Artist Donovan Holden

Name:

Donovan Holden

Birth Place:

Ohio

Occupation:

Songwriter, recording artist, and registered nurse

Can you tell us about your new album? and how it got started?

“A Brighter Day” is my third full-length album over the last four or five years. I’m on a bit of a roll. The lyrics involve love, friendship, navigating our ever-changing world, and little bit of ennui. The music ranges from Latin jazz to blues rock to RnB to country and folk. 

What influenced you to record this album?

 I wanted my songs to have a place to live in the real world. 

Are there any songs featured on the album that bring a special meaning to you and/ or to the gay community?

Strangely enough, this is my first album where all the songs could be sung by gay or straight artists, and are totally gender neutral. I didn’t plan it that way. That’s just the way it evolved. There was one song I really liked called “He Hit Me With A Kiss” that definitely has a gay storyline, but it didn’t make the album. My producer and I just couldn’t agree on an arrangement. If you’re looking for more explicit gay themes, I would recommend “Love Is Here To Stay”, “Difficult Lover”, or “Bad Boys Black Leather”, to name a few, from my first two albums, An Ordinary Thing and Accepting All Prayers. There is also a one-off I put up on Soundcloud called “Boys In The Hood Pt. 2”.

What are the biggest challenges in releasing a new album ?  ……

As an independent artist, I don’t have the promotional muscle or established infrastructure that would be available with a corporate label. On the other hand, I don’t have anybody telling me when, where or how.  And I assume and manage my own debt in real time.

 The last book I read was ….

I’m reading “Chaos” by Tom O’Neil, which if a new look at the Tate/LaBianca murders in 1969.  I’m also halfway through the first Harry Potter book “The Sorcerer’s Stone” at the behest of some of my Slytherin co-workers.

Nobody knows that I ……
Sleep standing up.

What is your favorite part of the world?

I always loved old romantic cities, like Montreal or Florence. But then I need the opposite, like the stately Muir Woods or sandy South Florida sunsets. My husband and I are currently crazy about Provincetown.

What’s the most spontaneous thing you’ve ever done?

Getting married in San Francisco in 2004.

What odd talent do you have?

I can bend my fingers any which way.

What had been your biggest setback or failure in life and how did you overcome it? 

I was with a wonderful man for five years in the 1980s. The plague took him in January ’87. It took a lot of time and love to recover from that.

If I could meet my younger self, I would tell him…

Don’t be afraid! Failure and humiliation are just rungs on the ladder to happiness and success. Bite the bullet and dive in!

What would you like to say to the Gay Life after 40 tribe? 

I love you and acknowledge you. 



Where can our readers find you or know more about you?donovanholden.com and the usual social media sites.

Facebook:  Donovan HoldenDonovan Holden

Videos:Donovan Holden – Lunch In Paris (720p).mp4

Ways to purchase:♫ A Brighter Day – Donovan Holden. Listen @cdbaby

Also any major digital retailer like Amazon, or Apple