About Me
The Donegal X-Press has emerged as one of the premiere Irish-American roots rock groups in the country. This high-energy six piece outfit has gained praise and fans from New York to Ireland, Baltimore to Nashville and beyond. DXP blends a unique combination of traditional Irish music with American country and blues, folk and rock, rhythm and funk, which John O'Regan of "Roots Magazine" calls, "...creative ferocity not seen since The Clash's 'London Calling' period."
Brad Dunnells (guitar and vocals) and Jason Tinney (harmonica and vocals) began collaborating and writing songs in the late 1990s with the hope of rejuvenating Irish American culture. With this partnership, the Donegal X-Press was formed and it wasn't long before the band's populatiry and musical dimensions began to grow.
In the years since its formation, the group has gone from boozy bar crowds to sharing the stage with artists such as The Saw Doctors, Prodigals, Solas, Graham Colton, Black 47 and the Wolfe Tones. DXP has also written and produced five albums of original music: "Fr. O'Leary Memorial Boys Club", "Stand Alone", "Translations, "Quinn's Diaries", and "Whiskey, Bars, A Go-Go". In 2000, the "Irish Voice" (NYC) named the group among their "Best of 2001" and eventually dubbed them "Artist of the Year." In that same year, Brad Dunnells was the first American to win the National Song Contest for Peace held in Cork, Ireland. The 1st place winner, "Omagh," is featured on "Quinn's Diaries". In 2001, Donegal X-Press was named "Best Band" in the "Baltimore City Paper's" Readers Poll.
In addition to performing with the Donegal X-Press, the multi-talented individuals who make up the group have many side projects. Jeff Malcom (bass) and Skye Sadowski-Malcom (fiddle/vocals) co-founded and perform with the Annapolis-based group Man Down, while Jeff Trueman (drums) performs with the band Pale Stars, also native to Baltimore. Laura Hein (keyboard) is also a solo pianist and accompanist who performs throughout Maryland. Along with singer/songwriter Laura Cosner, Dunnells and Tinney founded the folk trio The Wayfarers, while Tinney has published two books of short stories and poetry-prose (Hilliard & Harris Publishers).
