Donovan Kealoha

The life of Donovan Kealoha has been an interesting journey from his birthplace in Monroe, Louisiana, to Afghanistan, South Korea, Kuwait, Uzbekistan, and Hawaii. Donovan was raised in north Louisiana by his Louisiana native father and his native Hawaiian mother.

He grew up singing with his mother in their own little "Hawaiian style" home in Rocky Branch, Louisiana, where he learned to play the ukulele and guitar. As a child, Donovan's mom would record him singing a traditional Hawaiian song, "God Bless my Daddy," and send it to his grandfather and family in Hawaii so they could hear his voice. He always dreamed of going to Hawaii and finally seeing his family, but was never able due to financial reasons and his family needs at home.

When Donovan graduated high school, he joined the United States Air Force at the age of seventeen in hopes and dreams that he would find his way in life. He kept his hopes high that he would possibly be stationed in the most difficult assignment to attain, Hickam Air Force Base, Hawaii. Two years later, that prayer was answered, and he was assigned to Hickam AFB, where he united with his family for the first time.

His grandfather, an astound waterman, taught him the ways of the ocean, his culture, and the unique heritage that he inherited through his mother's lineage. While sitting with his grandfather in the original home of his great grandfather, Donovan was given his middle name, "Kealoha," his Hawaiian family's name. He also introduced Donovan to traditional "slack key" guitar, which Donovan includes in his current songs such as "Ho Omanawanui."

In early 1998, Donovan crosstrained military jobs from a security policeman, to an elite Pararescueman. He trained for three years in the Pararescue pipeline where he became qualified as a Special Forces Combat Diver, Paramedic, Military Freefall Parachutist, Mountain Rescue Specialist, and many other skills within Special Operations. Living by the Pararescue motto "That Others May Live," Donovan was credited with saving two lives in Afghanistan during 2002.

After eleven years of active duty, Donovan was honorably discharged from the Air Force. With a desire to share his Hawaiian folk style music to the world, he pursued a career within country music. Going by his birth name, Donovan Chapman, he was signed to two different major recording deals over a five year time span with Curb Records and Category 5 Records. Over the years he has had several songs that have charted on the Billboard/Radio and Records charts. Although Donovan saw some success in the country genre, he never felt that his Hawaiian style music was understood and embraced by the music industry executives. He then removed himself from Nashville and started focusing on his true talents.

Through years of soul searching, he re-identified himself as an artist in the music industry. Having witnessed the destructive outcomes of greed, starvation, poverty and war, Donovan's lyrics now focus more on love, the environment, and world peace.

Now going by the name Donovan Kealoha, he is more then ever embracing his unique style and individuality, his Hawaiian culture, and his love for the land and ocean. His debut album titled, "Standing as One," will be released sometime late summer/early fall 2008.