Jeff McDonald

Jeff McDonald grew up in the golden era of 1960s/’70s acoustic performers and writers. He was first influenced by groups like the Kingston Trio, all of whom became great personal friends, and also the Chad Mitchell Trio. This then grew into the singer/songwriters of the era, with writers like Gordon Lightfoot, John Stewart, Jim Croce, Ian Tyson, Don McLean, Bob Seger, and Paul Simon becoming heavy influences. Growing up in the early ’70s Chicago folk scene, Jeff knew and hung out with Steve Goodman and John Prine.

Over the years, Jeff began branching out into other forms of music, including country, rock, standards, and Motown. It also led him to begin writing songs himself (about 70 so far).

These days, he does a dance-friendly, one-man oldies show, playing and singing to over 800 backing tracks of every genre from the ’50s through the ’80s. He has recorded a number of solo albums at Sweetwater, including The Great Road, Wolves in the Kitchen, Palm Trees and Honky Tonks, My What A Pair, and Rivers of Light: The Amazing Songs of John Stewart. He also records and performs Americana music in a duo with friend and playing partner Mark Thacker (see separate listing).

He has shared the stage over the years as an opening act for such notables as the Kingston Trio, the Limeliters, John Stewart, Nanci Griffith, Rosanne Cash, Steve Goodman, Peter Tork, Noel Paul Stookey, Tom Paxton, Sally Fingerett, and Pat Alger.

Life in Glorious Black and White (double album)

Release Date: April 12, 2017

Jonatha Brooke - The Sweetwater Sessions

Where to buy

About the Album

Life in Glorious Black and White is a compilation of 40 songs recorded over a 20-year period, with all but four of the songs recorded at Sweetwater. “It’s sort of a career retrospective,” Jeff says. A little over half the album is original songs written by Jeff, and the rest are cover songs by some of his favorite writers. The style relies heavily on acoustic folk but also embraces tones of country, rock, and even standards. “It’s sort of all put in the blender and comes out as what I’d call my style of music.” The album features vocal cameos by a number of other recording artists and friends, including Danny Flowers, James House, Mark Thacker, Kat Bowser, and Carolyn Martin.