Artist Spotlight :: Collin Donley

Bio

Collin Donley is a Wyoming native whose roots run deep. His is a sound you can feel, not just hear. Dive bars, hard times, and hard rockin', foot-stompin', guitar slingin' HONEST country are what you will hear from that first chord. No apologies! The real deal.

What/Who inspired you to pick up your instrument?

John Fogerty and Creedence Clearwater started me off making mix tapes recording the songs off the radio as a kid. I'd hit the play/record buttons on the family radio and make tapes of Skynyrd and CCR songs to listen back on. As a teenager discovering the guitar, I was heavily into Zakk Wylde and James Hetfield, as well as SRV and Brent Mason (I loved Joe Diffie).

What piece of musical advice would you give yourself if you could go back in time to the beginning of your musical journey?

Get started and keep pushing! The best advice I received that I wish I had known earlier is, "They ain't gonna call." You have to build your own future if you want to pursue something.

What keeps you excited about playing?

The thrill of that loud guitar locking in with the drums and bass, and that feeling when the audience connects, and the room seems to shrink!

Desert Island 3 pedal pedalboard (not including tuner)

Chorus- it just makes things a little more lush.
Delay- It adds some air and variety to a clean or dirty guitar.
Octafuzz- it's fun!

When you find yourself in a musical rut, what techniques do you do to break out of it?

I switch amps and guitars up. Different guitars and amps make me play differently. I am also not afraid to bust out the capo when writing. Sometimes, just playing/singing the work in progress in a different key helps the creative juices flow.

Who is your favorite artist/band today? And who was your favorite artist/band ten years ago?

Whiskey Myers. I just love what they're doing and how they're doing things their own way. Ten years ago, I'd have easily told you that Black Label Society was my favorite band.

When you find yourself in a music store - what is your go-to riff when test drive gear?

First, I ring out a big ol' G chord, then a D. I like to listen to where the midrange/bass/treble all seem to fall when doing this.

What is your most prized/cherished piece of gear? And why?

Yikes. Hard to pick ONE! My Orange Pinstripe Les Paul with my wife's grandpa's name on the back of it. It's a real show stopper and about the most unique-looking Les Paul I've ever seen.

What is the next big musical purchase you're hoping to save for?

I'd really like to have a Magnatone Super 59. Unfortunately, this year, I need to fund an album, which I'm also very excited to do as well.

Gear Breakdown

Les Paul->Peterson Strobo stomp->MXR Analogue Chorus->Seymour Duncan pickup booster->ABY Box-> Marshall Superlead/Splawn Quick Rod-> 4x12 loaded with Celestion V30's & 75's.

I like to blend the two Marshall-style amps, one being cleaner and the other dirty. These tend to be bright amps that go well with Les Paul for my style. I have always been inspired by Les Paul toting guitar slingers, so this is my dream rig. I run them through a stereo cabinet, and each night during sound check, we blend the mics on each speaker for the best sound for the room.

I use all rattlesnake patch cables and speaker cables. I also use rattlesnake XLRs for our PA. They're reliable, the quality is amazing, and they look great! They're hard to miss (we like orange) when we are clearing off a stage at the end of the night, too!

Bands / Projects

Listen on Spotify

Social Links

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All you need to do is contact us and we'll direct you to our submission form. If your submission is approved, it will be in the queue to be showcased!