David Dondero (born 24 June 1969 in

Duluth, Minnesota , settlement_type = City , nicknames = Twin Ports (with Superior), Zenith City , motto = , image_skyline = , image_caption = Clockwise from top: urban Duluth skyline; Minnesota ...

, United States) is an American singer-songwriter and guitarist. In 2006, NPR's

All Songs Considered ''All Songs Considered'' is a weekly online multimedia program started in January 2000 by NPR's ''All Things Considered'' director Bob Boilen. At first, the show featured information and streaming audio about the songs used as bumper music on ...

named David one of the "best living songwriters" alongside Bob Dylan, Paul McCartney and Tom Waits.

Music career

Dondero started his musical career on drums at the age of 9, due in part to the fact that he "was always drumming on stuff with my hands". Dondero released four records with the Clemson, SC-based punk/hardcore band Sunbrain (three on

Grass Records Wind-up Entertainment was an American independent record label founded by Alan and Diana Meltzer in 1997. It was based in New York City and was distributed by BMG Distribution. Wind-up's best-selling artists worldwide were Creed and Evanesce ...

and one on Ghostmeat Records), before breaking up in 1995. The following year, Dondero joined

This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb This Bike Is a Pipe Bomb were a folk punk band from Pensacola, Florida, United States. Their first recording was released in 1997 on Ghostmeat Records. Their later releases have been on Plan It X Records and No Idea Records, but now appear on ...

for nearly two years as their drummer. He left in 1998 to focus on his solo material. He has since released seven solo albums – two with Ghostmeat Records, three with

Future Farmer Records Future Farmer Records is an independent record label based in San Francisco, California. Inspired by skateboarding culture Future Farmer was founded in 1996 by San Joaquin Valley natives Jeff Klindt and Dennis Mitchell. Former label member M. Wa ...

and the most recent two with

Team Love Records Team Love is an independent record label based in New Paltz, New York, founded by Conor Oberst and Nate Krenkel in 2003. It has released albums by several other recording artists. Team Love also released the documentary film by Roy Germano, Th ...

. His eighth album, titled '' # Zero with a Bullet'', was released on 3 August 2010. Dondero has toured with such acts as

Crooked Fingers Crooked Fingers was an American indie rock band, led by the former Archers of Loaf frontman Eric Bachmann. A vehicle for Bachmann's songwriting, the band's lineup changed between each record. Crooked Fingers released albums on WARM Records and Me ...

Jolie Holland Jolie Holland is an American singer and performer who combines elements of folk, traditional, country, rock, jazz, and blues. Career Growing up in Houston, Texas, Jolie left in 1994, moving to Austin, New Orleans, and San Francisco before ...

, Against Me!, The Mountain Goats,

David Bazan David Bazan (; born January 22, 1976) is an American indie rock singer-songwriter from Phoenix, Arizona who now resides in Seattle, Washington. Bazan is the lead singer and creative force behind the band Pedro the Lion and was the lead singer ...

Preston School of Industry The Preston School of Industry, also known as Preston Castle, was a reform school located in Ione, California, in Amador County. It was proposed by, and ultimately named after, state senator Edward Myers Preston. The cornerstone was laid in Dec ...

, Bright Eyes,

Tilly and the Wall Tilly and the Wall was an indie pop group from Omaha, Nebraska. Their name originated from a children's book called ''Tillie and the Wall'', written by Leo Lionni. They are particularly noted for having a tap dancer, Jamie Pressnall, provide pe ...

, Erik Petersen of

Mischief Brew Mischief Brew was an American folk punk band from Philadelphia, Pennsylvania consisting of vocalist and guitarist Erik Petersen, bassist Shawn St. Clair, and drummers Christopher Petersen and Christopher Kulp. The band played DIY folk punk and ...

Spoon A spoon is a utensil consisting of a shallow bowl (also known as a head), oval or round, at the end of a handle. A type of cutlery (sometimes called flatware in the United States), especially as part of a place setting, it is used primarily f ...

, and

Willy Mason Willy Mason (born November 21, 1984) is an American singer-songwriter. Early life Mason was born in White Plains, New York, the son of Jemima James and Michael Mason, both songwriters. Mason is a direct descendant of the 19th-century phi ...

Discography

Albums

* '' The Pity Party'' – (1999 · Ghostmeat Records) * '' Spider West Myshkin and a City Bus'' (out of print) – (2000 · Ghostmeat Records) * '' Shooting at the Sun with a Water Gun'' – (2000 ·

) * '' The Transient'' – (2002 ·

) * ''Spider West Myshkin and a City Bus'' (re-issue) – (2003 · Ghostmeat Records) * '' Live at the Hemlock'' – (2004 ·

) * '' South of the South'' – (2005 ·

Team Love Team Love is an independent record label based in New Paltz, New York, founded by Conor Oberst and Nate Krenkel in 2003. It has released albums by several other recording artists. Team Love also released the documentary film by Roy Germano, ...

) * '' Simple Love'' – (2007 ·

) * '' # Zero with a Bullet'' – (2010 ·

) * '' A Pre-existing Condition'' – (2011 · Ghostmeat Records) * '' This Guitar'' – (2013) * '' Golden Hits vol. 1'' – (2013) * ''Inside the Cats Eye'' – (2017) * The Filter Bubble Blues – (2020)

Splits

*David Dondero/Chris Terry – (2003 · ''Perpetual Motion Machine'') *David Dondero/

– "Two Boxcars" (2005 · Fistolo Records) *David Dondero/Pine Hill Haints; Arkam Records

Compilations

*''Ghostmeat 5th Anniversary 1994–1999'' (song: "Leave the Driving to Them") *''Parts – Ghostmeat Records Compilation'' (as part of the band: sunbrain. Song: "Something Wrong")

References

External links

David Dondero official websiteTeam Love RecordsDavid Dondero at NPR MusicThe Best Living Songwriters (NPR article)David Dondero performs and is interviewed on Radio Happy Hour
{{DEFAULTSORT:Dondero, David American male singer-songwriters American folk singers 1969 births Musicians from Duluth, Minnesota American people of Italian descent Living people Team Love Records artists Singer-songwriters from Minnesota