Latest News

Awards

1981 - Governor Lamar Alexander (Tenessee)- Certificate of Appreciation for Outstanding Service in the Best Interests and the Highest Traditions of the State of Tennessee
1988 - Juno award nomination- Best Roots and Traditional Album "It's Been So Long"
1989 - Q107 Toronto Music Awards: Best Toronto Blues Group
1991 - Juno Award "Saturday Night Blues" by various artists (Downchild included)
1992 - Great Canadian Blues Award presented by CBC radio program "Saturday Night Blues" to Donnie Walsh "in recognition of a lifetime contribution th the blues in Canada
1994 - Juno award nomination- Best Blues/Gospel Album "Good Times Guaranteed"
1994 - Jazz Report award - Blues Musician of the Year to Donnie Walsh
1998 - Jazz Report award - Blues Band of the Year to Downchild
1998 - Lifetime Achievement Award to Donnie Walsh -Windsor/Detroit Int'l Blues Festival
2005 - Juno award nomination - Best Blues Album "Come On In"




Toronto Blues Society - Blues With a Feeling Awards

1990 - Donnie Walsh
1993 - Gary Kendall
2003 - Chuck Jackson



Maple Blues Awards

1999 & 2000 - Male Vocalist of the Year - Chuck Jackson
1999, 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2004 & 2008 - Horn Player of the Year - Pat Carey
1997, 1999, 2000, 2002, 2005 and 2007 - Bass Player of the Year - Gary Kendall
2005 & 2007 - Drummer of the Year - Mike Fitzpatrick
2000, 2004 & 2007- Keyboardist of the Year - Michael Fonfara
2005 - Electric Act of the Year, Entertainer of the Year - Downchild
2005 - Recording of the Year - 'Downchild - Come On In'
2006 - Entertainer of the Year - Downchild






Discography



Bootleg - (1971) Special Records/BMG
Straight Up - (1973) GRT
Dancing - (1974) GRT
Ready to Go - (1975) GRT
So Far: A Collection of Our Best - (1977) Posterity
We Deliver - (1980) Attic
Road Fever - (1980) Attic
Blood Run Hot - (1981) Attic
But I'm On the Guest List - (1982) Attic
It's Been So Long - (1987) Stony Plain
Straight Up/We Deliver - (1988) twin pack re-issue - Attic
Gone Fishing - (1989) Stony Plain
Dancing/Road Fever - (1991) twin pack re-issue - Attic
Good Times Guaranteed - (1994) Downchild Music/Festival/Blue Wave-US
Lucky 13 - (1997) Downchild Music/Festival/Blue Wave-US
It's Been So Long/Ready to Go - (1997) twin pack re-issue - Stony Plain
A Case of the Blues: The Best of Downchild - (1998) Attic
It's A Matter Of Time: A Collection of the Best - (2001) Blue Wave - US only
Body of Work: The Downchild Collection Volume 2 - (2003) Blue Wave - US only
Come On In (2004) - Downchild Music
Live at the Palais Royale - (2007) Linus Entertainment
I Need A Hat - (2009) Linus Entertainment




Donnie Walsh was instrumental in the founding of the "Jane Vasey Memorial Scholarship" fund at Brandon University. The fund was co-founded by Vasey's late parents (Dorothy and Ross) and Downchild Blues Band in 1983 to sponsor keyboards students in the Brandon University (alma mater of Vasey) school of music.  Each year 2 scholarships in the amount of $2,500.00 have been awarded.  The fund has grown to the amount of $80,000.00.  Downchild continues to fund scholarships through benefit performances.  The benefit amount is doubled thanks to a special program sponsored by the Government of Manitoba.