Charm

A majority of musicians start their biography with... I was born with a guitar in my hand, or I started singing at the age of 2. Donna Beckham's story is quite the opposite. She didn't realize what she was getting into when she jokingly took the stage at age 19 to sing a song with high school friends who needed a female singer so the lead guitarist could concentrate on a solo. However, she wasn't nervous during that impromptu performance. 'I like being in front of people, I like the spotlight, she admits. Being the youngest of 6, she was always seeking attention. On stage she gets just that. Donna was not groomed for musical stardom. Her humble roots trace back to a 20-acre farm in Whiskey Hollow, Texas, which doesn't appear on any state map. There wasn't much music at home until her four older brothers received a record player with a Waylon Jennings album for Christmas. It wasn't until she joined a country/rock band (3DC) in 1999 that she began to experiment with different styles of music that was considered classic, yet new to the ears of someone who grew up mostly on country tunes. Donna's ability to convincingly deliver a song whether country, rock or blues allows her versatility to shine; diversity that is typified by her influences: Waylon, Patsy, Loretta, Sheryl, Janis, Mellencamp and the Gentle Giant - Don Williams. For five years, Donna and 3DC entertained to very receptive audiences throughout the Lone Star State; however, she started craving more than just singing cover tunes. That desire was enough to trigger a 2005 move to Nashville where she learned to write songs, play guitar and record three albums. Her third and latest album, Charm, was released November 2011, where Donna wrote or co-wrote every song on the album except for Keith Whitley's, I'm Over You. A-list studio musicians who have toured with artists such as Reba, Keith Urban, Dolly Parton and Kelly Pickler, help to bring the stories to life. This time, Donna left no bullets in her pistol. This album goes further back than dirt roads; further back where the ground is hard and parched with cracks and crevices. Each song tells it's own story, her story, our story. She is a country girl with a God-given talent that has persevered through musical hardships and rejection. She stands out in a field of Texas musicians as she is one of the few women who writes, sings and performs her own songs. Songs about dirt roads? Her songs are more about people on those dirt roads - their feelings, trials and tribulations.