News
| Don on Reality TV |
| Fri, Aug. 8 2008 |
| Failte Towers, Ireland's only 13 star hotel, will open its doors to an unsuspecting public this August 2nd, live on RTÉ One. Presented by RTÉ's Aidan Power and Baz Ashmawy, Failte Towers will feature 13 celebrities, each battling the heat of the kitchen, the steam of the laundry and the toil of the toilets as they are left to their own devices to run a real, fully functioning hotel. You, along with our panel of expert judges - former presenter and hotelier Bibi Baskin, Sammy Leslie of the renowned Castle Leslie, and Michelin-starred chef Derry Clarke - will decide who stays, or who gets their marching orders in our dramatic nightly evictions. A real hotel with real guests, Failte Towers will be open to members of the public, and you can apply for rooms on this website. Of course, it's all in the name of charity, and our celebs will each nominate a charity of their choice. It promises to be a gruelling 16 days and nights at the inn; our celebs will have to serve two meals a day to the Fáilte Towers guests while at the same time manage the various functions that land unexpectedly on their doorstep. And our poor celebs won't even get a full night's sleep, thanks to Failte Towers fantastic 24 hour room service policy. 1 hotel. 3 judges. Countless customers. 16 days. 16 nights. 13 tired celebs... In the words of Basil Fawlty: "Happiness. I remember that..." |
|
| FREE DOWNLOAD DONS NEW DVD |
| Thu, Mar. 6 2008 |
| Hey Folks Don has now finished his new DVD and it is available for Download Free!!!!!! This is a great opportunity for Music Lovers to catch the very talented Don Baker in action it is recorded live in Westland Studios in Ireland. Hope you like it your Feedback would be greatly appreciated.
Don is invloved with Health Action Overseas, a Charity that was founded by his very good Friend James Dillion an Irish Journalist who highlighted the plight of very deformed Orphans in Romania in the early 90's prompting James to form Health Action Overseas (HAO), whilst there was alot of support for this when footage of these Orphanages was shown in the 90s, unfortunately many years later when the Children came of age there was no longer room for them in the Orphanages and they were left often on the Streets to fend for themselves with no life skills whatsoever. HAO is involved with building Houses for these Adult Children and getting them the best possible rehabilation so they can lead as normal a life as possible under the very difficult circumstances of their lives.
Every Human Being Deserves the Best possible chance in Life !!!!!
This is why Don instead of charging a Fee for the Download of his DVD is asking you if you can afford it to make a Donation to HAO any amount would be greatly appreciated.
Don Says
" If you cannot afford to make a Donation then Bless You and enjoy my music"
The following link will take you to his home page so as you can Download and also the Link for the Charity HAO so you can read about it in more detail, If you like the music please pass the link to your friends every little helps and You Can Make A Difference Too.
Thank you and Bless you
Links
http://www.donbaker.ie/dvddl/DonBaker_DVD.divx
http://www.hao.ie/healthactionoverseas/Main/Home.htm |
|
| Live Recording of Dons New DVD |
| Mon, Nov. 5 2007 |
| Don is nearing completion of his new DVD and it will be finalised with a Live Recording on the 18th of November, 2007 in the Civic Theatre in Tallaght,
There are a limited number of Tickets available for this concert which promises to be one of his best yet with some very special guests taking part, there have been over six months of rehersals for this and Don is delighted with the progress of his project where he plans to film in Black and White with Dillion Productions, he plans alot of exciting new material which he is currently working on with Guitarist Gerry Hendrik, as Don Baker fans know Don and Gerry go back many years and this film will be very much a Rock/Blues project. It will feature interviews with both men on their particular styles and influences. It will be recorded live with no overdubbing so what you see is what you get. It promises to be very Raw but Exciting. Still no name for the DVD so if you have any suggestions drop him an email, he would be very grateful also any suggestions for a favourite song would be welcome where he will include it with the new material. TICKETS ARE AVAILABLE AT THE BOX OFFICE OF THE THEATRE |
|
| New Album "Rain on the Wind" released 31st March 2006 |
| Wed, Apr. 5 2006 |
The album will be available for sale online shortly
Actor, singer, prolific songwriter, and author, Don Baker releases his sensational new album “Rain on the Wind” on March 31st. “Rain On The Wind” will be Don’s 9th solo album and the 4th album to be released on his own label, Modal Records which was set up in 2000. The album features 15 tracks 13 of which are Don’s own compositions.
