(Song) Writer Spotlight: Kitty Donohoe

Grandmother Woody, playing piano at six years old, 'There Are No Words', Northwood Kids, and Scottish tours: author/singer/songwriter Kitty Donohoe

Charlie Barshaw coordinates our regular Writer Spotlight feature and interviews writers of SCBWI-MI. In this piece, meet world-famous musician and author Kitty Donohoe.

You grew up in Royal Oak, the oldest daughter in a family of eight kids. Your family didn’t have a TV for many years. Do you think that was intentional? It sure seemed to spur your young creativity.

It certainly was intentional on my father's part. He specifically said that his kids were acting like cartoons and he didn't like that, thus the "broken" TV set. It was some years before we had a "working" TV again. 

You used to write stories on your Grandmother Woody’s old typewriter, which now sits on the piano in your home. Do you remember any of your early stories? 

I have no idea of those. We all read a huge amount (see 'no TV' and you'll know why!) and I'm pretty sure they were take-offs on whatever I was reading at the time. Some stories about magic, boy-meets-girl stuff, a bit of adventure...

You started playing piano when you were six years old. You used to watch your Mom play piano, so there’s that. But you must have also shown a love of music. 

Like her, I think I was born with an innate knack for making music, as well as for rhyming, so that creativity has been with me all my life. When I hear people say they don't 'like' music, that baffles me. It's like not enjoying breathing or something. Very foreign to me.

You graduated from high school and moved to Nova Scotia. Were you seeking sea shanties? 

Not at all. That trip was because of a curiosity about Nova Scotia and a love of the sea (even though I hadn't been near one yet and didn't know what a sea shanty was at the time.)

That said, I feel very drawn to Canada now, and my father's mother was born in Ontario and moved to Michigan. So there may be some kind of natural instinct toward that place and those songs. 

You eventually moved back to Detroit, specifically Corktown. What did you find in old Irish Detroit?

I wasn't really there that long. My best friend was living there then and we were both getting into our Irish heritage and Corktown was a great intro to the Irish culture in Michigan. We hung out at the Gaelic League a whole lot (where Irish bands played 6 nights a week) and that alone was a great introduction to all things Irish.  

You may be best known for “There are No Words,” penned after the 9/11 tragedy. Obviously you were moved to write the song. Is songwriting your go-to release?

I've always written songs, for as long as I can remember. Not just as a release but as an expression, for all kinds of things. My song is one of hundreds written on that day (if not more) as it certainly moved so many with the need to express our outrage and sorrow.

A reviewer once wrote that you never in your career showed stage fright. Are you good at hiding the jitters, or is it true, you’re a natural performer? 

I actually don't know anything about that review! Yes, I certainly have had my share of 'jitters', though not so much anymore. And I don't know that I'd say I'm a 'natural performer' but I am a natural creator of music, and performance is the most direct way to bring my music to anyone who wants to hear it. 

You’ve written and published Bunyan and Banjoes: Michigan Songs and Stories, and Henny and Benny Bunyan and the Maple Syrup Adventure. What can you tell us about Gypsie Bird Press?

Gypsie Bird Press is my own little outfit (publishing company with plans for expansion someday) because when I was writing the Henny & Benny story, I discovered that the traditional press world has restrictions that I didn't like.  

In particular, the author rarely gets to pick the illustrator for the book and I had very specific ideas of what I wanted the characters to look like. It's not uncommon to wait a couple of years for your book to come out if it's picked up; and I know many authors who make very small amount of money on the books they sell. That all seemed like a reason to create my own publishing company.

The first book comes with a music CD, so it's part of your brand. But Henny and Benny is a straight-up children's book. What prompted you to write a non-musical story?

At heart I'm a storyteller, first and foremost, so I included the CD to augment the tale but it works just fine without it as well.

A second Northwoods Kids book was in the works at one time. What’s the status? 

