2023 Josie Music Awards Nominee & 2023 Fairplay Country Music Magazine InternationaL Awards Nominee
Donna Cunningham
Music in My Soul
I'm an independent recording artist, based in Southern Ohio. I'm also the owner/CEO of Big Bear Creek Music, an Independent music label. This page is to keep friends, family and fans updated on what's going on in my career. You can find my bio, my music and pictures, charts and awards, and upcoming shows and events. I will continually keep you updated...hope you will come back regularly.
My Bio
My Career Bio I am from Lucasville, Ohio… a Southern Ohio native and have lived here myentire life. I sang at local events and school functions during my childhood. In the late 1990's I formed my own band, DCFever. It quickly became one of the most popular bands in the tri-state area. Before becoming a professional recording artist, I was a member of the Buckeye Country Music Association of America and the National Association of Country Music America International and won numerous awards competing again contestants from around the world. In 2011, Allen Karl signed me to his label, Century II Records and named me Head of Artist Development as well as being a recording artist. In 2012, I toured Europe and performed 2014 shows in Canada but kept a foot in the heart of it all, Nashville. For several years, I was a regular at the Music City Hayride based at the legendary Texas Troubadour Theater, Music Valley Drive, Nashville. I also perform frequently on the Dewdrop Jamboree in Murfreesboro, TN. at the Patterson Theater. I was also a member of The Saturday Night Jamboree based in Huntington, WV. For several years, and was one of the original artists on the TV Show Country Junction out of Greenville, Ky. Through the years, I’ve accumulated 29 Number 1’s on The Indie World Chart, Airplay Express, European Country Music and other charts. I’ve earned 20 platinums and golds from Airplay Express which is based in South Africa. I helped Century II earn the 2018 Record Label of the Year Award from the Josie Music Awards as I was the promoter for the label as well as a recording artist. In 2020 Fair play Country Music Magazine International named the Century II Label the Most Appreciated Independent Studio Recording Label of the Year. I always stay on the Joyce Ramgatie Top 200 Independent Country Artist Chart and have occupied the Number 1 spot on occasion. I’ve been inducted into The Independent Country Music Hall of Fame and the Airplay Express and Independent Superstars Hall of Fame and been named Traditional Female Country Music Entertainer of the Year by NACMAI. My song “A Satisfied Me” was named Independent Country Song of the Year 2012, by both the Rural Roots Music Association and by the Country Music Review, with several other awards along the way. My duet CD with Allen Karl, “Doin’ Those Country Covers” was also named CD of the Year by The Rural Roots Commission. I’m a member of the CMA, the Traditional Country Music Assn., the Traditional Country Opry and was associated with the Southern Ohio Opry where I earned the title of the First Lady of the Opry. I’ve performed locally in Scioto County, Ohio at River Days, After Hours Concerts, Frasure’s Chateau Club all the clubs (Legions, Moose, Eagles, etc.). And also, I started out as a member Doc Roc & the Remedies until starting my own band DCFever. My most cherished award is the Distinguished Graduate Award from Northwest High School. Allen Karl who founded Century II Records in 1987 recently sold the label, and so I decided to try my hand at my own label. This label is named Big Bear Creek Records, named after the community, that I grew up in and where I still reside. “I love my lifelong community of Big Bear Creek and Scioto County and hope that in some small way basing an international record label here might bring it some notoriety. I promote the area every chance I get, whether be it Europe, Canada or Australia & here in the U.S. I am so grateful to my Big Bear neighbors, as well the people in the business who have supported and helped me through the years, and to my fans, friends and family. Just love singin’! I could never imagine my life without music.”
