Donovan Woods (musician)

Donovan Woods is a Canadian folk and country singer-songwriter. He has released several albums of folk and roots music, including the Juno Award-winning Both Ways.

Donovan Woods
Donovan Woods on the main stage at the Peterborough Folk Festival, August 19, 2017.
Background information
BornSarnia, Ontario, Canada
OriginToronto, Ontario, Canada
GenresFolk, folk rock, country, country pop
Occupation(s)Singer-songwriter
InstrumentsVocals, guitar, harmonica
Years active2007–present
LabelsNone
Websitewww.donovanwoods.net

Early life

Woods was born and raised in Sarnia, Ontario. He began playing guitar and writing songs as a teenager.[1]

Career

Woods' first album, The Hold Up, was released in 2007.

Woods' song "Brand New Gun" was featured in the movie Numb starring Matthew Perry. His song "Wait and See" was featured on Degrassi: The Next Generation, and his song "My Cousin Has a Grey Cup Ring" was used in commercials for the Grey Cup.[1] "Grey Cup Ring" was inspired by Woods' father, who is a cousin of former Montreal Alouettes player Glen Weir.[2]

His second album, The Widowmaker, was released in 2010,[1] and his third album, Don't Get Too Grand, was released in 2013.[3]

Woods' song "Portland, Maine" (co-written with Abe Stoklasa)[4] has also been recorded by Tim McGraw.[5] Woods' song "Leaving Nashville" (also co-written with Abe Stoklasa)[6] has been recorded by Lady A singer Charles Kelley.[7]

Woods was signed to Warner/Chappell Nashville in 2016.[8] His fourth album, Hard Settle, Ain't Troubled, was released February 26, 2016,[9] and was a longlisted nominee for the 2016 Polaris Music Prize. At the 12th Canadian Folk Music Awards, Woods won the award for English Songwriter of the Year, and the album was nominated for Contemporary Album of the Year.

His next album, Both Ways, was released on April 20, 2018.[10] In the same year, he was a SOCAN Songwriting Prize nominee as cowriter of James Barker Band's song "Chills".[11]

At the Juno Awards of 2019, Both Ways won the Juno Award for Contemporary Roots Album of the Year.[12] In May 2019 Woods released The Other Way, a companion album to Both Ways which featured more acoustic-based renditions of the prior album's songs.[13] The Other Way included guest vocals from Tenille Townes on "I Ain't Ever Loved No One",[13] which was a duet with Rose Cousins in its original Both Ways version.

His newest album, Without People, was released on November 6, 2020.[14]

Discography
  • The Hold Up (2007)
  • The Widowmaker (2010)
  • Don't Get Too Grand (2013)
  • Hard Settle, Ain't Troubled (2016)
  • Both Ways (2018)
  • The Other Way (2019)
  • Without People (2020)

References
  1. "Donovan Woods: He'd still like a Grey Cup ring". Toronto Star, November 10, 2010.
  2. "Toronto folksinger takes on Stompin' Tom Connors – football style". Toronto Star, November 29, 2009.
  3. "Donovan Woods Gets Set for New Album: 'Don't Get Too Grand'". Exclaim!, March 1, 2013.
  4. "Fans may be humming tune to 'Portland, Maine' thanks to Tim McGraw – The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram". The Portland Press Herald / Maine Sunday Telegram. September 1, 2014. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  5. "Song by Sarnia native recorded by Tim McGraw". Sarnia Observer, July 30, 2014.
  6. "Watch Charles Kelley's Mournful 'Leaving Nashville'". Rolling Stone. January 2, 2016. Retrieved May 26, 2016.
  7. "Canadian singer-songwriter Donovan Woods on how to survive in Nashville". The Globe and Mail, March 1, 2016.
  8. "Warner/Chappell Music Signs Donovan Woods". MusicRow – Nashville's Music Industry Publication – News, Songs From Music City. June 3, 2016. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
  9. "Donovan Woods – Hard Settle, Ain't Troubled". Killbeat Music. Retrieved June 14, 2016.
  10. "Donovan Woods Announces 'Both Ways' LP, Shares New Song". Exclaim!, February 5, 2018.
  11. "2018 SOCAN Songwriting Prize Nominees Revealed". Exclaim!, May 24, 2018.
  12. "Junos 2019: the complete list of winners". CBC Music, March 16, 2019.
  13. "Hear Donovan Woods’ New Acoustic Version of ‘Truck Full of Money’". Rolling Stone, April 16, 2019.
  14. Jon Freeman, "Donovan Woods Details New Album ‘Without People’". Rolling Stone, August 19, 2020.
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