Donald Braswell Has Been Singing Professionally
A lot was made on America’s Got Talent of Donald Braswell not singing professionally for 11 years since tearing a neck muscle. Well, it turns out that he has sung in what could be considered a professional capacity. Below’s the story from My San Antonio:
Incidentally, a couple of people who saw the performance Tuesday said they were confused by the suggestion Braswell hadn’t sung on a stage for 11 years.
After all, he did perform not too long ago in a San Antonio Symphony concert staging of “Camelot.” He’s also part of the local Three Tenors.
To be fair, I did hear him clarify on the show that he hadn’t sung professionally for 11 years. When I spoke with him, he explained further.
“Professional to me is performing for an audience in a professional environment and to be able to earn a living from it, make it your career.”
That hasn’t been the case since his accident. However, he hopes this opportunity in front of a national audience on “Talent” will help him recapture a singing career.
Meantime, he’s already had the chance to distribute a CD he made less than a year ago, called “New Chapter,” to several of the “Today” show personalities, including host/newswoman Ann Curry and weather personality Al Roker.
In case you missed it, Braswell appeared on the third hour of “Today” Tuesday morning. Curry and Roker also seemed impressed by his story and the faith it took to attempt a comeback.
If you’d like to hear selection from his CD and order one, go to Braswell’s MySpace page.
The fact that he sings with some pretty much professional groups in San Antonio cuts into his story a little, but it’s still remarkable what he was able to do. The problem for me isn’t that his story might be fake. It’s that his singing isn’t even the best opera singer on the show. That means he shouldn’t get voted back in. Unfortunately, I think I might be outvoted.
How can you say that Donald Braswell’s operatic singing isn’t the best? The man’s voice is and what he does with it is perfect — perfect pitch, timing, expression, range. I vote for him with all of my heart. For him to regain his singing voice after his throat muscle was injured is nothing short of miraculous.
Listen to Pavorotti or Domingo and you will hear a Real OPERATIC talent. This is not opera, but contemporaty Christian. How can someone who has done an album and been singing claim that they haven’t sung in 11 years. It is physically impossible to repair severed vocal cords.
I think he is looking for pity votes.
I don’t think his injury was to vocal cords. It was a soft tissue injury in the throat. Look at his website – he had scholarship in Juilliard, won some international opera competitions, sang in regional opera theaters (like Welsh National opera or Opera Company of Philadelphia) – not the top level theaters, but it was a start. Then he had his injury that put a stop to it – there is nothing after 1995 until about couple of years ago. It seems like now he is singing mostly lighter music – Broadway, songs. I don’t know him, by the way, it is just based on what one sees on his website.
I agree he isn’t Pavarotti or Domingo (or Juan-Diego Florez or Roberto Alagna or Jose Cura or Rolando Villazon or many other today’s opera tenors), which is why I think it is pretty smart he stays away from opera arias. On the other hand, Neal Boyd butchers Nessun Dorma and gets praised for it.
America’s Got Talent isn’t opera, and nobody in the opera world will take the winner seriously. But I do like Donald Braswell better than others on this show.
[…] fair for me to call out Nuttin’ But Stringz for being professional since I did the same to Donald Braswell. I’m certain that all the Nuttin’ But Stringz fans will be coming for a visit real soon […]
I still feel that Donald Braswell should win the show I love his voice and he is a great singer He has all of my votes and I will see him in Veags. Good Luck Donald!!!!!!!
Donald Braswell’s voice talent and stage presence should be brought yo light. The American public has never had a chance to enjoy his talent until this show. We in major America”unknown” are glad for this opportunity.
DONALD IS A FINE SINGER. IF HE HAD PLANNED AHEAD, HE COULD HAVE SUNG “YOU’LL N EVER WALK ALONE.” (Rodgers and Hammerstein) if you are out in Hurricane Ike like me on TX Gulf Coast- and the song says “When you walk through a storm keep your chin up high and don’t be afraid of the dark. At the end of the storm is a golden sky and the sweet silver song of a lark. Walk on thru the wind, walk on thru the rain, tho’ your dreams be tossed and blown…
{Storms may be spiritual.] This song is often dedicated to groups and individuals.
Donald has an awesome voice. he is humble and gracious, inspite of the attacks on him. He looks to the sky because he is singing to God.
Donald comments about not singing for 11 years were taken out of context. On the show we only heard part of his answer. I am sure he meant on a large stage and/or in a contest with the hope of making it his carreer again.
If you have heard his album “New Chapter” you would realize that he IS a classically trained opratic tenor and is very good. I wish he had performed at least one operatic selection so that people would realize how much better he actually is then Boyd.
Boyd’s attempt at something actually requiring some volume control was pretty weak.
Listen to Donald’s album and you will realize he was the most versatile and talented artist left in the top 5.
[…] the show. What can I say? I thought he was a little disingenuous to say he hadn’t been on a professional stage before AGT. I think I also preferred Eli Mattson’s style a little bit better. However, one thing I never […]
When I first heard Donald Braswell sing on America’s Got Talent last year, I was overwhelmed by the sound, beauty, clarity . . . of his voice. He was absolutely amazing! I couldn’t wait to tell my friends about his talent and to tell them to listen to the show. I was pleased that he finished in 4th place, however, I certainly hoped that he would have won the contest. I trust that he is out there sharing his talent with others. I pray that he does well.