About
NEIL DONELL
“His range and depth is truly unparalleled.”- iconfetch.com concert review
“We finally have a lead singer, Neil Donell, who is amazing and would remind some people of the tenor that [Peter] Cetera was. He has really hoisted the band on his back and is really delivering as a lead singer.” – Robert Lamm, Chicago Founding Member, Rock Cellar Magazine interview, July 2022
What do Tony Bennett, Marvin Gaye, James Taylor, Stevie Wonder, Joe Cocker, Roy Orbison, Ray Charles, Paul McCartney, Tom Jones, Perry Como, Frank Sinatra, Andrea Bocelli, Bruce Springsteen, Steve Perry, Lou Gramm, Sting and countless others all have in common?
Well, besides being internationally recognized as renowned recording artists and SRO concert performers, they have all at one time or another, taken up temporary residence in the larynx of Neil Donell – or at least their voices have!
Originally hailing from Montreal, Neil Donell is a premier vocalist with a range exceeding four octaves – equally comfortable as both a dynamic live performer and a premier session vocalist. His extreme versatility allows him to move effortlessly between virtually every genre of popular music. Nominated for multiple Juno Awards and with more than 10,000 recording sessions to his credit, he is often referred to in the media as “the man of a thousand voices”, as well as being acknowledged as one of the most recorded voices in the country. With an uncanny gift for mimicry, Neil has been called upon to reproduce the voices of hundreds of iconic singers over the course of his extensive career.
In 2017, Neil was approached by founding members and management of legendary American musical institution Chicago (the band), one of the Top 100 Greatest of All Time Billboard Artists, to assume the role of lead tenor singer and rhythm guitarist as a full time touring and recording member of the band. The first Canadian member of one of the longest-running and most successful rock groups, and one of the world’s best-selling groups of all time, Neil has toured extensively with Chicago since then.
When not appearing on global concert stages, Neil can be found in recording sessions in his resident city of Toronto, Canada where he continues to be in strong demand not only for his highly specialized abilities as a singer, but also for his skillful expertise as producer, vocal arranger, voice coach and songwriter.
Testimonials
“We finally have a lead singer, Neil Donell, who is amazing and would remind some people of the tenor that [Peter] Cetera was. He has really hoisted the band on his back and is really delivering as a lead singer.”
“Neil Donell is one of those guys that does it all: a great songwriter and collaborator and an amazing vocalist. His unique vocal style can bring alternate timbers to songs in every genre, plus he is a charismatic performer on stage. I feel honored to be a collaborator of Neil’s.”
“To anyone looking to hire a vocalist for a private party or intimate event, Neil Donell is the perfect choice. His voice is the purest and most versatile in the business to today. He can do warm lush ballads as well as R&B or straight ahead rock tunes with equal quality and soul, whatever flavor may be called for. Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.”
I simply can’t give enough praise to my band mate and friend, Neil Donell. His talent is so huge, his dedication to his craft so relentless, and his chops so HUGE! The band Chicago is lucky to have him in the lineup. And we are better because of it!
“Incredibly uplifting” – even life changing – is how our guests have been describing Neil Donell’s performance at Windrush Estates’ Summer Sundays at the Chateau afternoon concert series. These intimate events are limited to a small number of guests, each of whom were spellbound under the effect of Neil’s extraordinary vocal talent, gracefully complemented by guitar and piano. Neil’s unique brand of storytelling interspersed with emotive pop standards provided our guests with a truly unforgettable experience. What an honour to witness Neil’s vocal brilliance in such an up close and personal manner.”
“I can’t believe how fortunate we were to have Neil Donell, lead singer of legendary rock band Chicago, perform at our yacht club this summer on a break from his demanding U.S. tour. Our members haven’t stopped raving about this exclusive experience, saying it was the best event we’ve had at the club in 20 years. The magical night under the stars with the beauty and emotion of Neil’s vocals rising over the moored boats actually moved some of our members to tears! Along with his fascinating behind the scenes music industry stories, this was a night that will long be remembered.”
“He (Neil Donell) is the latest tenor voice in the band. And he sings as well or better than (former member Peter Cetera ever did…and Cetera was at the top of his game when he left us…The band is smokin’ right now.”
CD Album
Saudade
SAU·DA·DE /SOUˈDÄDƏ/
noun
A deep emotional state of profound longing for someone absent from the one(s) that love them
The Living Years (M. Rutherford)
Overjoyed (S. Wonder)
I Believe When I Fall In Love (S. Wonder)
I Can’t Make You Love Me (M. Reid / A. Shamblin)
Sorry Seems To Be The Hardest Word (E. John / B. Taupin)
Misty Blue (B. Montgomery)
Without You (P. Ham / T. Evans)
I Can’t Let You Go Now ( M. McDonald)
Hard To Say I’m Sorry (P. Cetera / D. Foster)
What Happened To Me (N. Donell)
Order Neil's CD "Saudade" today.