Donna the Buffalo

Donna The Buffalo is not just a band, rather one might say that Donna The Buffalo has become a lifestyle for its members and audiences. Since 1989, the roots rockers have played thousands of shows and countless festivals including Bonnaroo, Newport Folk Festival, Telluride, Austin City Limits Festival, Merle Fest, and Philadelphia Folk Festival. Theyʼve opened for The Dead and have toured with Peter Rowan, Del McCoury, Los Lobos, Little Feat, Jim Lauderdale, Rusted Root, and Railroad Earth to name a few. They also toured with Ben & Jerryʼs co-founder Ben Cohen to help raise awareness about increased corporate spending in politics. In 1991, the band started the Finger Lakes Grassroots Festival in Trumansburg, NY. The four day festival has become an annual destination for over 15,000 music lovers every year and was started as an AIDS benefit. It continues as a benefit for arts and education. To date, the event has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars and is now one of three Grassroots Festivals; the Bi-annual Shakori Hills fest in North Carolina and Virginia Key festival in Florida. In 2016 GrassRoots Culture Camp was introduced in Trumansburg, New York as four days of music, art, dance and movement workshops, including nightly dinners and dances.

Ric Robertson is an American original, pulling influences from the greats that came before, but wholly responsible for creating his own creative universe. Robertson’s voice and lyrics hold a soft Southern burr, a Zen acceptance of humanity’s failings, and, most importantly, a sense of pure playfulness in the music. This is John Prine by way of New Orleans, Harry Nilsson in a Nudie suit, a stoned Dr. John lost in Nashville, Bill Monroe on mushrooms listening to Bessie Smith. Step into his boundlessly creative multi-verse and you’ll find nothing short of American songbook excellence. Robertson is the musician’s musician, as testified by the fact that he’s continuously in-demand as a touring bandmate, having played and recorded with The Wood Brothers, Rhiannon Giddens, Lucius, Sarah Jarosz, David Grisman, Sierra Ferrell, Dirk Powell, Sam Grisman Project, and countless others. A guest list this large and varied is a testament to Robertson’s playful sense of collaboration.