DUBBO-born singer songwriter CAROL DONOVAN, released her debut album ALONG THE PATHWAY in 1999, and has made quite a name for herself in the Hunter and on the East Coast country music circuit.
Playing this Saturday night at Hexham Bowling Club, Donovan was a finalist in the MILDURA COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL in 1999 and at Tamworth's TOYOTA STARMAKER TALENT QUEST in 2000.
The Lake Macquarie-based performer told THE NEWCASTLE HERALD she moved to the Hunter Region at the start of the 1990s to study the Chinese language at Newcastle University.
Part of a musical family, the 26-year-old had wanted to pursue a recording career but was dissuaded from doing so by her parents, Pete and Marg.
'I grew up singing with my family around the camp fire,' Donovan recalls.
'But my mum and dad used to tell me how fickle the music industry can be and how hard it was to get a break.
'So I decided to try something different, and that's how I ended up doing Mandarin.'
Ironically, a six-month stay in China about five years ago gave Donovan an opportunity to hone her singing skills.
She gained a regular spot performing in a hotel and soon won over the locals with her selection of heart-felt ballads.
'Country music always gets a great response in Asia and I'm hoping to go back there one day,' she says.
'But first things first.'
One of those things was her debut CD, an album of mostly self-penned songs.
The disc features studio contributions from the likes of KATE BALLANTYNE (backing vocals), ANDREW CLERMONT (mandolin, banjo) and MARK THOMAS (steel guitar).
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