Nashville-based band Paul McDonald and the Mourning Doves have shared “Maybe This Christmas,” an original song that speaks to heartbreak and loneliness.
In Paul McDonald’s words:
No one ever writes the sad Christmas song… it’s always “Jingle Bells” or “Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer.” Don’t get me wrong, I absolutely love those songs and the holidays are a beautiful time with family and friends if you’re in a good headspace. But the holidays can also be devastating if you’ve recently lost someone you love or you’re dealing with personal or family hardships. The time of year puts all your struggles under a magnifying glass. I wrote this song from that perspective, but with the knowledge that sadness & struggle also holds an underlying hope that things will eventually get better. Life goes on & there is always a light at the end of the tunnel.
The new release follows the seven month long, bi-weekly One Big Love festival hosted and curated by McDonald. In its first year, One Big Love hosted over 100 acts, from local up and comers, to seasoned national touring bands, and Grammy Award-winning artists.
Festival founder and curator Paul McDonald had a dream of creating his own music festival ever since he first started playing in bands as a teenager.
He says:
I’ve been on the road playing music for what feels like most of my life. I’ve played more dive bars, honky tonks, & festivals than I can count. Somewhere along the way I thought it was time to have my own space where everyone is invited to the party. No genres. No cliques. No egos. Just authentic artists doing it for the right reasons. I wanted a vehicle where I could get all my friends and favorite artists together and we could use our voices for the greater good, raising funds for charitable causes and lifting up the local community together. After all these years, I’ve found that giving back and helping others is really what it’s all about.
Paul McDonald Live
Nov 18 @ The Basement East | Nashville, TN *A Tribute to The Band’s The Last Waltz
Nov 29-Dec 2 @ Songwriters in Paradise Cabo | Cabo San Lucas, Mexico
Feb 21 @ Folk Alliance International | Kansas City, MO
