Dana Cooper

Cooper’s lifelong passion & devotion to music began at age 2 in Kansas City. His father, George, was a huge influence. One of Dana's earliest memories is of his father taking him to the Calico Cat, popping a coin in the jukebox and listening to Dana sing along with Hank Williams & Ernest Tubb.

At age 20 a move to LA resulted in a record deal with Elektra Records where he recorded his first album with members of “The Section” Russ Kunkel and Leleand Sklar, as well as other luminary players Jim Horn, Al Perkins, Jim Gordon, Joe Osborne, and Lee Holdridge. This album still wins accolades today and was recently reissued on the Warner/Japan label.

After several years in California and a year recording in Seattle, Cooper moved to Texas where he wrote and performed with Shake Russell. They released several independent albums and one album for Southcoast/MCA.

Dana formed his own experimental bands, DC3, and Nuclear Family and released his first solo project Complicated Stuff. In 1988 he moved to Nashville, TN to pursue his songwriting career collaborating with other songwriters:

Tom Kimmel Sally Barris

Don Henry Pat Alger

Hal Ketchum Kim Carnes

Josh Leo Pierce Pettis

Kim Richey Allen Shamblin

His years as a Troubadour are measured by his impressive 28 Albums and Collection of Accolades:

• In the Spirit of Folk Award from Folk Alliance International (2015)

• Heritage Musician Award from The Pilgrim Center for the Arts in Kansas City, MO (2014)

• Veteran Recurring Performer at Kerrville Folk Festival

• Best Male Songwriter Award Indie Acoustic Project, for Made of Mud (2005).

• Best Record Award The Tennesseean, for Harry Truman Built a Road (2002)

• Nashville Music Award Nomination Best Pop Album for Miracle Mile (1997)

Cooper’s songs have been recorded by a variety of artists such as bluegrass singer Claire Lynch, Irish vocalist Maura O’Connell, Nashville songbird Jonell Mosser, as well as songwriters Pierce Pettis and Susan Werner. His incredible catalogue and musical sensibilities have led to endorsements from AirPlay Direct and Elixir Strings.

Traveler Too (latest release) blew into my ear along the rocky coast of the Irish Sea in a forlorn place called Kilmore Quay. The wind was so strong that I could barely stand up against it and seagulls were flopping around in the sky. Two haunting monuments stand there dedicated to all the souls who never returned from the sea. I thought of all us vulnerable human beings traveling through space and time together just trying to find a way to get along.

I wanted to record a raw, edgy acoustic version as I perform the song live in concert. I also wanted more of a rocky band performance to reach a wider listening audience. So, I enlisted Dave Coleman as a one man band playing electric guitar, bass and drums.

Americana Highways says "In the full band version, the song instantly connects with the audience — we’re all travelers, we’re all trying to connect."

Went into the studio recently with the powerfully talented Dave Coleman. The result is two versions of Traveler Too - one solo, the other with Dave Coleman on electric guitar, bass, and drums. Plan is to release a digital single of both to the public and to radio early March.

I Can Face the Truth made it onto three year end charts as one of the best albums of 2022 - FAI Folk Chart, Americana Highways, and Roots Music Report.

My Inishfree Ireland Music Tour for 2023 is sold out. Next tour scheduled for October 12-21, 2024. Will make announcement once the tour is up on the Inishfree site.

Bluebird single is now available everywhere you get your music online. My dear friend Tom Kimmel wrote this one with me and he also joins me on the recording and in the video.

Really proud of this song and all the wonderful musicians who brought it to life.

Brother Paul Brown, of the Waterboys, provided his scorching Hammond B3, Dave Coleman played Bass and Electric Guitar, Chris Benelli played drums and percussion, and I played Baritone guitar and harmonica.

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