Podcast: David Dondero
The nomadic singer and songwriter on seeing the beauty in nature and making his way in the modern world
Born in St. Mary's Hospital in Duluth, Minnesota, the same hospital that brought Bob Dylan into this world, David Dondero is a singularly nomadic presence on the singer/songwriter landscape. Since the arrival of his 1999 debut CD, The Pity Party (Ghost Meat), Dondero has traveled from North Platte, Nebraska to Melbourne, Australia on a perpetual trek to play anywhere and everywhere he can find a stage. Every pluck of the steel strings on his Gibson Hummingbird guitar, and every note that he sings resonates with the alluring wisdom that he’s gained along the way.
Earlier this month, Dondero unveiled “Easy Chair” via his Patreon page. It’s the first number from his forthcoming album, titled When the Pendulum Swings. With the opening lyrics, “Take a selfie with a mushroom cloud as the backdrop while you smile so proud / Set the image effect to 1945, wonder if you’ll still be alive? / To see how many likes it got and if your skin burned off where your clothes are not,” the song sets a rather post-apocalyptic tone.
Dondero stopped by CL HQ to play some songs and to talk about life in the modern world, finding beauty in nature, and seeking resolutions to the global problems that poor governance and rampant technology have wrought. Press play.