Rain On The Wind, features the much sought after track “Winner in You”. The album also includes the title track and lead single “Rain On The Wind “, a dynamic live recording with Aslan’s, main man Christie Dignam. “Rain On the Wind” once again demonstrates Don’s talent, as one of Ireland’ prolific, singer / songwriters. Other stand out tracks “Mama”, “Miss You”, Chains” and “Good Time Woman”..
Don Baker is one of Ireland's most gifted musicians whose fans include; U2's Bono who publicly declared Don, "the greatest harmonica player in the world", and Charlie McCoy who described Don as "the best Rock & Blues Harmonica player" he has ever heard. Mark Feltham of Oasis rates Don “the best acoustic harmonica player alive”. Don is the author of several instruction books on the harmonica, which are on sale in several languages and are distributed throughout the world, as well as five teaching videos. He also adjudicates bi-annually at the World Harmonica Championships. In the 1993 film, “In the Name of the Father” starring Daniel Day Lewis and directed by Jim Sheridan, Don received critical acclaim for his role as Joe McAndrew, head of the IRA in the UK prison where Gerry Conlon was detained. Don also had a major role in a Hollywood comic caper movie titled “On The Nose” also starring Dan Ackroyd and Robbie Coltrane. The book "The Winner in Me - Don Baker's Story" by Jackie Hayden (Hot Press) has enjoyed success in the Irish Bestsellers list. .
“Rain On The Wind” will be supported with a nationwide tour. The tour will commence in May 2006.
FOR FURTHER INFORMATION AND TO ARRANGE INTERVIEWS WITH DON BAKER PLEASE CONTACT: Catherine Greenhalgh/ Kevin Fennell,
Press Stop PR: + 353 1 6351728 e: Info@pressstoppr.com.
Tracklisting.
1. Rain on The Wind
A song I recorded with Christy Dignam, we recorded it live, I wrote it after I read a Walter Macken book of the same name Rain on the Wind.
2. Almost Illegal
While recording this the studio went bust we felt like we were doing something illegal, when the sheriff arrived to throw us out. Brian Downey played Drums on
the track and also gave me the tune title, it’s an instrumental on harmonica..
3. Been Alone Too Long
A song I wrote after being released from prison at age 19, she didn't wait for me and I'm trying to go straight that's what it is about..
4. Help Me Work It Out
It’s about working to express myself to someone, talk shoot the breeze, beats drinking and taking pills.
5. Jordanna
An instrumental I wrote it for my daughter Jordanna.
6. Mama
I wrote this one about my family. We were separated as children, it’s about my mother crying and having no choice but to put my sisters in a home run by nuns, I went to Daingen an industrial school for young boys.
7. Miss You
I wrote this for John Tierney who died at the age of 25. Gay Byrne introduced him to me many years ago, I took him under my wing. I still Miss him..
8. Funky Duck
Instrumental.This was written by my friend Charilie McCoy, he recorded my instrumental Jordanna and I recorded his instrumental Funky Duck
9. Chains
I wrote this song about love addiction co-dependency, its something not talked about by the media TV, papers etc etc needed to write this..
10. Never Let You Down
I wrote this for my son Glen when he was a small boy, he told me he preferred Madness his favorite band at the time..
11. Winner In You
This song was a big hit for me. People can’t get it but now they can, it’s on this CD, so I hope they will stop waging their fingers at me..
12. Ducking and Diving
About trying to quit Drink, Stop drowning my sorrows etc etc.
13. Wouldn't Treat a Dog
I wrote about a relationship I was in, I left because of the abuse..
14. Good Time Woman
I wrote this many years ago I just used my imagination never was with such a woman not yet anyway..
15. Dons Train
What can I say.
.
|
|
| Almost Illegal - Almost Wasn't |
| Tue, Apr. 4 2006 |
This is the album Don Baker was recording in a studio in Dublin when unknown to Don the studio had gone bankrupt. While trying to lay down rhythm tracks, with Brian Downey (Thin Lizzy) and John Kearns (Stockton's Wing), the Bailiffs arrived to remove equipment. Baker had paid for a three week recording session with the royalty advance from his first harmonica music tutorial book. In short he was left high and dry. A friend, Kevin Finnerty, came to the rescue and financed the recording in an alternative studio (the track "Finnerty's Blues" was born). In the chaos of the studio being re-possessed Don turned to Brian Downey and said "It feels like we are doing something Almost Illegal" and Brian said "ALMOST ILLEGAL, great title for the album" and that's how it all began.
The re-released album retains the original artwork that accompanied the Vinyl LP. The pictures, of buildings now long gone and replaced in recent times with the Finance Centre, show scenes from Sheriff Street in Dublin's Inner City were Don grew up.