I have books 2 and 3 essentially figured out and plan to most likely release them together. Possibly this fall.

How are songwriting and children’s book writing similar? Different? 

Since I have songs for both kids and adults the difference is obviously in the approach. And there can be some crossover between the two but I basically tell tales/write for kids in a simpler way than I do for adults.

You've done hundreds of school visits. How do you keep up the energy necessary to face four tough audiences in one day?

Well, these days I'm not doing quite that same intensity, especially as I've had some health issues in the last year. I loved doing school shows and still plan to promote that part of what I do but with more of an emphasis on being a Visiting Author (who also plays songs) than the high-energy 'everybody sing' efforts in the past. 

It was a glorious bunch of years though, and I STILL hear from adults who heard me as children and can actually remember things like how high and how long the Mackinac Bridge is because of my song about it. It's quite an honor to think my songs will long outlive me.

Tell us about “Lost Voices.” 

Lost Voices was started by my friend Mike Ball, who had a vision about bringing songwriters together with at-risk teens, and he got me on board early on. The program is still going strong, and I know Mike has visions for expanding to other states. 

You’ve offered a musical tour of Ireland most summers for more than a decade. How did the idea of a bus and a B&B and nights full of Irish pub music for 20+ people come about?

I actually joined the Inishfree Tours group in 2015, so not quite a decade. It's a great concept and the tours easily sell out a year ahead of time, although they took a big hit with Covid, obviously.

The company hires performers who have a fan base and can sign up some of those fans to travel around Ireland for 10 days, see the sights and hear traditional Irish music every night. 

Sometimes the music is a pub session, but we've also had private concerts with a solo harpist, a 'sean nos' (Irish traditional Gaelic) singer, a duo who play accordion and guitar and get everyone up and dancing...it's always amazing music and SO much fun! 

And I think one of the best things about the tour is that everyone has become lifelong friends by the end of the trip. With such a small group it lends itself to the intimacy of friendship and I know several folks from my first year still hang outl

In 2022 you’ve begun to offer a second tour to Scotland. Looks like July is going to be exhausting and immersive for you.

We'll see! The health issues I mentioned are having a serious ankle break in October and a very recent hip replacement. Neither of them life- threatening, but they have slowed me down a bit! I'm very much looking forward to getting back into the swing of things.

If anyone is interested in the Ireland and Scotland tours for next year they can contact me at kitty@kittydonohoe.com 

You've always been a "hustler," in the best sense of the word. Did your decision to rely on entertainment as a career force you into this hurly-burly world of road trips and non-stop performances? Or is it a built-in part of you who wants to see and experience the world?

I don't know that I'd call myself a 'hustler,' but in this world of performing you pretty much have to stay on top of things - going for gigs, lining up tours, promoting yourself as a songwriter. 

There are some great organizations out there - Folk Alliance and FARM (the Midwest version of Folk Alliance) that are a tremendous source of information, camaraderie, a chance to learn more about what we do and a non-stop support system.

I highly recommend anyone looking to be in the biz (or who is already there) to check out the above and look around for other resources.

It's rough to be self-employed, and knowing others like you are out there is a huge help. For me, one of the biggest shifts in the past couple of years is the demise of the physical CD and the rise of downloads.

I take great issue with that direction (I won't go into it here) - but it makes supporting live music even more important these days. in particular, I'm developing a platform to get my music - songs and instrumentals - to music buyers for TV, movies, ads. It can be a great source of revenue if you're lucky.

I think when you're doing what you should be doing, you find new ways to get it out there.

Please include any social media platforms you wish to share.

Right now I only have 2 Facebook artist pages and a Youtube page that has some of my songs set to film - tho on my 'list of things to do' before I go to Scotland is to develop more social media presence.

https://www.facebook.com/kitdonohoe

https://www.facebook.com/Kitty-Donohoe-Songwriter-326282462156216

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC798dnlM0ABDgm4l60U7OhQ