Halls of Fame 2003 Inducted to the Wall of Fame at the Southern Ohio Opry 2013 Inducted into the National Independent Artists Hall of Fame 2013 Inducted into the Independent Superstars Hall of Fame
Vocalist/Artist of the Year 2012 National Independent Artist Hall of Fame (Female Vocalist of the Year) 2013 National Independent Artist Hall of Fame (Artist of the Year)
Fair Play Country Music Magazine International 2021 Original Christmas Song of the Year/ Mary Came to Town 2022 Musical Cover Song of the Year/Hopelessly Devoted to You 2022 Independent Record Label of the Year/Big Bear Creek Music
Nashville radio Promotions 2021 Number 1 Song for the Month of November/I Can Take It Now
Honors 2005 Named a Kentucky Colonel 2010 Northwest High School Distinguished Alumni 2011 named “A Rising Legend” by the National Traditional Country Music Association
Songs of the Year 2011/2012 Duet of the Year with Allen Karl for Duet of the Year from the Rural Roots Commission for “Jesus Heard Every Word” 2012 Independent Country Single of the Year from the Rural Roots Commission for the single “A Satisfied Me” 2021 Original Christmas Song of the Year from Fair Play Country Music Magazine International for “Mary Came to Town”
European Country Music Association Number 1’s 2012 “Jesus Heard Every Word” 2013 “Ain’t That a Lovin’ Shame” (with Allen Karl)
Music Review/ New York Number 1’s 2012 “Jesus Heard Every Word” (with Allen Karl) 2012 “Your Name is on My Lips Again” (with Allen Karl) 2014 “A Satisfied Me” 2015 “Storms Never Last” (with Allen Karl)
The IndieWorld of Country Music Number 1’s (Largest and Oldest Independent Chart) 2012 “Jesus Heard Every Word” (with Allen Karl) 2013 “Ain’t That a Lovin’ Shame” (with Allen Karl) 2013 “Gone for Good” 2014 “Beer Bottle Brown” 2014 “Storms Never Last” 2015 “Think Again” (written by Portsmouth, Ohio’s Stan Lane) 2015 “Kicking Up Dust” 2016” Made in Texas” 2017 “Uncle Pete’s Wildwood Flower” 2017 “Let It Be Me” ((with Allen Karl) 2017 “Walkin’ on the Blue Side” 2018 “I May Not Love You” (written & sung with Allen Karl) 2018 “Golden Ring” (with Marty Dunn) 2018 “Better Days to Cry” 2019 “I Know How You Feel” 2019 “Not Really” (with legendary songwriter Jerry Foster) 2020 “Get on Board”
Airplay Express Number 1’s
2017 “Saturday Night is Girls’ Night Out” (with Rose Angelica) 2018 “Merry Christmas Darlin’” (Christmas Chart) 2019 “Good Hearted Man” 2019 “Golden Ring” (with Marty Dunn) 2019 “Heartaches by the Number” 2019 “I Only Want You for Christmas” (Christmas Chart) 2019 “Get on Board” (Gospel Chart) 2020 “I Never Knew Lonely” (with Allen Karl) 2020 “Comin’ on Strong” 2020 “If That’s the Way You Want It” (with Allen Karl) 2021 “I Can’t Stop Loving You” (with Elvis Presley, Jr.) 2021 “Your Name is on My Lips Again” (with Allen Karl) (Valentine Chart) 2021 “I Can Take It Now” (Gospel Chart) 2021 “Sweet Thang” (with Allen Karl) 2021 “OH-TEN” 2022 "I Will" (with Jerry Foster) 2022"Tell Me Truly" 2022 "There He Goes" 2022 "Just a Closer Walk with Thee" 2022 "I'm Okay" 2022 "Singer of Songs" 2022 "Mary Came to Town 2022 "Mary Came to Town" the video 2023 "I Wanna Believe" 2023 "An Old Pair of Shoes" 2023 "Are We Dreaming the Same Dream"
Tri-State Country Music Talent Search, Ashland Ky. 2003 Winner
Buckeye Country Music Organization of America (Columbus, Ohio) 2005 Traditional Country Female Entertainer of the Year 2005 Traditional Country Female Vocalist of the Year 2006 Traditional Country Female Entertainer of the Year 2006 Traditional Country Female Vocalist of the Year 2007 Traditional Country Female Vocalist of the Year 2007 Traditional Country Female Entertainer of the Year 2008 High Point Artist of the Year 2009 Traditional Country Female Vocalist of the Year 2010 Traditional Country Female Entertainer of the Year 2010 Traditional Country Female Vocalist of the Year
North American Country Music Association International International Competition (Held at the Country Tonight Theater in Pigeon Forge, TN) 2006 Horizon Award 2007 Horizon Award 2007 Most Promising Female Entertainer of the Year 2008 Traditional Country Female Entertainer of the Year 2009 Rising Star Entertainer of the Year 2010 Traditional Country Female Vocalist of the Year 2011 Album of the Year
I was honored to be nominated for 2022 Country Artist of the Year and also for Album of the Year at the Josie Awards held at the Grand Old Opry House in Nashville.
Currently I am nominated in 11 categories for the 2023 Fair Play Country Music Magazine Red Carpet Awards to be held in Holland. More info to come.