Vintage Don Baker "ALMOST ILLEGAL" is about as in-your-face rock/blues as you can get. Don's first album, originally released on Vinyl LP, went straight into the Irish Album charts. The album features Don's stunning harmonica performances on the title track "ALMOST ILLEGAL", "LOUISE", "FINNERTY'S BLUES" and the show stopping "DON'S TRAIN". Don's emotive song writing emerges on "I WISH I HAD RELIGION", "NEED SOME ONE" and "BEEN ALONE TOO LONG". The album rocks along on tracks like "HOOCHIE COOCHIE MAN", "BRING IT ON HOME" and "SAME OLD BLUES" capturing the raw energy, excitement and musical prowess of Baker's music. Featuring powerful performances from Don with Brian Downey (Thin Lizzy), Keith Donald (Moving Hearts) & John Kearns (Stocktons Wing) digitally re-mastered and re-released on audio CD for the first time - a definite 'must have'.
ENDS January 2003 |
|
| Don releases double album Duckin' & Divin' |
| Tue, Apr. 4 2006 |
DON BAKER'S NEW ALBUM "Duckin' & Divin'"
Dublin Ireland Wednesday 10th September 2003
Release date:19th Sept 2003
Distribution: RMG/Chart
Cat: MOD103
Don Baker's new album "Duckin' & Divin'"is a double album: the first CD featuring songs and the second CD featuring instrumentals. The album is 90% original material and also includes cover versions of some of Don's favourite songs. On this album he collaborates with one of the world's greatest Guitar players, Louis Stewart. "Duckin' & Divin'" is Don's eighth solo album and is the third of his albums to be released on his own record label, "Modal Records" which he set up in 2000.
Touring for over 35 years, Don has criss-crossed every country in the world many times. To celebrate the release of "Duckin & Divin'" Don embarks on a nationwide tour of Ireland during September and October.
One of the best known harp players in the world, Don is also a well regarded actor. His acting career took off with his well-known part (Joe McAndrew head of the IRA) in Jim Sheridan's "In the Name of the Father". He has since traded his harmonica many times for film and TV roles (mainly as a hard man….which he enjoys playing). His most recent TV role was with Fair City (RTE's long running and popular soap) and his latest film MYSTICS is due out later this year (with Milo O'Shea & David Kelly, directed by BAFTA award winner David Blair).
Don was one of the first people to speak about child abuse (with Gay Byrne on a landmark RTE Late Late Show) and subsequently spoke openly about the horrific abuse he suffered as a child at the hands of the Oblate's who ran the notorious Daingean institution in Offaly in RTE's "States of Fear" (the programme that forced the Irish Government to make an unprecedented public apology on behalf of the State to the victims of this savage system). One of the songs on the album, "The Holy Vow" deals with his feelings on this subject. "The answer's forgiveness" is the key phrase of this song and reflects Don's sentiments having spent much of his life trying to come to terms with the ordeals he has endured. Co-incidently, Don's first self penned original song, "Dublin's Inner City", which went to number two in the charts, was commissioned by the Late Late Show specifically for a programme dealing with controversial plans to build a road through part of Dublin's inner city.
FURTHER INFORMATION:
Grainne O Brien, Trip the Light PR, 9 Parliament Street, Dublin 2.
Telephone (086) 2553747 or (01) 6114621
eMail: ttlpub@eircom.net
Listen to Myles Dungan play some of the tracks from the new album and an interview with Don on RTE's RATTLEBAG |
|
| Fair City gets the Blues |
| Wed, Dec. 31 2003 |
Fair City gets the blues
Dublin Ireland Sunday 3rd November 2002,
Don Baker is trading his harmonica for a role as a hard man to become Fair City’s latest star. Don joins a cast of mobsters, convicts, paramilitaries and prostitutes who feature in a sensational “Fair Seedy” soap bonanza Sunday night 3rd November on RTE1 @ 7pm. He will play gangster Thomas Flynn who is owed €150,000 by fellow hoodlum Danny McCusker.
Don enjoyed filming his first TV soap role. “I thought it kind of suited me. Its good fun playing nasty parts” he said. “Although I’ve been in a good few movies, I’d never been involved in a soap before. You certainly don’t get the cushion of endless takes that you might get in a movie.”
Dublin's dark side is explored in this Fair City special. Terence arrives out of prison looking for work from the Flynns. He befriends Sadiya, an illegal immigrant who works at the Flynns nightclub as a cleaner.
Danny meets the Flynns and his paramilitary past catches up with him. Carol is shocked to see Candy arrive back from London and Lorcan is in for a surprise. Carol helps Candy out for the very last time.
Fair City RTE |
|
|
