Paul McDonald & the Mourning Doves with Blankslate

Born in Alabama and baptized in the dive bars of the southeast, Paul McDonald first made noise with the Grand Magnolias, a roots-rock outfit, before catching fire in the public eye during American Idol’s 2011 run. When the bright lights blurred and the cameras turned, the man behind the voice slipped into the shadows where he did what real artists do: he lived, he lost, and he wrote. Retreating to Nashville, that holy city of reinvention, Paul stitched himself back together with worn boots, hard songs, and a new band called the Mourning Doves.

Now, the giant has stirred with the release of So Long to the Dark Side–a gospel-tinged reckoning wrapped in cosmic Americana and lit with songs that sound like they were scribbled on the edge of a breakdown and sung back from the brink. Raised on Petty, Parsons, and pain, Paul McDonald is not chasing trends; he’s conjuring something older and truer. His live performances are equal parts revival and rock séance.

In a breakthrough moment, Paul McDonald & the Mourning Doves brought the songs of So Long to the Dark Side and more to the headline stage at the 17th Annual 30A Songwriters Festival in front of a wildly enthusiastic crowd that followed him to a couple of evening performances over the weekend and established him as the 2026 Festival buzz band. Throughout 2026, Paul will tour every market in the U.S. in support of the new record.

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Founded in 2018 by college roommates Tess Condron and Rylee Dunn, Blankslate was formed around the principle of transformation; a belief in the possibility to become. By culling elements of disparate influences ranging from folks to grunge to classic rock, the band has spent its six-year existence earning fans in Colorado and beyond with a uniquely crafted sound that serves as a tapestry upon which referential, diaristic lyrics and stories are interwoven.

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*If you are over 21 but do not have a legal ID, State law prohibits us from serving you adult alcoholic beverages. There is a $5 surcharge at the door if you are under 21. If you are under 18 you must be accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.*

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