DONNA HERULA
Donna Herula is a Chicago-born singer and acoustic blues slide guitarist that has a passion for playing traditional country and Delta Blues in addition to contemporary and original blues. Her sound combines her love for music of the Deep South with her love of blues guitar improvisation.
Acoustic Guitar Magazine named Donna one of the “top 10 up and coming resonator guitar players” and featured her in an article, “Down and Dirty: 10 contemporary resonator players talk about their love for that nasty sound.” In October 2016, Donna was inducted into the Chicago Blues Hall of Fame.
Donna is a regular performer at Buddy Guy’s Legends in Chicago and has opened for Buddy Guy multiple times. She is also a teacher at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago where she teaches Acoustic Slide Guitar group and individual lessons.
Donna was the headliner of the 2014 Durban International Blues Festival in South Africa and has performed at the Chicago Blues Festival three times and King Biscuit Blues Festival in Helena, Arkansas twice, including solo tributes to Robert Nighthawk, Sister Rosetta Tharp and Johnny Shines. She was also the co-winner of the 2010 and 2011 Chicago Blues Challenge, solo-duo category.
Donna has provided numerous educational blues programs at libraries and has also performed at many music festivals, art festivals and concert series. She plays as a soloist, in a duet or band depending on the venue. Donna has been inspired by blues singers, guitarists and songwriters, including Son House, Johnny Winter, Lucinda Williams, Bessie Smith and Rory Block.
New Video: I Can Tell
Donna and Suzie Vinnick at the FARM Folk Conference in Grand Rapids, MI on October 26, 2018.
New Video: Can’t Be Satisfied
Donna, Kenny Smith and Melvin Smith play Can’t Be Satisfied at the Windy City Blues Festival on September 22, 2018.
Richland Women Blues
Donna and Chris Walz perform at the Woodstock Folk Fest
July 15, 2018
Give Me Back My Wig
Donna and the Chicago Women in the Blues
Blues Blast Magazine
Donna was one of the three artists featured in the Chicago Blues Guitar Women article that Blues Blast Magazine published on April 5, 2018. Click here to read the article.
Acoustic Guitar Magazine
Acoustic Guitar Magazine included Donna in their May 2016 issue of the top 10 “up and coming resonator players" in the story “Down and Dirty: 10 contemporary resonator players talk about their love for that nasty sound,” by Mark Kemp. Click here to read the article.
Teaching
Donna is teaching an hour long “Delta Blues Guitar Workshop,” On Friday, April 5th at 6pm at the Hootenanny House in Geneva, IL. Check out the website for more information and the cost. https://www.hootenannyhouse.org
Donna is teaching a 7-week Acoustic Slide Guitar 1 class on Sundays at the Old Town School of Folk Music beginning on March 10, 2019. To view a video about the class and to register, click here for Acoustic Slide Guitar 1 at 12pm: https://www.oldtownschool.org/classes/detail/?courseid=5697
Donna is teaching a 7-week Acoustic Slide Guitar 2 class on Sundays at the Old Town School of Folk Music beginning on March 10, 2018. To register, click here for Acoustic Slide Guitar 2 at 2pm: https://www.oldtownschool.org/classes/detail/?courseid=5584
YouTube :
Donna & Mike Wenner (from the Nighthawks) play at the Augusta Heritage Center of Davis & Elkins College Blues & Swing Week Faculty Performance in Elkins, West Virginia on July 14, 2015. The three songs include a solo performance by Donna (Kansas City) followed by the duet (My Home is in the Delta & Take It Easy Baby):
Donna, Rob Anderlik and Mike Church play Crying Won’t Help You at the Fox Valley Folk Festival on September 5, 2016
Donna, Rob Anderlik and Mike Church played at Kiss the Sky Records in May in Batavia, IL and recored the following songs:
Vestapol: https://youtu.be/kJjE0JWrrO8
Come On In My Kitchen: https://youtu.be/Xw7TsuUBzyg
Crossroads: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8hrkVR_XysE
Kind Hearted Woman: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q94yCwtPQSE
Donna playing with the Chicago Women in the Blues in June: https://youtu.be/7pa2FUAuxms
Watch Donna at the 2014 Durban International Blues Festival in South Africa, October 15, 2014:
Watch Donna & Tony playing at Buddy Guy’s Legends on November 1, 2014 for the acoustic dinner set: http://www.gigity.tv/event/100848.
Contact Information
To be added to Donna’s e-mail list, e-mail: belladonnablues@yahoo.com.
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