Discover the World of Ricko Donovan

Explore the creative journey of Ricko Donovan, an accomplished author and award-winning musician, as he shares his passion for storytelling and music through his captivating works.

Writer

Musician

Author, Novels & Short Stories

Award Winning Singer-Songwriter and Multi-instrumentalist

What's the story...

Ricko Donovan has authored two novels. Nashville Lifestyles Magazine praised his book Sunnyville as "a delightful, engaging read that allows you to fully appreciate everything good in your life, body, and soul.” The sequel, Sun of Sunnyville, is set to be released in November 2024. Donovan is also a freelance writer with articles featured in Maryland Musician Magazine. Since moving to Hot Springs, Arkansas in 2019, he has become a key figure in the local folk music scene as a multi-instrumentalist and singer/songwriter, blending music styles termed Americeltic. He plays the hammered dulcimer, guitar, and mandolin, sometimes using sound loops for a fuller effect. The Clare Champion noted, “He renders Irish ballads with the greatest sensitivity and the rest with the reckless abandon of a steamrolling train with no brakes.” After several years in Ireland, he returned to Nashville, Tennessee, and toured nationwide. An award-winning songwriter, Donovan's "Devil At My Door" clinched the 1998 Nashville Spree Songwriters Contest in the Alt Country category. He has released four albums: The Laughing Silver String and Full On feature traditional Irish music, while The Kilmoon Road and Lucky Sevens showcase his songwriting and composition skills. The Muse's Muse praised Lucky Sevens, stating, "Donovan plays a swirl of strings that enchant and delight. His songwriting is literate, observational, and very entertaining."