Donna Dean with Dodd and Egenes at Waipu Heritage School

Donna Dean: ‘Forgotten Gems’ Tour, Te Ika-a-Māui, May 2025

"Not many artists have the imaginations of a Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell and Leonard Cohen. Or the creative lunacy of a John Prine, Randy Newman or Tom Waits."  John Apice U.S.A.

Donna Dean has been writing songs most of her life, songs about setbacks, struggle and success. Honing her craft for decades and sharing her songs in far flung places, from Paihia to Prague, Te Kuiti to Texas and Corfu to Coromandel, Donna’s songs linger in the hearts of her audience. She’s a songwriter's songwriter with multiple APRA and Tui awards for her songwriting and record production. Her collaborations include the likes of songwriting legends Russell Smith, Willie Nelson, Jimmy Webb, Paul Kelly, Dan Penn & Spooner Oldham and Don Mclean. She wrote the title track to Rhonda Vincent’s 2010 Grammy nominated bluegrass album “Destination Life” and her 2023 album, "Kisses & Other Things", produced by multi-instrumentalist/author John Egenes features American songwriter, multiple Grammy nominee Eliza Gilkyson.  

This tour celebrates Forgotten Gems, songs written by Donna and recorded together with Russell Smith & The Amazing Rhythm Aces in Nashville and Auckland, tracks which won Donna her first APRA and Tui awards in 2003.

Donna’s touring line-up features Dunedin bassist John Dodd, (a longtime stalwart of New Zealand music - Dodd has worked with an elite group of A-List artists over the years), and Dunedin based John Egenes, joining the Forgotten Gems tour playing his own songs and telling a few tales.

Experience Donna Dean for yourself. Not just another singer songwriter with a pretty voice, Donna is the real deal.