, and it seems easier to find someone when you're solo. When you bring another artist into the picture, you're asking for a bigger leap of faith. Luckily for us, a little bit of our ear candy is all it takes. Doors have been opening all over the place. They see we're committed and we're different, and in this download age with shrinking music sales, we think different might be what the kings of the row are looking for. You know, it's always challenge finding great harmonies, not stepping all over each other on stage, and finding songs for two, but it is so much fun!
S: I think the toughest thing to overcome is the doubt that people have in duos. Duos really have not been very successful. Especially a male/female duo. But I feel any doubt that people have about a new duo making it today is thrown out the window when they watch us play and hear our sound.
3. How has working as a duo helped play to your strengths more than playing as a solo act?
J: I tend to lean on her for support with all the stuff I'm working on. Her personality just bubbles over when we really need it. She wears her heart right out there on her sleeve and everyone love, love, loves her for it, and I usually just throw mine on a sheet of paper somewhere.
We both have the same dream and we know it will happen! Dreaming alone, sometimes you lose the fire and the will to keep working.
S: Everyhing is now doubled. The ideas, the songs, the support, the knowledge, the excitement!!!
4. You have started to record some of your material and put it on your myspace page at www.myspace.com/donahuenite. Which one song is the one that you feel people should check out in order to see what you bring to the table?
S: Fall With Me is the song that got this whole thing started. I had met Jon through some of the TelluRide guys and we wrote together. He asked me to sing backup for him on some songs. And when we heard the final version of Fall With Me we freaked out!! Our voices blend so well together. It's definitely something that can't be learned. You either got it, or ya don't.....and we got it!!
But, if you really want to hear our powerhouse vocals, listen to Tell Me. If you can't hear what we got in that song, then I got nothin!! :)
J: All of them :) .... more coming!
5. You are currently writing your own material to record. What advantage is there to performing songs that you have written rather than using outside writers like a lot of Nashville acts do?
J: I have been listening for great songs from outside writers and have found a handful that I completely love. The songs we have recorded reflect a lot about us and real life. But so far we've had good luck with writing our material. It might feel and sound a little more authentic since we are so close to these. Really, we want to play truly great songs whether we write them or whether Jeffrey Steele or Craig Wiseman or another hit writer does. To me a great song is a great song!
S: Well, of course there is nothing better than singing a song that you wrote because you can truly feel and believe that song. And that's what all artists strive for. You want your music to be real and believable. So, it's much easier to sing stuff that comes from your heart. Not to mention it's eventually really nice for the old check book.
We are both very open to singing songs written by other people. It just has to be a song that hits us just right and it's a song that even though we didn't write it, we both feel like we did.
6. You are fairly new to the Nashville scene as a duo, but have started to generate buzz from a variety of shows at the Cadillac Ranch with Billy Block. How did you become a part of those gigs and what did you take away from those shows as the most positive aspects?
S: Well, we both met Billy Block and both had played on his show. And, I actually have a song in a contest "cheatin on a cheater" that is doing really well right now. You can go to www.digitalrodeo.com/special/localsonly to vote :) And even though that was a song that I put out as a solo singer Jon still supports it. Of course all of our energy, time and focus is now going into the duo, but that doesn't mean our solo sides have to disappear. We are very supportive of eachother. Thats a huge part of making a duo work!!
We told Billy about our idea of a duo and he LOVED it. So he immediately had us on the show and it went really well. We got to do a radio interview and also Tell Me played on 103 WKDF here in Nashville. Billy gives artists some of the most amazing experiences ever!!! One awesome thing about Billy is that he gives every artist a chance. He loves to help everyone. And he kind of leaves it up to the people. If you play his show and the people love it, then you get asked back. It seems every experience I have with Billy its always the neatest thing I've done thus far in my career.
J: Billy has been amazing. He has just taken us into his musical family. I guess if the music moves folks, the doors open. It has been so cool to be a part of these shows!
7. With the buzz that has been created around you thus far, have record labels begun to take an interested in you for their labels? If so, have any put a deal on the table that you are considering?
J: I'm gonna worry about the music.... the rest will work itself out. If the music's great, then the labels will see it. Maybe I'm a little "Field of Dreams" about this but I think if we build it, they will come.
S: Well, in this business you really want to make that first impression a good one. So, we are doing a few shows here and there and are looking forward to doing a big showcase and introducing the labels to our sound. Right now the biggest thing is just working on our show and creating a buzz. That's why we love Gone Country Magazine so much!! Hopefully you can help us create the buzz we need to get the labels wanting to hear Donahue Nite.
8. What is the one must have thing that a label offer has to have in it in order to even be considered by you?
S: Blue M&M's in our dressing room before every show!
J: and Dark chocolate snickers :)
9. You have some dates lined up including a spot at the famous Bluebird Café (04/08/08). What can someone expect from a Donahue Nite show that just listening to the songs doesn't offer?
S: We are funny!! And good looking too :) HA!! Just kidding. We connect really well with the audience. We want every person in the crowd to feel we are singing right to them.
J: Maybe we'll start giving out our blue M & M's during the show...but not the snickers!
10. What advice can you offer to someone that is looking to make the move to Nashville and pursue music for a career?
J and S: Never ever ever give up!!
S: Nothing that we really want in life ever comes easy. You gotta work really hard and there's gonna be a lot of ups and a lot of downs. But if you just keep going, it will all work out. I have always said that its much better taking baby steps forward than taking one big step backwards. Surround yourself around good people. It's worth it!! And what goes around comes around. Don't look at this business like a competition. We are all in this together. So help and support everyone. Cause you never know when someday that someone might get to help and support you!!
