Neil Donell
Neil Donell (born May 23, 1957) is a Canadian singer who has worked extensively as a session musician and has been nominated for multiple Juno Awards. He is the lead tenor vocalist for the classic rock band Chicago.[1]
Neil Donell | |
---|---|
Born | 23 May 1962 |
Occupation(s) | Musician |
Associated acts | Chicago |
Originally from Montreal, Quebec, Donell moved to Toronto in the mid-1980s and is still a resident of that city.[2] He has a four-octave vocal range and has logged more than 10,000 sessions in his singing career. Donell's credits also include a few small acting roles and performing "Shining Time", with Maren Ord, for the 2000 motion picture Thomas and the Magic Railroad. Donell is set to perform a new rendition of the song for Rainbow Sun Productions' upcoming video presentation commemorating the film's 20th anniversary, which will premiere on YouTube on July 19, 2020.[3]
In 2018, after the departure of Jeff Coffey, Donell was approached by Chicago’s original members (James Pankow, Lee Loughnane and Robert Lamm) to become the new tenor vocalist for the band. Having sung for many years in the Chicago tribute band, Brass Transit, Donell had previously auditioned for Chicago in 2016, following the departure of Jason Scheff.
References
- "Toronto singer Neil Donell joins rock band Chicago". Global News. Retrieved 22 June 2018.
- "Neil Donell bio on ChicagoTheBand official website". Retrieved 17 April 2019.
- BWW News Desk (July 1, 2020). "Alice Fearn, Jonah Platt, and More Set For Thomas and the Magic Railroad 20th Anniversary Celebration". BroadwayWorld. Retrieved July 10, 2020.