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Best Local Boy Made Good: Donny Parenteau

Oct 1, 2014 | 9:26 PM

A local celebrity, professional musician, and humanitarian, Donny Parenteau is a respected member of the Prince Albert community. He is also the Best of the Best winner for Best Local Boy Made Good, Best Local Musician Made Good and Best Local Celebrity.

Parenteau is very proud of his Prince Albert roots and credits the community for his success.

“I am who I am because of who I am around, because of where I live and because of what I do and you support me to do and allow me to do,” said Parenteau.” “That is what supports me and that is why I am never leaving here.”

 “I love Prince Albert,” he added.

Although Parenteau was very honoured and thankful for his numerous BOB nominations and wins he believes all the nominees should be recognized. Some names he brought up include Prince Albert’s Dave Manson and Blair Morgan.

“I was up against some stiff competition,” he said.

“People deserve recognition when they deserve it and these are two people that I feel personally, and I know both of them, they deserve a lot more recognition then they are getting.”

Parenteau, whose love for music began when he picked up his first fiddle at the young age of 14, is a true believer of following your dreams—a message he continues to promote and speak on.

For nine years Parenteau travelled to various communities and school’s to help influence other kids to follow their dreams like he did with his It Starts With a Dream Tour. Now Parenteau continues to mentor today’s youth with his anti-bullying presentation Bully Free Zone.

Parenteau said his inspiration to get involved with the anti-bullying message came from his five-year-old daughter.

“I want her to go through life a little bit easier than what I went through and even the generation underneath me went through,” he said.

He also said he was sick of reading headlines about the negative endings that are the result of most high-profile bullying cases.

Parenteau’s musical career began when he was still a teenager.  In 1991 he began playing the fiddle for Neal McCoy who he continued to tour with for the next 12 years.  But it was in 2003 when Parenteau decided to come home, return to his roots and begin his solo career.

Some other recent accomplishments and noteworthy projects Parenteau has been involved with include:

His CD “Bring It On” was released in 2012.  He has received five Canadian Country Music Awards (CCMA) nominations and three Juno nominations and recently opened his own music school in Prince Albert.

To read more on Prince Albert’s Best Local Celebrity, Best Local Boy Made Good and Best Musician Made Good check out his website.  or visit him on Facebook , Twitter and Youtube.

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