Donna Ferra
Toronto, Ontario, Canada | SELF
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Country Donna Ferra is a Canadian artist from Toronto, who made her debut with Waited Long Enough, and was nominated for several Canadian Country Music Awards. It features 10 original tunes, three of which Donna Ferra has written with the album's producer Peter Linseman. The track, "Waited Long Enough' was a hit radio single.
Donna Ferra is a Canadian newcomer who made her debut with Waited Long Enough, and was nominated for several Canadian Country Music Awards. It features 10 original tunes, three of which Donna Ferra has written with the album's producer Peter Linseman.
The album's title track tune has already placed Donna Ferra on the Canadian music map, charting heavily this past summer as a hit single. Jeff Healey's guest guitar work on the track may have helped open doors for Ferra on that one, but she also turned in a strong vocal effort, making it a genuine radio hit. Also previously released as a single was the ballad Talk To Me.
Several other entries here warrant special attention, none more than Between Hello And Goodbye, one of the better songs on the album, and also one featuring Donna Ferra at her vocal best - there's even a hint of Faith Hill in the delivery. Also notable is the fiery Free Spirit, Love Is Gonna Get You which is given a passionate reading by Donna Ferra; and When I'm In Love, one of the more energized cuts on the album.
Review: Waited Long Enough by Country Music News (Publisher/Editor) Larry Delaney - Country Music News (Publisher/Editor) Larry Delaney
She’s vibrant, beautiful, sweet and soulful, and her name is Donna Ferra. Hailing originally from Thornbury, Ontario, but currently residing in Toronto, Donna is the kind of rising star that captures the attention of the music industry and runs with it, thanks to both her charm and amazing voice.
Blending the roots of country music with the energy of pop music, Donna has proven herself in just a few months with her debut CD Waited Long Enough, which was originally independently released in September 2003, and hit stores across Canada in June thanks to a national distribution through Page Music and Koch Canada.
Donna also got a little help on her CD from some great musicians, including Wendell Ferguson, Brian Tulk (the drummer for Jason McCoy) and Tom Lewis (bassist for Amanda Marshall), not to mention guitar master Jeff Healey who plays on the title track, “Waited Long Enough”.
Donna’s fourth single, “Free Spirit”, is currently being serviced to radio stations following the success of her previous track, “Between Hello & Goodbye”.
Catch Donna performing in Toronto on August 13th at the Free Times Cafe and watch for her at a showcase at this year’s Canadian Country Music Awards between September 10th and 14th in Edmonton. Donna was in the running for a total of 17 nominations at this year’s CCMAs.
Photos copyright W. Andrew Powell, July 2004.
http://www.thegate.ca/spotlight/babes/04526/babe-of-the-moment-singer-songwriter-donna-ferra/ - The Gate Entertainment Magazine
Discography
Talk To Me EP
Released in 2001
Waited Long Enough
Released in 2003
Perfect Mess
Released in 2007
Donna Ferra
To be released Spring 2011
Photos
Bio
When I sing, I feel like when you're first in love. It's more than sex. It's that point two people can get to they call love, when you really touch someone for the first time, but it's gigantic, multiplied by the whole audience. I feel chills.
Janis Joplin
Much of Donna Ferra’s sound comes from a long list of musical influences (Kasey Chambers, Janis Joplin, Danny Michel, Luke Doucet, Shania Twain and Johnny Cash). Her style of melodies have been compared to the Bakersfield country sound. She has always been one to look for the unique accent of a country song. With her innovative variety, Donna Ferra is a cutting edge country girl!
In 2003 Donna Ferra released her debut Album “Waited Long Enough”. It wasn’t until her second single (title track “Waited Long Enough”) was released that people really took notice of her as a bright new talent on the rise. “Waited Long Enough (featuring Jeff Healey) picked up 15 stations in the first week of tracking, it was at that point her career started to take off.
Donna released 4 more singles off of that album, as well as releasing a Christmas single, all which landed her a CCMA Showcase in Calgary at Country Music Week.
With the success of her second single in mind, Donna and her team released another song “Between Hello and Goodbye” this time a beautiful ballad featuring Doug Cox on the Dobro. This is what a few people said about the song;
“Between Hello and Goodbye sounds like a classic with a great melody and lyric” David Quilico Sony Music.
“Between Hello and Goodbye speaks to me and shows off Donna’s vocals” Harlan J Smith Royalty Records.
From there Donna engaged in radio interviews across Canada, she spent most of 2003 to 2005 touring summer festivals in Ontario performing and building her fan base. Some of these festivals had her opening for Jason McCoy, Doc Walker, Aaron Lines, The Good Brothers, Blackhawk, Ronnie Hawkins, and many more familiar faces in country music.
Donna also travelled to Nashville many times to perform in the local songwriter rounds and write. Donna has performed at some of Nashville’s most credited venues such as The Broken Spoke, Blue Bird, The Boardwalk Cafe, The Commodore Sports Bar and Douglas Corner.
Waited Long Enough achieved so much success for a debut album it was hard to believe there was more. Donna signed a National Distribution deal with Page/Koch Canada and by the summer of 2004 “Waited Long Enough was in HMV stores across Canada. In 2004 and 2005 Donna, her team and the album received 11 top ten CCMA nominations and a Ontario Country Music nomination for best new artist. It couldn’t get any better than that.
Early in 2005 Donna released “Freespirit” to country radio again picking up over 20 stations in the first week of tracking, radio was responding. Donna Ferra is here to stay. By the Spring Donna released her fifth and final single from her debut album. The Performance of “Waited Long Enough” made such an inpact, it was time to make another record.
By 2006 Donna was ready to go back into the studio to record new material. At that time she had accomplished not only radio excitement but had been aired on multiple television shows including Daytime in Collingwood,ON, Behind the Song in Tilsonburg, ON and Toronto’s own Toronto’s Talent.
While in the studio Donna had the opportunity to co-produce her new material with producer Peter Linseman and really create the right sound. She had the honor of working with some of Canada’s most celebrated musicians such as Gary Craig, Charlie Cooley, John Dymond, Rob Brown, and Danny Michel.
In 2006 Donna was requested to host the CCMA New Artist Showcases with East coast country star Al Hooper. As well as being a guest singer for one of the conferences that year.
It’s been a few years but Donna is finally ready to release new music. After a long time away from the scene Donna feels that her new songs will allow everyone get to know her again. With a new self titled album on the way, a new style and the feeling of excitement, Donna Ferra is back.
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