Donald Amero (born September 11, 1980) is a Canadian country and folk singer-songwriter from Winnipeg, Manitoba."Ready for a breakthrough". Winnipeg Free Press, December 29, 2012.
Prior to launching his career as a musician, Amero worked as a hardwood flooring installer, and unsuccessfully tried out for Canadian Idol in 2006."Winnipeg-raised Idol judge has high hopes for city singers". Winnipeg Free Press, June 13, 2006. He released his debut CD Change Your Life in 2006,"New Music". Winnipeg Free Press, January 20, 2007. and left his flooring job in 2007. The album garnered five Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Award nominations, for best new artist, songwriter, folk or acoustic CD, album cover and producer/engineer."'Toban musicians could dominate First Nations gala". Winnipeg Free Press, September 14, 2007.
His second album, Deepening, followed in 2009. The album again garnered several Aboriginal Peoples Choice nominations,"Sainte Marie leads nominations". Windsor Star, August 21, 2009. and Amero won the Canadian Folk Music Award for Aboriginal Songwriter of the Year."Joel Plaskett, former Ottawan tie for two awards each; Chris McKhool's solo project takes cake". Ottawa Citizen, November 22, 2009. In 2010, he performed on the bill for APTN's Aboriginal Day Live concert,"Aboriginal Day Live is three events in one; Timing vital in co-ordinating performances from two sites". Victoria Times-Colonist, June 20, 2010. and released his third album The Long Way Home."Singer Amero torn between the road and being home". Winnipeg Free Press, November 6, 2010. The album won the awards for Best Folk Recording at the 2011 Native American Music Awards, and for Best Aboriginal Recording at the Western Canadian Music Awards."Manitoba artists leave their mark; Seven out of 19 categories won by 'Peg-based acts". Winnipeg Free Press, October 24, 2011.
In 2012, he performed at a fundraising benefit concert for indigenous music pioneer Shingoose,"Musicians pull together for pioneer Shingoose after stroke". CBC Music, May 14, 2012. and released his fourth album Heart on My Sleeve. He also collaborated with Vince Fontaine of Eagle & Hawk in Indian City, a band whose album Supernation fused traditional First Nations music with experimental rock."Vince Fontaine's Indian City scores seven nominations". Winnipeg Free Press, August 14, 2012. Amero won Male Entertainer of the Year, and Supernation won Best Pop Album, at that year's Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards."Aboriginal performers honoured". Winnipeg Free Press, November 3, 2012. Heart on My Sleeve garnered Amero his first Juno Award nomination for Aboriginal Album of the Year at the Juno Awards of 2013,"Juno nominees". Regina Leader-Post, April 13, 2013. won the award for Best Folk/Acoustic Album at the 2013 Aboriginal Peoples Choice Music Awards,"Manitobans take home hardware from APCMAs". Winnipeg Free Press, August 20, 2013. and was nominated for a Canadian Folk Music Award."Local musicians vying for national folk awards". Winnipeg Free Press, September 27, 2013.
His fifth album, Refined, was released in 2015."Amero celebrating CD release at WECC". Winnipeg Free Press, April 15, 2016. In the same year, he collaborated with country singer Brett Kissel on "Rebuild This Town", a song about cultural reconciliation between Indigenous peoples and other Canadians."Changing the national dialogue; Aboriginal celebration has travelled all over Canada". Edmonton Journal, June 18, 2015."Don Amero calls music an opportunity for education, reconciliation". Unreserved, January 10, 2016.
At the Juno Awards of 2016, Refined garnered Juno Award nominations for Aboriginal Album of the Year and Adult Contemporary Album of the Year."Junos 2016: Complete list of Juno Award nominees". CBC News, February 2, 2016.
In August 2018, Amero released his sixth album, Evolution, which launched him into the country music genre. In 2019, Amero released the single "Music Lover" to Canadian country radio.Don Amero. MDM Recordings, September 8, 2019.
In September 2020, Amero released his extended play The Next Chapter.
Discography Change Your Life (2006) Deepening (2009) The Long Way Home (2010) Heart on My Sleeve (2012) Refined (2015) Evolution (2018) Amero Little Christmas (2019) The Next Chapter (2020) Nothing Is Meaningless (2021) Six (2023)
Singles Year Single Peakpositions Album CANCountryReferences for Canada Country chart: Music Lover: Wasn't The Dress: My Poor Mama: Let You: 2019 "Music Lover" 45 The Next Chapter 2020 "Morning Coffee" — "Wouldn't Be Home" — "Wasn’t the Dress" 48 2021 "You Can't Always Be 21" — Nothing Is Meaningless "My Poor Mama" 46 2022 "Let You" 28 "Ain't Too Late" — Six 2023 "Go Girl" — "Wheels Off" — 2024 "Can't Fix This" —
Awards and nominations +YearAssociationCategoryNominated workResultRef 2022 Canadian Country Music AssociationAlbum of the Year Nothing is Meaningless 2023 Canadian Country Music AssociationInnovative Campaign of the Year "Let 'Em Lie" Release Highlights (with Kyle McKearney)
References
External links