Saskatchewan Country Closeup – Donny Parenteau

Donny Parenteau is a proud Metis Country Music artist & was born and raised in Prince Albert, Saskatchewan. Donny’s Saskatchewan Metis heritage goes all the way back to Louis Riel and the Northwest Rebellion 1885. Donny’s Grandfather was a fiddle player who supported his family by playing dances and performances all around Prince Albert & area. Donny picked up the fiddle at age 14 and his musically journey began becoming a multi-instrumentalist – singer songwriter making him today one of the highest nominated independent acts in Canada.

Donny spent twelve years touring the world with United States Country singer Neal McCoy; recording on multi-platinum selling albums & playing on numerous shows, including performances on The Grand Ole Opry & The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Alongside McCoy, Donny has shared the stage with country music icons such as; Charlie Daniels, Merle Haggard, Tim McGraw, Shania Twain, and Reba McEntire to name a few.

After starting his solo career in 2003, Donny has garnered over one hundred nominations at eight major award shows, including three JUNO nominations, and his first USA nomination for “Best Country CD” at the 2014 Native American Music Awards.

Donny’s album, Bring It On, is the only album placed in a time capsule at the Regina Legislative Building to be opened in 100 years and was included because of his song, “Deep in the Heart of Saskatchewan”.

Donny’s latest CD released in 2018, “Favourite Hymns of the Metis”, gave him his latest 2019 nomination for Indigenous Artist of the Year with the Sask Music Awards. Donny continues to perform, teach at his Donny Parenteau School of Music, and speak his message of inspiration and “Bully Free Zone” tours at schools across Western Canada.

In April 2020 Donny was awarded the Saskatchewan Country Music Awards Legend’s & Legacy

In August 2020 Donny was the 1^st performer selected to re open TCU Place in Saskatoon Saskatchewan which was also filmed by Sasktel and show on Sasktel Max.

October of 2020 was one of the first full band performances Donny was able to do since the pandemic performing a virtual Indigenous Day Live in Regina Saskatchewan.

Donny’s 2020 single Never Came Down Again was released in April 2020 and climbed the Indigenous Music Countdown Top 40 all the way to #2

Donny’s single Bring it On Featuring Brad Johner made it to #5 on the Indigenous Music Countdown Top 40 and #68 on Canadian charts.

Since the pandemic Donny put his focus into song writing and his Donny Parenteau School of Music teaching online classes reaching students as far as Missouri USA.

Listen to the interview