Daniel O'Donnel was born on December, The 12, 1961, in Kincasslagh, County Donegal, Eire. Daniel Daniel O'Donnell is without doubt the biggest-selling act in history in the musical genre known as "Country 'n' Irish". His success can be attributed to the fact that he is a clean-cut and gimmick-free vocalist with leanings towards sentimental MOR material. In musical terms, what O'Donnell records is unadventurous, yet his immense popularity makes it clear that his output has been brilliantly targeted.
Daniel O'Donnell first emerged in the UK in 1985, although by this point he was already popular in Ireland. His first attempts at singing came when he worked as a backing vocalist in the band that backed his sister, folk/country singer Margo, during the early 80s, and his popularity among the female audiences quickly increased. After a handful of early recordings (later released after he came to fame as "The Boy From Donegal"), he signed to Michael Clerkin's Ritz Records, an Irish label based in London, and Two Sides Of Daniel O'Donnell was released in 1985. It was promoted by the first in a continuing series of nationwide UK tours that attracted capacity audiences (largely composed of fans of artists such as the late Jim Reeves - O'Donnell usually features in his stage show a medley of songs connected with Reeves). In 1986, came a second O'Donnell release, I Need You , which the following March became his first album to reach the UK country charts. That year's album Don't Forget To Remember (featuring a cover version of the hit by the Bee Gees as its title track) was O'Donnell's first to enter the UK country chart at number 1, a feat he repeated with his five subsequent original albums, although the next one to be released in chronological terms, The Boy From Donegal, consisted mainly of material recorded in 1984 before he signed to Ritz, and was released in the UK by Prism Leisure.
In 1988, Ritz licensed O'Donnell's next release, From The Heart, to Telstar Records, a television marketing company, and as well as entering the UK country chart at number 1, the album also reached the UK pop album chart in the autumn of that year, while a video, Daniel O'Donnell Live In Concert, was released. The following year brought Thoughts Of Home, an album and video that were both heavily advertised on television by Telstar - the album made the Top 40 of the pop chart and the video became O'Donnell's first to reach the UK Music Video chart; once again, all his subsequent video releases have featured in the latter chart, which the original Live In Concert also entered in the wake of Thoughts From Home. By 1990, O'Donnell was back with an album, Favourites, and a companion video, TV Show Favourites, which was composed of material filmed for a hugely successful Irish television series.
However, of far greater interest in 1990 was the news that he was making an album in Nashville with noted producer Allen Reynolds (who had enjoyed major success with Don Williams, Crystal Gayle, Kathy Mattea and latterly, Garth Brooks ). Released in late 1990, The Last Waltz was somewhat closer to genuine country music than its predecessors, and once again entered the UK country album charts at the top and charted strongly in the UK pop equivalent. During 1991, it was decided that nearly all of Daniel O'Donnell's album catalogue was MOR rather than country, and at a stroke, the UK country album chart - in which Daniel O'Donnell usually occupied the majority of the Top 10 places - hardly featured his albums at all.
This produced an avalanche of complaints (including one from a nun) and public demonstrations urging that the decision be reversed and his albums be reinstated in the country list, which eventually occurred in late 1991. Another release, The Very Best Of Daniel O'Donnell, a compilation composed partly of previously released items along with some newly recorded material, continued O'Donnell's remarkable success story. His imported albums have sold prodigiously in areas with populations of Irish extraction, and several concert appearances, including one at New York's Carnegie Hall in 1991, have been commercial triumphs. During the 90s he has attempted to conquer the gospel market, although both Songs Of Inspiration and I Believe proved to be lacklustre collections. In April 1998, O'Donnell finally broached the UK Top 10 with the charity single "Give A Little Love", achieving the biggest hit of his career. "The Magic Is There" and "The Way Dreams Are" came close to repeating the success, debuting at number 16 and 18 respectively.
Discography
Two Sides Of Daniel O'Donnell (Ritz 1985), I Need You (Ritz 1986, Don't Forget To Remember (Ritz 1987), The Boy From Donegal 1984 recording (Ritz 1987), From The Heart (Telstar 1988), Thoughts Of Home (Telstar 1989), Favourites (Ritz 1990), The Last Waltz (Ritz 1990), Follow Your Dream (Ritz 1992), A Date With Daniel Live (Ritz 1993), Especially For You (Ritz 1994), Christmas With Daniel (Ritz 1994), with Mary Duff Timeless (Ritz 1996), Songs Of Inspiration (Ritz 1996), I Believe (Ritz 1997), Love Songs (Ritz 1998), Faith & Inspiration (Ritz 2000).
Compilations
The Very Best Of Daniel O'Donnell (Ritz 1991), The Classic Collection (Ritz 1995), Irish Collection (Ritz 1996), Greatest Hits (Ritz 1999), Heartbreakers (Music Club 2000).
Videography
Live In Concert (Ritz 1988), Thoughts Of Home (Telstar Video 1989), TV Show Favourites (Ritz 1990), An Evening With Daniel O'Donnell (Ritz 1990), Follow Your Dream (Ritz 1992), And Friends Live (Ritz 1993), Just For You (Ritz 1994), Christmas With Daniel O'Donnell (Ritz 1996), The Gospel Show: Live From The Point (Ritz 1998), Give A Little Love (Ritz 1998).
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Daniel O'Donnell first emerged in the UK in 1985, although by this point he was already popular in Ireland. His first attempts at singing came when he worked as a backing vocalist in the band that backed his sister, folk/country singer Margo, during the early 80s, and his popularity among the female audiences quickly increased. After a handful of early recordings (later released after he came to fame as "The Boy From Donegal"), he signed to Michael Clerkin's Ritz Records, an Irish label based in London, and Two Sides Of Daniel O'Donnell was released in 1985. It was promoted by the first in a continuing series of nationwide UK tours that attracted capacity audiences (largely composed of fans of artists such as the late Jim Reeves - O'Donnell usually features in his stage show a medley of songs connected with Reeves). In 1986, came a second O'Donnell release, I Need You , which the following March became his first album to reach the UK country charts. That year's album Don't Forget To Remember (featuring a cover version of the hit by the Bee Gees as its title track) was O'Donnell's first to enter the UK country chart at number 1, a feat he repeated with his five subsequent original albums, although the next one to be released in chronological terms, The Boy From Donegal, consisted mainly of material recorded in 1984 before he signed to Ritz, and was released in the UK by Prism Leisure.
Two Sides Of Daniel O'Donnell (Ritz 1985), I Need You (Ritz 1986, Don't Forget To Remember (Ritz 1987), The Boy From Donegal 1984 recording (Ritz 1987), From The Heart (Telstar 1988), Thoughts Of Home (Telstar 1989), Favourites (Ritz 1990), The Last Waltz (Ritz 1990), Follow Your Dream (Ritz 1992), A Date With Daniel Live (Ritz 1993), Especially For You (Ritz 1994), Christmas With Daniel (Ritz 1994), with Mary Duff Timeless (Ritz 1996), Songs Of Inspiration (Ritz 1996), I Believe (Ritz 1997), Love Songs (Ritz 1998), Faith & Inspiration (Ritz 2000).