George Donaldson is an immediately likeable man. As soon as we start the conversation he enquires with concern about the bushfires in Tasmania, on a lighter note he also mentions how he’d like to meet a Tasmanian devil, all of which demonstrates how this friendly Scotsman is true to form in being well known for having an interest in ‘real’ people.
Impressed as I am with George’s interest I inform him about his many fans in Tasmania who would love he and his band Celtic Thunder to have a Tasmanian tour date this coming tour of Australia. As one of the long standing members of Celtic Thunder for six years along with Ryan and Keith, George kindly says he’d be happy to mention to management about including Tasmania in future tours.
George is enjoying his role in Celtic Thunder but before becoming the well-known musician he is today, George studied the trade of bus building. Music, especially folk music was of course something he has loved all his life, especially after a holiday in Spain which inspired George to search out folk gigs for the next 20 years.
George’s big break came when the idea of a group of Irish and one Scottish lad was canvassed. George auditioned to be that Scottish part and became the sole Scotsman of the group; thankfully nowadays there is a stronger Scottish contingent with the group’s musical director also being of Scottish Origin.
Celtic Thunder has a rich diversity of talented individuals made up of different ages and specialisation in different musical genres, in such diversity the group has something to offer everyone and is perhaps particularly identified for its ballads on tangible subjects. The individual group members all have particular songs that are their signature tunes, in George’s case it is ‘The Old Man’ a simple song that emotionally impacts and resonates on a lot of fans.
George is not the only talented Donaldson, in fact it is George’s daughter Sarah that is a star in her own right; playing the fiddle. For George the biggest drawback of being in the successful group is being away from his family. When he returns home he witnesses Sarah’s continual improvement and progress and although Sarah has been tutoring her dad in the fiddle he finds he would rather listen to Sarah play.
George has suggested Sarah do a cameo on Celtic Thunder’s tour but as yet Sarah hasn’t agreed. George tells me Sarah says all she wants to be is a teacher and he suspects she will be a music one!
George pinches himself sometimes, such as when Celtic Thunder were performing for President Obama, wife Michelle and the couple’s daughters at the White House. It’s hard to believe how strong and internationally admired the group has grown in six years.
I can’t resist asking George, that being of Scottish heritage, and with the name Donaldson might he possibly be related to Tasmania’s Mary Donaldson, now Crown Princess Mary of Denmark?. George is not familiar with any connection but jokes he wish he was related to a princess! For all this walking in the circles of the famous and with a possible relation to royalty, this kindly Scot is most happy meeting and chatting to ordinary people.
You can see George and Celtic Thunder perform on the following dates:
Cairns Cairns Convention Centre Wednesday 23 January
Townsville Townsville Entertainment Centre Thursday 24 January
Maryborough Brolga Theatre Saturday 26 January
Gold Coast Gold Coast Convention Centre Sunday 27 January
Brisbane Brisbane Entertainment Centre Tuesday 29 January
Tamworth Tamworth Entertainment Centre Thursday 31 January
Newcastle Newcastle Entertainment Centre Friday 1 February
Sydney Allphones Arena Saturday 2 February
Wollongong Wollongong Entertainment Centre Sunday 3 February
Canberra Royal Theatre Canberra Tuesday 5 February
Geelong Geelong Arena Thursday 7 February
Ballarat* Wendoree Performing Arts Centre Friday 8 February
Melbourne Hisense Arena Saturday 9 February
Adelaide Adelaide Entertainment Centre Tuesday 12 February
Adelaide Adelaide Entertainment Centre Wednesday 13 February
Perth Perth Arena Saturday 16 February
Paula Xiberras
