Singer/Songwriter/Vocalist/Musician/Performer
DONNA HARRIS BIO
Singer-songwriter, vocalist, and musician, Donna grew up on Prince Street in Greenwich Village, New York City, in a musical family; mother, Maxine Browning Bianculli, a singer, composer, actress, director and playwright; father, Johnny Smash, a singer, actor, tap dancer,
drummer and friend/singing partner of Frank Sinatra.
After working in New York and L.A. acting in soap operas, episodic television, film and theatre, Donna settled on her first love - singing. She has performed extensively on four continents and sung with numerous artists, such as Garth Brooks, Joe Sample, Enya, Gary Puckett and the Union Gap, Joey Molland of Badfinger, Terry Sylvester of the Hollies, Maxine Nightingale (“Right Back Where We Started From” and “Lead Me On”), Shannon (80s Freestyle Diva), The Shangri-Las (“Leader of the Pack”), appearing on the Grammy Awards, Rosie O'Donnell, Late Night with David Letterman and more. You can hear her voice on numerous recordings, commercials, voiceovers and has performed extensively on four continents, throughout North and South America, Europe and Africa for the royal family of Morocco, leading a 17-piece version of her band, “Straight Ahead, the band,” to perform at the royal palace in Rabat and performing again in Agadir.
Donna has sung most often in New York and on the East Coast. Multiple European performances include those in Portugal, Belgium and Greece, where she lives and performs part of the year with husband, Ken Richards, an accomplished artist, musician, singer-songwriter (artistkenrichards.com). They met through a mutual connection to Jimmy Miller, percussionist and producer of The Rolling Stones.
While continually engaging in her love of international travel, Donna has earned her Master of Social Work with academic honors, her CST or Certification as a Sex Therapist by AASECT (American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists), and, when not singing and playing percussion, currently specializes in couples and family systems therapy. Check out her podcasts at: https://sexandcouplestherapy.com/podcast/ She is honored to sit on the Board of Directors for NEAFAST (New England Association for Family and Systemic Therapy) with a passion to help and heal couple, partnered and family relationships. Donna's musical influences include Sarah Vaughn, Frank Sinatra, Bonnie Raitt, Sheryl Crow, The Police, Annie Lenox, John Denver, Jonatha Brooke, Astrud Gilberto, Etta James, James Taylor, The Beatles, Steely Dan & more. Donna has an original CD entitled "After Dark” and has co-written with friend and musical colleague, Bryan Steele (https://www.bryansteele.net) on various other projects.
Special thanks goes out to brother, pianist-composer, John Bianculli, (www.johnbiancullimusic.com)
for his musical support and just plain being a good big brother.
Many thanks to Mom & Dad, greatest husband and partner Ken Richards, great friend and musical colleague, pianist John Bauers, and inspirational gal-pals: vocalist Robin Ross Valentini, author and talent manager Alison Caiola (https://www.facebook.com/authoralison.caiola/) http://www.alisoncaiolamanagement.com) and vocalist Deena Miller.
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