On March 13th, the day after a performance at Asheville, NC’s The Grey Eagle, rising singer-songwriter/honky-tonk psychedelic cowboy Daniel Donato and his outfit of outlaws, Cosmic Country, stuck around Asheville for an Echo Sessions performance with IamAVL. Today, Live For Live Music is excited to bring you the full session on-demand for the first time.
Donato kicked off the session by barreling down the track with some frenetic fingering on an opening instrumental “Locomotive No. 9”. From there, he and Cosmic Country rifled through a 90-minute performance, sampling their fast-growing catalog. A number of songs like “Rose In A Garden”, “Half Moon Night”, and “Gotta Get Southbound” have yet to appear on record as Donato’s prodigious touring schedule—both with Cosmic Country and the Trouble No More tribute to the Allman Brothers Band—keeps him out of the studio. The group is planning to record the follow-up to 2021’s Cosmic Country & Western Songs in November with producer Vance Powell (Phish, Jack White, Chris Stapleton) for a 2023 release date.
Between songs, Donato emitted his nubile charm as he encouraged viewers to curl up on their favorite piece of IKEA, Restoration Hardware, or Goodwill furniture with some nachos or Maruchan ramen and have some fun with them. In addition to his friendly banter, Donato showed off his stylistic range with songs about all manner of subjects including lust (“I’ve Always Been A Lover”), murder (“Darlin’ Cory”), and more, all filtered through his toe-tapping blend of cosmic country. Donato also pinpointed the nexus of his influences with his rendition of the Grateful Dead-favored Johnny Cash tune, “Big River”.
Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country will continue to rise through the ranks of live touring with a headlining show at Antone’s Nightclub in Austin (8/24) as well as sets at Live On The Green in Nashville (9/5), Ocean’s Calling (10/2), and a joint fall tour with Kitchen Dwellers. Donato already has plenty to look forward to next year, with Trouble No More dates on the books as well as Cosmic Country sets at Gov’t Mule‘s Island Exodus and Jam Cruise.
Check out the new IamAVL Echo Sessions performance from Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country and check out a full list of tour dates here.
IamAVL Echo Sessions with Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country – Full Show
Setlist: Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country | IamAVL | Asheville, NC | 3/12/22
Set: Locomotive No. 9, Rose In A Garden , Half Moon Night, Darlin’ Cory, Big River (Johnny Cash), Ghost Riders In The Sky (Stanley Jones), Justice > Jessica (Allman Brothers Band), Faded Lovin’, Angel From Montgomery (John Prine), Always Been A Lover, Gotta Get Southbound, Luck Of The Draw