by Jane Roser
Few bands have the drive and continuous passion to stay together for a decade, let alone a quarter of a century, but that’s just what New York roots band Donna the Buffalo has done. They passed that mile marker and kept on truckin’. Their loyal fans even have a moniker: The Herd and Tara Nevins (vocals, guitar, fiddle, accordion, scrubboard) recognizes them as a wonderful part of their family saying it’s really the music which connects them with their audience.
“We put out our energy and the audience gives it back, we feed off one another, but it all starts with the music.”
Hailing from central New York, Donna the Buffalo has been creating original roots music since 1989. They mix elements of cajun, rock, folk, reggae and country to create a unique blend that is all their own. Comprised of Nevins, Jeb Puryear (vocals, electric guitar), David McCracken (Hammond organ, Honer Clavinet and piano), Kyle Spark (bass) and Mark Raudabaugh (drums) the band headed back to the studio in 2013 to release their first album in five years (and their tenth studio album) entitled Tonight, Tomorrow and Yesterday. via Sugar Hill Records.
“We recorded most [of this album] analog as opposed to digital,” says Nevins. “We set up all of our equipment in a church [in Enfield, New York] and sat around in a circle and just played.” The group brought in Robert Hunter to co-produce the album and for obvious reasons, had to suspend work on Sundays.
As for songwriting, there’s not a whole lot of collaboration there. “Jeb writes the songs that he sings and I write the songs that I sing,” says Nevins, “we bring them to the band and work on the music, but many of the songs for this album we’ve had for awhile and a few were brand new for the record.”
Ask Nevins what some of the best aspects or memories of being together for 25 years are and her response is all-encompassing. “Oh, there’s too many to mention. We’ve played so many great events, done cruises, toured with several great bands, played with amazing musicians and made a lot of friends. We’ve traveled all over the States, Jamaica and Italy and we started our own festival-that’s the greatest thing.”
The band’s GrassRoots Festival of Music and Dance happens four times a year now- in New York, North Carolina and Florida. They have the Virginia Key GrassRoots Festival February 19th through 22nd and for the first time ever, from the 15th to the 18th, people can come four days early for the GrassRoots Culture Camp. They can take workshops and learn how to play the banjo or the guitar, learn songwriting and how to cook ethnic cuisine. “There will be dancing every night….we’re really excited about that,” says Nevins.
With a new album on the horizon, a current tour and festival season coming up, Donna the Buffalo is keeping busy, so be sure to catch them at Ardmore Music Hall on January 31st. “Philadelphia has a wonderful musical community and a lot of music lovers,” Nevins says, “we have a lot of friends there and a long history with Philly, we really love it there.”
