DANIEL O'DONNELL FACTS:
Genre: Country, World
Hometown: Kincasslagh, Ireland
Albums: 40+ since 1984
Awards: 1989, 1992, and 1996 Irish Entertainer of the Year
Hits: "Give A Little Love"
Other: A household name in Ireland and the UK and has been parodied on many UK comedy shows.
Though he got his start in Ireland, country singer Daniel O'Donnell has certainly made a name for himself in the United States over the last several decades. With an engaging personality and a dedicated fanbase, O'Donnell has become a household name throughout the globe and has managed to sell more than 10 million albums.
In his early years, O'Donnell attempted a career as a banker, but soon realized that it was not the correct path for him. By the early 1980s he had found a place in his sister's band. Despite playing in a moderately successful group, what O'Donnell really wanted was to be a solo act, and in 1983 he began to write and record his own music. After forming two bands throughout the mid '80s, he embarked on a solo career and was soon selling out concert venues throughout England, laying the groundwork for the 1990s.
On the back of his stage show, O'Donnell was wildly popular throughout the UK and Ireland by the middle of the decade. Albums such as 1992's Follow Your Dream and 1994's Especially For You performed considerably well on the charts in the United Kingdom, as both broke into the top 20. Due to his success, O'Donnell was named the Irish Entertainer of the Year in 1989, 1992 and 1996, and as his scope grew in Europe, it was only a matter of time before he made it across the pond to America.
By 2000, O'Donnell was already a well-established country act, and he began performing in North America. He headlined several concerts and a number of his albums placed well on Billboards World Music Album Chart.
Although he was expanding his scope, throughout the last decade O'Donnell has not lost sight of where he came from. He remains one of the most popular acts overseas. In 2003, he released Daniel in Blue Jeans, which became his best-performing record when it reached number three on the charts in the United Kingdom.
Most recently, O'Donnell has enjoyed a string of success. With 2008's
Country Boy, he released an impressive album of covers that broke into the top 10, and in 2010 his Christmas album
O Holy Night was equally popular, continuing his unlikely streak as a widely successful European country singer.