The man who never stops moving. Hailing from the midwest and currently calling Austin, TX home, Donovan Keith is best known for his classic soul vocals and infectious showmanship that has won over audiences time and time again. Donovan moved to Austin in 2009 and cut his teeth in the Texas music scene in gritty, low-ceiling dive bars with his first project, Soul Track Mind. STM was embraced by the community and Donovan’s one-of-a-kind, dance-infused stage show became beloved by fans and acknowledged by reviewers across the country, earning kudos from the likes of Performer Magazine which declared, “Aside from showcasing an impressive vocal range and blues-soaked sound, Keith can engage an audience with his unbridled enthusiasm and dance moves.”
Donovan’s uniquely vintage style combining soul, funk, and rock blends well with a variety of musical genres and his universal appeal has seen him open for acts such as Enrique Iglesias, Tower Of Power, the late Charles Bradley, Fastball, Snarky Puppy, and Erykah Badu. Career highlights have included official selections at SXSW, the attainment of the Louisiana Music Prize, and appearances at Wakarusa Music Festival, Utopia Festival, and Viva Big Bend.
Recently Donovan has been making a name for himself as a solo artist in Austin, having been nominated as a notable emerging artist by Black Fret in 2018 and regularly commanding stages around Texas. Donovan is passionate about confronting and overcoming human disconnection in modern society, asking his listener to consider their role as well as what they can do to bring about change. This is showcased in his powerful 2020 single, “Down Low”, the first of numerous new tracks to be included on his upcoming debut solo album, dropping in early 2022.
Austin’s Honey Made bring back memories of legends like James Brown, Sly and the Family Stone, and Earth Wind and Fire with their modern take on slamming primal soul and focus on their R&B roots. Having shared the stage with George Clinton & the Parliament Funkadelic, Sierra Leone Refugee Allstars, The Motet, Lee Fields, Roxy Roca and Flow Tribe, the band has already made quite a name for themselves locally, and are currently planning on rapidly expanding their audience beyond the Austin scene.
Honey Made began performing in 2018 and has become known as one of the best live bands and party bands in town. As one reviewer said; “You can’t help but smile at Honey Made. Its hard not to delight at their athletic musicianship, their infectious hooks, or hairpin turns between the entire canon of funk feels-hard funk, hip hop groves, or James Brown – you name it, they did it. If that was all it was, I’d still call Honey Made a great band, but it’s more than that, it’s their willingness to bring you into the fold makes seeing Honey Made a great_time”
Honey Made derives the diversity of sound mentioned above from many influences. These include James Brown, Parliament Funkadelic, Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings and Prince. Honey Made delights in bringing all of these influences into its music.
The band’s EP titled “Couple Few” released in 2020 shares these influences. This EP of five tracks includes influences of funk, rock and soul. The Word is Bond blog states that the self-titled track Honey Made