David Dondero

Fans of Conor Oberst will find much context his music in David Dondero—Oberst has repeatedly named him as a huge influence. Dondero’s earlier work with the hardcore band Sunbrain and, to a lesser extent, as the one-time drummer for This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb, stays indelibly imprinted on his prolific solo career. Beginning with 1999’s The Pity Party and continuing through 2011’s A Pre-Existing Condition, Dondero’s smart songwriting and strong voice—which landed him on NPR’s top ten living songwriters list alongside Bob Dylan and Tom Waits—make folk music seem like something to get fired up about again instead of a soundtrack to pushing a stroller through a farmers’ market.  

Updated 05/30/2012