Donnie Demers
| Donnie Demers | |
|---|---|
 Donnie Demers | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Donald Demers |
| Also known as | Donnie Demers |
| Born | Worcester, Massachusetts |
| Origin | Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
| Genres | Pop |
| Occupation(s) | Composer, Songwriter, Singer, Record Producer |
| Instruments | Piano, Keyboards |
| Years active | 1982–present |
| Associated acts |
Jimmy Demers Jimmy Demers |
Donnie Demers is an American songwriter, pianist and record producer who has traveled around the world performing with his brother Jimmy Demers. Born and raised in Worcester, Massachusetts, Donnie first began playing the piano on a toy version of the instrument when he was just 4 years old. Continuing his interest throughout elementary school, Donnie ultimately taught himself how to play enough to facilitate his love for writing songs.
Born with muscular dystrophy, Donnie Demers had his first taste of "show biz" during his apprenticeship as Poster child for the Muscular Dystrophy Association for the state of Massachusetts when he was just 4 years old.
In 1982, Donnie Demers made his first National Television appearance on the "Jerry Lewis MDA Telethon".[1] Along with his brother Jimmy, they performed an original song, "If We Fell in Love Again," receiving a standing ovation that prompted Jerry Lewis to hold an unscheduled interview with the young composer in front of a live television audience of several million viewers. In 1983, producers of the Jerry Lewis Telethon invited Donnie to write a National Jingle to promote the annual Labor Day Broadcast. The result, "Labor Day Is America's Day (for MDA)" ran from 1983-1984 over television and radio broadcasts during pre-Telethon promotion.
In 1983, September 5, Donnie Demers received the honor of "September 5 - Donnie Demers Day" from his hometown of Worcester, Massachusetts as proclaimed by the then-Mayor, Sara Robertson. The ceremony took place during the locally televised portion of the telethon on WCVB-TV Boston and presented to his family by station anchor and local telethon host Natalie Jacobson. Donnie was in Las Vegas performing for the National Segment of the telethon at Caesar's Palace and was unable to accept the award in person.
In 1992, Donnie's original song, "Second Chance" was featured in the film "Double Trouble" directed by John Paragon and starring David Paul, Peter Paul, Roddy McDowall and David Carradine. In the scene where David Jade is romancing his date in front of a crackling fire (David Paul plays a good cop opposite his twin brother Peter's role as the poster child for "TROUBLE"), it is Donnie's song that plays in the background.
On October 11, 2007, Donnie and his brother Jimmy were special guest artists at the Closing Ceremony of the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games at Jiangwan Stadium in Shanghai, China where the brothers performed and premiered Donnie's original composition, "Benediction (Let The Best of You Go Free)" to an audience of over 65,000 people in attendance.
In 2008, Donnie Demers wrote the words and music to several of the songs on the Concord Music Group Record Label release of the debut album "Dream a Little" by his brother Jimmy Demers. Among those songs, "It's a Lonely World" is featured on the Sirius radio show of 'Best-Selling Author' and motivational speaker, Deepak Chopra. Along with composing, playing piano and arranging many of the songs on "Dream a Little," Donnie also co-executive produced and designed the albums packaging as well.
In February 2009, Donnie Demers (along with brother Jimmy Demers) performed "Benediction (Let the Best of You Go Free)" at the 2009 Opening Ceremony of the Winter Special Olympics World Games in Boise, Idaho. A special "second lyric" was penned for this occasion:
- Find your voice and then be heard. Listen well, hear every word. The way to truth is honesty, it's there for you and it's there for me. See your dreams and make them real, something that your soul can feel. Reach out for what can someday be and then rise, rise, rise above your dreams...and let the best of you go free!
Additionally, they were guest performers at the Closing Ceremony of the same Winter Games.
Also in February 2009, Pop Superstar and former American Idol Judge, Paula Abdul hosted "An evening with Jimmy Demers" at the Bel Air, California hotspot, Vibrato (co-owned by Herb Alpert). Mr. Alpert and his wife Lani Hall, Billie Dee Williams and former mega supermodel Cheryl Tiegs were among numerous Hollywood A-listers who joined Donnie & Jimmy as they performed the songs of Donnie Demers to a standing room only crowd.
On July 23, 2009, Jimmy and Donnie Demers joined forces for a one night only performance in New York City at Feinstein's at The Loews Regency Hotel to a sold out crowd. This marked the duo's return to the New York Stage from a near ten-year absence where they last performed at the famed Oakroom in the Algonquin Hotel back in 1997. The Demers brothers once again returned to Feinstein's in January 2010, where they were the 2010 Premier act of the Feinstein's 2010 Schedule.
In April 2010, Donnie performed at the historical Sheldonian Theater in Oxford, England, with his brother Jimmy Demers, for The Skoll World Forum Awards, where they both received a standing ovation for their performance of Donnie's original song, "Benediction."
On June 12, 2010, at the request of Diane Meyer Simon, (environment activist and co-founder of Global Green USA), Donnie Demers (along with brother Jimmy Demers) once again found themselves performing Donnie's inspirational original song, "Benediction," at the 14th annual Global Green USA Millennium Awards held at the Fairmont Miramar Hotel in Santa Monica, California.
On September 27, 2014, Donnie's song, "Save Your Love For Me" was performed by international recording artist Carly Paoli at the 2014 David Foster Foundation Miracle Concert in Calgary, Alberta Canada. Other performers included singer Jennifer Hudson, Steven Tyler and Jackie Evancho. The charity event raised a record 8.2 million dollars.
On April 22–25, 2015, Donnie's song, "Inspire the World" (co-written by Terry Coffey) was featured throughout the FIRST Robotics Competition founded by Dean Kamen and Woodie Flowers. The event took place in St Louis, Missouri at Edward Jones Dome. "Inspire the World" was specifically written as an anthem to promote awareness and recognition of FIRST For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology (FIRST).[2]
On April 29, 2016, Donnie's song "Broken Heart" (co written by Benoit Poher) was released on the second studio album Au cœur de moi (English: At the Heart of Me) from French-Israeli singer Amir Haddad through Warner Music Group.
References
- ↑ http://www.mda.org/telethon/media/pdfs/helpfulinfo/Celebrity%20Appearances.pdf
- ↑ "Vision". Usfirst.org. Retrieved 14 December 2014. based on Dean Kamen's core message that science, technology, and problem-solving are not only fun and rewarding, but are proven paths to successful careers and a bright future for us all.