By KATIE BORKOWSKI
katieb@catholicglobe.org
Daniel O’Donnell, one of Ireland’s best-loved artists, has always enjoyed his work “tremendously. I have never felt that I have worked ever in my life.”
As part of his current United States tour, Daniel O’Donnell: Back at Home Tour, the singer will return to Iowa. He will perform on Feb. 25 at the Orpheum Theatre in Sioux City.
“We tour periodically every year in the United States,” said O’Donnell. “Last year we were in Sioux Falls, Omaha, Rapid City and the Quad Cities.”
The current band has been together for nearly two years and is comprised of a violin, piano, accordion, steel guitar, lead guitar, bass guitar, banjo, mandolin and more.
“The show will be a mixture of music – some we have recorded through the years and some newer stuff we have recorded recently,” said O’Donnell. “The music is a mixture of country music, some Irish ballads and a bit of 50s and 60s music. It is what I love to do.”
He hopes attendees will enjoy the concert. The music will also include easy listening, “a bit of rock and roll and inspirational music.”
“I have done a lot of inspirational stuff, too,” said O’Donnell, who is Catholic. “I have recorded a few albums of religious songs. I have sung a lot in chapel. When I am home, I sing a lot with the choir. I have always done that since I was a child.”
O’Donnell burst into superstardom in the U.S. in 2002 with his first ever PBS special – The Daniel O’Donnell Show. This began a special relationship between O’Donnell and public television. Since then he has recorded 12 more specials, with Stand Beside Me being his 13th in 2013. Stand Beside Me is a concert celebration of Irish, country, gospel, rock, movie and long-time fan favorites.
“I have enjoyed the opportunity to perform,” said O’Donnell. “I love to sing and to bring the show to different places.”
Not only does the singer like to perform music, but he also enjoys others’ music as well. He shared his favorite singer “of all time is Loretta Lynn – always was and always will be.” O’Donnell mainly likes the country music singers from America.
The Irish singer made record-breaking chart history by becoming the first recording artist in the history of the UK Artist Album Chart to have charted at least one new album every year since 1988, an unprecedented and unbroken 29-year span. This surpasses everyone from Michael Jackson, the Rolling Stones, Madonna and Irish strongholds U2. Along with this, O’Donnell makes regular appearances on the Billboard World Music Chart.
“You don’t start out to make or break records,” said O’Donnell. “The audience has been really supportive to me through the years. When we release an album, they are buying it and helping it make it to the charts. It is quite something.”
O’Donnell has reached the UK Artist Albums Chart with more than 35 albums and has amassed 30 Top 30 albums over the course of his career. He has received many accolades including an honorary MBE from Queen Elizabeth and an appearance on Top of the Pops. He has also had his life celebrated on This Is Your Life and multiple Entertainer of the Year/Person of the Year Awards in Ireland and the UK.