Donny Parenteau (born in

Prince Albert, Saskatchewan Prince Albert is the third-largest city in Saskatchewan, Canada, after Saskatoon and Regina, Saskatchewan, Regina. It is situated near the centre of the province on the banks of the North Saskatchewan River. The city is known as the "Gateway ...

) is singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer. He is best for known his solo career and his work as fiddle player, guitarist, and mandolin player for country music singer

Neal McCoy Hubert Neal McGaughey Jr. (born July 30, 1958), known professionally as Neal McCoy and previously as Neal McGoy, is an American country music singer. He has released 10 studio albums on various labels, and has released 34 singles to country radio ...

. In February 2011, Parenteau signed with the record label 306 Records/

EMI Music Canada EMI Group Limited (formerly EMI Group plc until 2007; originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At t ...

to help distribute his albums.

Early life

At 14, Parenteau took up the fiddle. After mastering the fiddle, he picked up other instruments like the guitar (both acoustic and electric) and the mandolin (both acoustic and electric). Parenteau cites some of his influences as Bryan Sklar, Freddie Pelltier, and George Pistun

Career

After picking up the violin at a young age, by 19 he was playing professionally. In 1991, Parenteau was playing in

Edmonton, Alberta Edmonton is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Alberta. It is situated on the North Saskatchewan River and is the centre of the Edmonton Metropolitan Region, which is surrounded by Central Alberta ...

and was invited to a show by Neal McCoy who was also playing in Edmonton. Upon talking with McCoy, Parenteau discovered they had similar taste in music. McCoy was looking for a fiddle player, but didn't have the money to hire one. Parenteau wanted the chance to audition and would not let up until he got the chance to audition. Parenteau listened to the group jamming and had a grasp of what they were playing. It was that song he would use as the audition piece. During his time touring with McCoy, Parenteau got to open for such artists as

Merle Haggard Merle Ronald Haggard (April 6, 1937 – April 6, 2016) was an American singer, songwriter, guitarist, and fiddler. Widely regarded as one of the greatest and most influential figures in country music, he was a central pioneer of the Bakersfield ...

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Charlie Pride Charley Frank Pride (March 18, 1934 – December 12, 2020) was an American country singer. Beginning his career as a Negro league baseball player in the early-1950s, he later pursued a career in country music, becoming the genre's first blac ...

Loretta Lynn Loretta Lynn (; April 14, 1932 – October 4, 2022) was an American country music singer and songwriter. In a career spanning six decades, Lynn released multiple gold albums. She had numerous hits such as "Hey Loretta", "The Pill (song), The P ...

Charlie Daniels Charles Edward Daniels (October 28, 1936 – July 6, 2020) was an American singer, musician, and songwriter. His music fused rock, country, blues and jazz, and was a pioneering contribution to Southern rock and progressive country. He was ...

Hank Williams, Jr. Randall Hank Williams (born May 26, 1949), known professionally as Hank Williams Jr. or Bocephus, is an American singer-songwriter and musician. His musical style has been described as a blend of rock, blues, and country. He is the son of countr ...

Reba McEntire Reba Nell McEntire ( ; born March 28, 1955), or simply Reba, is an American country music, country singer and actress. Dubbed "Honorific nicknames in popular music, The Queen of Country", she has sold more than 75 million records worldwide. Sin ...

Garth Brooks Troyal Garth Brooks (born February 7, 1962) is an American Country music, country singer and songwriter. His integration of pop and rock elements into the country genre has earned him his immense popularity, particularly in the United States, ...

, and

Shania Twain Eilleen Regina "Shania" Twain ( ; born August 28, 1965) is a Canadian singer-songwriter. She has sold over 100 million records, making her one of the List of best-selling music artists, best-selling music artists of all time and the best-sel ...

. Parenteau also graced the

Grand Ole Opry The ''Grand Ole Opry'' is a regular live country music, country-music Radio broadcasting, radio broadcast originating from Nashville, Tennessee, Nashville, Tennessee, on WSM (AM), WSM, held between two and five nights per week, depending on the ...

stage. Parenteau was the only member of the live band that was also on the recordings. After performing with Neal McCoy for 12 years and playing 250–300 shows a year, Parenteau returned to Prince Albert to embark on a solo career.

Charity work

Parenteau has done a number of humanitarian and charity work. In 2001 SCMA International Humanitarian Award for his efforts. He also appears on

Telemiracle ''Telemiracle'' is an annual telethon organized by the Kinsmen and Kinettes in Saskatchewan, Canada, for the benefit of the Kinsmen Foundation. Initially broadcast on both CTV and CBC affiliates in Saskatchewan, it is now broadcast, commerc ...

starting on the 32nd edition of the telethon. Parenteau co-wrote the current Telemiracle opening theme song with

Brad Johner Bradley Robert Johner (born February 4, 1969) is a Canadian country music singer. Biography Johner was born in Estevan, Saskatchewan and grew up on a farm near Midale, Saskatchewan playing music in his family band. When he was 16, Brad won a ...

entitled "You are the Miracle". It became the theme in 2011. He also embarks on a tour of elementary schools in Saskatchewan each year as a motivational speaker in which he spreads his message of anti-bullying.

Discography

Studio albums

Collaborations

Singles

Music videos

Awards and nominations

Parenteau has been nominated for a multitude of awards all across Canada picking up a number of them along the way. In 2008, Parenteau was nominated for his country's highest honour by being nominated for a Juno Award.

References

External links

Official website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Parenteau, Donny Living people Canadian country guitarists Canadian male guitarists Métis musicians People from Prince Albert, Saskatchewan 306 Records artists Canadian country fiddlers Canadian male violinists and fiddlers Canadian country singer-songwriters Fransaskois people Canadian mandolinists Singers from Saskatchewan 20th-century Canadian male singers 20th-century Canadian violinists and fiddlers 21st-century Canadian violinists and fiddlers 20th-century Canadian guitarists 21st-century Canadian guitarists Canadian male singer-songwriters 20th-century Canadian multi-instrumentalists 21st-century Canadian multi-instrumentalists 21st-century Canadian male singers Year of birth missing (living people) 20th-century Canadian singer-songwriters 21st-century Canadian singer-songwriters