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DANIEL O'DONNELL LIVE FROM NASHVILLE
SATURDAY, AUGUST 6 AT 7 PM
EIGHT, ARIZONA PBS

- Popular Entertainer Combines Country and Irish Favorites in His 11th PBS Special -

Returning to the roots of country music, Daniel O'Donnell does so in a big way with this stunning program that originates from the iconic landmark and “Mother Church of Country Music,” the Ryman Auditorium. The program features a compilation of country and Irish favorites with special guests Charley Pride singing his signature tune “Crystal Chandeliers,” longtime musical companion Mary Duff, talented vocalist and wife Majella O'Donnell and The Daniel O'Donnell Band.   Daniel O'Donnell Live From Nashville airs Saturday, August 6, 2011 at 7 p.m. on Eight.

The songs featured in the program are country music classics that were recorded by some of the biggest names in country music: Jim Reeves, George Hamilton IV, Johnny Cash, Hank Williams and John Denver — and Daniel takes them on in his own style while at the same time paying respect to these vocalists who have made country music what it is today.

Mary Duff's phenomenal talent as a singer, together with her great stage presence and charisma, is testimony to her quietly powerful and captivating persona as she joins Daniel on stage to sing a duet, “Love Me Tonight.” Also singing on stage is Daniel's wife, Majella O'Donnell, who performs a lively tune, “Love Ya Honey.”

Included in Daniel O'Donnell Live From Nashville is the medley, “From Green Grass to Bluegrass,” that salutes Irish Immigrants who came to the United States with dreams and hope for a brighter future. The medley celebrates the influence country music has had on Irish music. Irish melodies such as “Isle of Hope” and “Danny Boy” are joined with bluegrass songs such as “Teetotaler's Reel” and “Temperance Reel.” The medley ends with a rousing, toe-tapping rendition of “Tipperary Girl.”

According to Daniel O'Donnell, “My goal every time I step onstage is to make sure the audience leaves entertained. I want to make people feel relaxed and at home with me, and for a few hours anyway, create an atmosphere that helps them leave their worries behind.” With this energetic and exciting special, audiences will not only be entertained but will know they have experienced a true musical extravaganza.

The program features :

•  “I'm Going To Be a Country Boy Again”
•  “Here at the Grand Ole Opry”
•  “Please Release Me”
•  “Love Me Tonight” – Daniel O'Donnell and Mary Duff
•  “Somebody Touched Me”
•  “Jambalaya”
•  “Love Ya Honey”   – Majella O'Donnell
•  Blue Grass to Green Grass Medley:
“Isle of Hope”
“Danny Boy”
“Teetotaler's Reel”
“Temperance Reel”
“Isle of Hope Reprise”
“Tipperary Girl”
•  “Ring of Fire”
•  “Erin Tennessee”
•  “Crystal Chandeliers” – Daniel O'Donnell and Charley Pride
•  “Heaven with You”
•  “Stand Beside Me”
•  “Thank God I'm a Country Boy”

About Eight, Arizona PBS

Eight, Arizona PBS specializes in the education of children, in-depth news and public affairs, lifelong learning, and the celebration of arts and culture -- utilizing the power of noncommercial television, the Internet, educational outreach services, and community-based initiatives. The PBS station began broadcasting from the campus of Arizona State University on January 30, 1961. Now more than 80 percent of Arizonans receive the signal through a network of translators, cable and satellite systems. With more than 1 million viewers each week, Eight consistently ranks among the most-viewed public television stations per capita in the country. Arizonans provide more than 60 percent of the station's annual budget.

Eight is a member-supported service of Arizona State University.