Born and raised in Prince Albert, Donny Parenteau is a multi-instrumental, singer, and songwriter who prides himself on his storytelling abilities through song, but says he’s a proud Métis family man first.

“The thing is, you don’t realize when you become a parent it shifts your priorities,” said Parenteau. “I’ve been very blessed, when I first met my wife, she had two children from a previous marriage which taught me how to be a father. Then, when you hold your baby in your arms for the very first time, it changes your life. That’s when I said, ‘Everything I do from now on is no longer done for me, but for my family and I continue to live my life this way.’”

He is looking forward to performing very soon. His 13-year-old daughter Julianna Parenteau will be part of the ensemble cast of the show Donny Parenteau’s Colors of the Sash on May 5th at the E.A. Rawlinson Centre. 

“She’s always been one of my favourite singer,” said Paranteau. “I’m very happy she’s going to be in the show with me.” 

The Colours of the Sash show started in 2019 with the help of Karon Shmon of (the Gabriel Dumont Institute). It focuses on teaching the Métis culture to students in and around Prince Albert. The presentations are followed up by a concert with Paranteau’s close friends.

“I love creating story songs,”said Paranteau. “I’m a very huge fan and am inspired by the older songs and songwriters.

Some of his favourite storytellers include Merle Haggard, George Jones, Buck Owens and Charley Pride.

“That music and that style were story songs,” said Paranteau. “Tom T. Hall was legendary for story songs, and I love telling stories in my songs too.”

Although some of his songs are purely for fun his passion is to write a story and set it to music. 

Parenteau’s love of music began when he was 12-year-old and he joined the school band. 

“I played the trombone, baritone and then I played the guitar, but when I picked up a fiddle, that’s what changed my life,” he said. “It totally changed everything I do, because with the fiddle, that was the connection to my soul and what I feel.”

Paranteau has always felt a deep connection to the fiddle and learned to play it by ear.

“I have an emotion that comes over me when I play and I don’t think about what it is that I’m playing,” he said. “That’s when my mother told me, ‘You have a gift so don’t take it for granted because it can be taken away from you as fast as you got it.’” Parenteau’s fiddle has taken him all over the world and he is proud to be back home in Prince Albert passing on his knowledge at the Donny Parenteau School of Music.

To learn more about Donny Parenteau and his most recent activities, check out his official website at http://www.donnyparenteaumusic.com, or his Facebook page at http://www.facebook.com/DonnyParenteau.