NYC native Chris Donohue is a session musician, producer and songwriter. Chris has recorded and performed internationally with a broad variety of artists including Emmylou Harris, Collective Soul, Dave Matthews, Elvis Costello, Ben Folds, Lyle Lovett, Allison Moorer, Solomon Burke, Suzy Bogguss, Guy Clark, Steve Earle, Patty Griffin, Rodney Crowell, Buddy Miller, Gillian Welch, Sam Bush, Jim Lauderdale, Tim O'Brien, Darrell Scott, Lee Ann Womack, Vince Gill, T.S. Monk, Phil Keaggy, Holly Williams, Larry Carlton, Over the Rhine, Vigilantes of Love, Sixpence, Jars of Clay, Fleming and John, Nashville Chamber Orchestra, and many others.
Donohue's client roster includes iV Music Group (Nashville), Bobby Moresco Productions (Los Angeles), Kingsway Music (UK), Juicy Musical Creations (UK), and Vector Management (Nashville). Chris’ recent production projects include Amazon River Kids (recorded in northern Brazil), a debut album by UK duo Mr & Mrs, and an instrumental album for Kingsway Music.
His work has been heard on various film and television projects by USA Network, Burger King, Clausthaler, Vodafone UK, Mattel, O’Charley’s, and General Motors among others. Chris is also a songwriter and arranger who is a frequent contributor to projects in the US and UK, most notably the platinum-selling Sixpence None the Richer self-titled debut.
Chris’ selection of instruments includes basses by Fender, Music Man, Rickenbacker, Epiphone, Guild, Musicvox, a 1940’s German double bass, and for travel an Eminence double bass made by G. Edwards Lutherie of Minneapolis, MN. He uses amplification by Acoustic Image and Aguilar, and records with equipment by M-Audio, Radial Engineering, Blue, Groove Tubes, and Tech 21 NYC. Chris also plays and enthusiastically endorses Avalon Guitars and Alden Original folk instruments.
Chris Donohue’s passion for arts education led him to co-found East Nashville Center for Creative Arts in June of 2002. His love of jazz came to fruition during his years as a resident of New Orleans and found full expression in his role as producer and co-creator of the children's media project Coal Train Railroad. Chris resides in a funky old East Nashville house with his wife, vocal coach Laura Donohue, and their daughters Maeve and Áine.
