Neil Donell

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Neil Donell
Chicago performing at Caesars Windsor, 2024-11-09 36 (cropped).jpg
Donell with Chicago in 2024
Background information
Born (1956-05-23) May 23, 1956 (age 69)
Montreal, Quebec
OriginToronto, Ontario
OccupationMusician
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar

Neil Donell (born May 23, 1956) is a Canadian singer who has worked extensively as a session musician and has been nominated for multiple Juno Awards. He is most well-known as the lead tenor vocalist for the classic rock band Chicago since 2018, succeeding Peter Cetera, Jason Scheff and Jeff Coffey. [1]

Possessing a four-octave vocal range, Donell has logged more than 10,000 sessions across his career and is one of the most recorded voices in Canadian music history. His credits also include a few small acting roles and performing "Shining Time" with Maren Ord, for the 2000 motion picture Thomas and the Magic Railroad . Donell performed a new rendition of the song for Rainbow Sun Productions' video presentation commemorating the film's 20th anniversary, which premiered on YouTube on July 19, 2020. [2] He was also the lead performer and background vocalist for the songs in Super Why! such as the theme song, Super Readers to the Rescue, Hip Hip Hurray and among others. [3]

Originally from Montreal, Quebec, Donell has been a resident of Toronto since the mid-1980s. He has two children. [4]

References

  1. ↑ "Toronto singer Neil Donell joins rock band Chicago". Global News. Archived from the original on December 29, 2020. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  2. ↑ BWW News Desk (July 1, 2020). "Alice Fearn, Jonah Platt, and More Set For Thomas and the Magic Railroad 20th Anniversary Celebration". BroadwayWorld . Archived from the original on December 29, 2020. Retrieved July 10, 2020.
  3. ↑ Jake's Happy Nostalgia Show! (May 24, 2025). Steve D'Angelo & Terry Tompkins (Composers) || Ep. 309 . Retrieved July 10, 2025– via YouTube.
  4. ↑ "Neil Donell bio on ChicagoTheBand official website". Archived from the original on December 29, 2020. Retrieved April 17, 2019.