Donovan McCain, picked up his first mandolin when he was nine years old and played his first profession performance at age 11.  He is a native Mississippian of Irish stock and his family is part of the Celtic music tradition brought into the Mississippi Hill County by her early settlers.  His style is a bit eclectic but does have a Southern and Celtic flavour to it all....  One reviewer tagged his music as ‘progressive folk.’  While Donovan is not exactly sure what that is his concerts include generous servings of traditional Irish, Celtic and Old Time music.  But he also puts some Django Reinhardt influence Gypsy Jazz style into the mix.  His influences and the people he likes to listen to are the Beatles both as a group and individual artist, Donovan Leitch, Chris Thile, friend and mentor Bobby Whitlock and numerous traditional players.  Donovan is a prolific songwriter and his repertoire includes many original tunes. 

Professional life: Donovan has appeared on regional TV and radio.  He is a regular performer on WTVA’s The Morning Show with Kay Bain, in Tupelo, Mississippi and he has made many appearances on the live radio program The Thacker Mountain Radio Show.  He has been on stage with some of the top names in the music business, such as Bobby Whitlock, Marty Stuart and the Del McCoury band.  In September of 2000 he formed the acoustic group The Bush River Band that performs throughout the Mid South at Old Time, Bluegrass, Folk and Celtic music venues, including top festivals and pub dates.  For two years running Donovan has performed a series of early Old Time music from the Natchez Trace concerts for the National Park Service.  Donovan is the mandolin instructor at Rebel Music in Oxford, Mississippi.