David Donato
Birth nameDavid Thomas Donato
Born(1954-03-21)March 21, 1954
DiedFebruary 2, 2021(2021-02-02) (aged 66)
Genres
Occupation(s)Vocalist
Years active1984-1990?

David Thomas Donato [1] (March 21, 1954 - February 2, 2021) was an American singer known for his involvement in Black Sabbath. He recorded several demos with the band and rehearsed throughout 1984 and 1985.

Career

Black Sabbath

"After Gillan, we were living out in America, in LA again," recalled guitarist Tony Iommi. "We were auditioning all sorts of different singers… and this Dave Donato was one of the ones who we did try a few times… He seemed to look alright and whatever else, and seemed to be okay, but it was just auditions. We never actually had him in, as a part of the band. But it happened that Kerrang! or somebody came out to do an interview and, of course, he was there at the time, and they took a picture of everybody. So automatically this guy suddenly becomes part of the band – according to everybody else."[2]

Contrary to reports,[3] Donato was not fired after an interview with Kerrang!. The band soon fell apart, and Iommi formed an entirely new Sabbath the following year.[4]

The Donato demos – containing songs such as "No Way Out", "Dancing with the Devil", "Don't Beg the Master" and "Sail On" – remain out of the public domain, but a 1984 rehearsal session featuring Donato, Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward surfaced online in 2006. This was produced by Bob Ezrin.[4]

White Tiger

After Sabbath, Donato joined the glam metal band White Tiger with former KISS guitarist Mark St. John, who was in a band with Donato prior to joining Kiss.

Donato recorded a seven track demo in 1988 with White Tiger; the intention was to record a second album but White Tiger split up before the album was ever completed.

Later career

In 1990, Donato joined The Keep founded by former Kiss members Peter Criss and his former White Tiger bandmate St. John. This lineup was essentially White Tiger, except for Criss replacing Brian James Fox on drums.

They only performed live just once, on May 2, 1990 at a drum clinic at the Guitar Center music store in Lawndale, California.[5]

Death

David Donato died on February 2, 2021, after a long illness. He is interred at Forest Lawn in Cypress, CA.

Discography

Album

  • White Tiger (1986)

References

  • Sharpe-Young, Garry (2006). Sabbath Bloody Sabbath: The Battle for Black Sabbath. Zonda Books Limited. ISBN 0-9582684-1-X.
Notes
  1. ↑ "David Donato discography". RateYourMusic. Retrieved 2019-05-10.
  2. ↑ Tommy Vance's Friday Rock Show, BBC Radio 1, 28 June 1992, transcribed in Sabbath fanzine Southern Cross #14, October 1994, p39
  3. ↑ "Zero the Hero...David Donato's place in Black Sabbath history has been massively misrepresented over the years". Rockdetector. 2006-04-29. Archived from the original on 2007-06-12. Retrieved 2011-07-25.
  4. 1 2 bravewords.com. "BLACK SABBATH Update: More David Donato "Mystery Years" Info Available". bravewords.com. Retrieved 2019-05-10.
  5. ↑ "The History of Peter Criss' Post-Kiss Solo Career".
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