Donovan Woods is a Canadian folk and country singer-songwriter. He has released several albums of folk and roots music, including the Juno Award-winning Both Ways.

Early life Woods was born and raised in Sarnia, Ontario. He began playing guitar and writing songs as a teenager."Donovan Woods: He'd still like a Grey Cup ring". Toronto Star, November 10, 2010.

Career Woods' first album, The Hold Up, was released in 2007.

His second album, The Widowmaker, was released in 2010, and his third album, Don't Get Too Grand, was released in 2013"Donovan Woods Gets Set for New Album: 'Don't Get Too Grand'". Exclaim!, March 1, 2013. and garnered Woods' first Juno Award nomination for Roots & Traditional Album of the Year: Solo.

His fourth album, Hard Settle, Ain't Troubled, was released February 26, 2016, and was a longlisted nominee for the 2016 Polaris Music Prize. At the 12th Canadian Folk Music Awards, Woods won the award for English Songwriter of the Year, and the album was nominated for Contemporary Album of the Year.

Woods' fifth full-length album Both Ways was released on April 20, 2018."Donovan Woods Announces 'Both Ways' LP, Shares New Song". Exclaim!, February 5, 2018. At the Juno Awards of 2019, Both Ways won the Juno Award for Contemporary Roots Album of the Year."Junos 2019: the complete list of winners". CBC Music, March 16, 2019. In May 2019 Woods released The Other Way, a companion album to Both Ways which featured more acoustic-based renditions of the prior album's songs."Hear Donovan Woods’ New Acoustic Version of ‘Truck Full of Money’". Rolling Stone, April 16, 2019. The Other Way included guest vocals from Tenille Townes on "I Ain't Ever Loved No One", which was a duet with Rose Cousins in its original Both Ways version.

The next full-length album, Without People, was released on November 6, 2020.Jon Freeman, "Donovan Woods Details New Album ‘Without People’". Rolling Stone, August 19, 2020. The album featured guest vocals from both Katie Pruitt and Rhys Lewis as well as songwriting credits from Ashley Monroe, Tucker Beathard, Thomas Finchum and Ed Robertson of Barenaked Ladies. As part of the release, Woods launched the Donovan Woods With People Project, which featured dancers and visual artists from multiple countries creating pieces inspired by songs from the album. One of the project's featured artists was Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter, Ariana and the Rose.

On May 7, 2021, Woods released the song "IOWA" with Aoife O'Donovan. On March 18, 2022, Woods released his EP, Big Hurt Boy. He subsequently opened for Matt Nathanson on his "Some Mad Hope 15th Anniversary Tour" in the United States.

In 2023, he participated in an all-star recording of Serena Ryder's single "What I Wouldn't Do", which was released as a charity single to benefit Kids Help Phone's Feel Out Loud campaign for youth mental health.Brent Furdyk, "Feel Out Loud: Alessia Cara, Serena Ryder & More Canadian Artists Collaborate On New Single Promoting Youth Mental Health Initiative". Entertainment Tonight Canada, March 2, 2023.

In June 2024, Woods undertook his first tour of Australia, performing seven shows in Perth, Adelaide, Melbourne, Belgrave, Newcastle, Sydney and Brisbane. The tour included a performance at Northcote Social Club in Melbourne on 15 June.

On July 12, 2024, his most recent album, "Things Were Never Good If They're Not Good Now" was released by End Times Music, an indie label founded by Woods and Michelle Szeto. The record features 11 songs and two bonus tracks. It was longlisted for the 2025 Polaris Music Prize.

In January 2026, Woods announced an EP, Squander Your Gifts, set to be released on February 27, 2026.

Songwriting

Woods' song "Portland, Maine" (co-written with Abe Stoklasa) has also been recorded by Tim McGraw."Song by Sarnia native recorded by Tim McGraw". Sarnia Observer, July 30, 2014. Woods' song "Leaving Nashville" (also co-written with Abe Stoklasa) has been recorded by Lady A singer Charles Kelley."Canadian singer-songwriter Donovan Woods on how to survive in Nashville". The Globe and Mail, March 1, 2016.

Woods was signed to Warner/Chappell Nashville in 2016.

In 2018, Woods was a SOCAN Songwriting Prize nominee as cowriter of James Barker Band's song "Chills"."2018 SOCAN Songwriting Prize Nominees Revealed". Exclaim!, May 24, 2018. He has also co-written the number one Canada Country hits "Feels Like That" by the Reklaws and "Forever's Gotta Start Somewhere" by Chad Brownlee.

Film/TV Syncs Woods' song "Brand New Gun" was featured in the movie Numb starring Matthew Perry. His song "Wait and See" was featured on Degrassi: The Next Generation, and his song "My Cousin Has a Grey Cup Ring" was used in commercials for the Grey Cup. "Grey Cup Ring" was inspired by Woods' father, who is a cousin of former Montreal Alouettes player Glen Weir."Toronto folksinger takes on Stompin' Tom Connors – football style". Toronto Star, November 29, 2009. His song "Kennedy" was featured on an episode of The Good Doctor in 2017, "Don't Get Too Grand" was featured on Rookie Blue and "Portland, Maine" was featured on season 1 of Legacies in 2019. Woods' has had other placements in shows like Felicity, Less Than Kind and The Fosters.

Woods wrote "The Heart of Christmas" performed by Alicia Witt in the Hallmark movie, Our Christmas Love Song.

Discography

Awards and nominations +AwardYearCategoryNominated workResultRef Canadian Country Music Awards 2021 Alternative Country Album of the Year Without People Juno Awards 2014 Roots & Traditional Album of the Year – Solo Don't Get Too Grand 2017 Songwriter of the Year "Leaving Nashville", "What Kind of Love Is That", "They Don't Make Anything in That Town" 2019 "Our Friend Bobby", "Truck Full of Money", "Next Year" Contemporary Roots Album of the Year Both Ways 2022 Without People Jackson Weaver, "Charlotte Cardin, The Weeknd, Justin Bieber lead 2022 Juno Award nominees". CBC News, March 1, 2022. 2025 Things Were Never Good if They're Not Good Now Holly Gordon, "Here are all the 2025 Juno nominees". CBC Music, February 11, 2025.

Great Lakes ranking Every year Donovan Woods ranks the Great Lakes for charity. +Year12345Ref2025HuronSuperiorOntarioMichiganErie2024HuronSuperiorMichiganOntarioErie2023HuronSuperiorOntarioMichiganErie2022HuronSuperiorMichiganOntarioErie2021HuronSuperiorMichiganOntarioErie2020HuronSuperiorMichiganOntarioErie

References

External links

Donovan Woods (official site)