View source for Donna Grantis

{{MusicianBIO|
|musician name             = Donna Grantis
|birth name                = Donna Grantis
|activity                  = Guitar player
|activity w/prince         = Late 2012-2016
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|previous bio              = [[Larry Graham]]
|next bio                  = [[Ray Hahnfeldt]]
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|introduction              = Donna Grantis is a Canadian guitar player who joined [[Prince]]'s band in December 2012 <!--, seemingly to replace [[Mike Scott]], who reprized his 2007 role of Justin Timberlake guitarist for his 2013 performances-->.

She made her first appearance as guitar player in a [[Prince]] band on [[Prince_Vault:Selected_anniversaries/December_17|17 December 2012]] in a video rehearsal clip of [[Screwdriver]] streamed on [http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=440523409348056 Hannah Ford's Facebook Page]. The video was presented as Donna's audition, and ended with a text screen stating <blockquote>''"2 C the rest of [[Donna Grantis|Donna's]] audition holla at ya girl! We've got bootlegs 4 daazzzzzze every good thing in the vault... Coming 2013."''</blockquote>
Donna also recently performed with [[Prince]], [[Ida Nielsen]] and [[Hannah Ford]] as a 4-piece rock ensemble on [[18_January 2013|18 January 2013 (show #1)]] and [[18_January 2013-2|18 January 2013 (show #2)]] at Dakota Jazz Club & Restaurant in Minneapolis (MN), USA.
|early career              = As a teenager, Donna launched into learning guitar on her brother’s acoustic; it wasn't long before Donna bought her first electric guitar. At 17, she was selected as a semi-finalist in the North American Jimi Hendrix Electric Guitar Competition. 

After studying Jazz at McGill University in Montreal, Donna moved to Toronto and played as session musician or live performer with Canadian acts, amongst others Amanda Marshall, Kardinal Offishall, Divine Brown, Haydain Neal and Kellylee Evans. In 2010 she joined Coco Montoya, Shakura S’Aida and Meena on Ruf Records’ Blues Caravan Tour. 

She still perfoms regularly with Jazz and Blues artist Shakura S’Aida whom with she co-wrote 9 songs on her 2010 album Brown Sugar. Concurrently, Donna is writing and recording with Toronto based funk rock artist Saidah Baba Talibah. She is also the Musical Director of Saidah's 8 piece band, the Solrawkestra.  

In addition to performing, song writing and recording with other artists, Donna is leading an instrumental psychedelic rock fusion trio called The Donna Grantis Electric Band. Featuring drummer Roger Travassos and bassist Steve Zsirai, the group issued their debut album, titled "Suites", on Diamond Gem Records in 2012.

About The Donna Grantis Electric Band, Donna describes the group’s approach to improvisation as:<blockquote>''"Creating music in the moment, reacting to each other on stage, exploring musical themes for extended lengths of time, and utilizing effects pedals to broaden the tonal pallet of the music. The creative intention is to be free and continuously challenge each other on stage. Hopefully in doing so, we can create an experience for listeners and take the audience on a musically engaging journey."''</blockquote>
|work w/prince             = Donna was auditioned by [[Prince]] in November 2012 to join an all-female 3 pieces band with [[Hannah Ford]] and [[Ida Nielsen]]. During winter 2012-2013 she rehearsed and recorded in [[Paisley Park Studios]] with [[Prince]], after which she went on tour on the west coast of the USA ([[Live Out Loud Tour]]) with [[Prince]] & [[3rdEyeGirl]]. 

After the tour she regularly appeared on [[3rdEye TV]] broadcasts with [[Prince]] & [[3rdEyeGirl]] and contributed to the studio session (broadcast on [[3rdEye TV]] from 1st to 2nd July 2013) from which [[Menstrual Cycle]], [[Octopus Heart]], [[Moon Drop]] and [[The Third Heart Of The Octopus Menstrual Cycle Originally Dropped From The Moon]] were created.

During summer 2013 she toured in Europe with [[Prince]], [[The NPG]] and [[3rdEyeGirl]].
|current work              = Donna Grantis is a member of [[3rdEyeGirl]] and [[The NPG]] where she performs as guitar player. She continues to work and rehearse with [[Prince]].
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|worked on tour    = [[Live Out Loud Tour]], [[Hit And Run Part II]]
|worked on shows   = [[All_Concerts#2013|2013]], [[All_Concerts#2014|2014]], [[All_Concerts#2015|2015]], [[All_Concerts#2016|2016]]
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|records w/ prince          = Song(s)
: [[Menstrual Cycle]]
: [[Octopus Heart]]
*Single(s)
:2013 [[Single:_Screwdriver|Screwdriver]] 
:2013 [[Single:_Fixurlifeup|Fixurlifeup]]
* Video(s)
:2013 [[Video:_Screwdriver|Screwdriver]] (lyrics)
:2013 [[Video:_Screwdriver-live|Screwdriver]] (live) 
:2013 [[Video:_Fixurlifeup|Fixurlifeup]]
|records w/ associates      = Song(s)
:2013 [[3rdEyeGirl]] [[Live Out Loud]]
* Video(s)
:2013 [[3rdEyeGirl]] [[Video: Live Out Loud|Live Out Loud]]
|self productions          = Song(s)
: [[Plectrumelectrum]]
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|trivia                    = Donna Grantis was born on 28 September 19?? in Mississauga, Ontario, Canada.
* <b>Self productions without [[Prince]]</b>:
:Donna Grantis Electric Band '''[http://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/suites/id529515783 Suites]'''
* <b>Endorsments</b>: PRS Guitars, D’Addario EXL115 jazz-rock strings, Planet Waves cables and accessories, Steve Clayton guitar picks, Traynor amplifiers.
|see also                  = 
<!-------REFERENCES ------->
|references                = [http://donnagrantis.com/ donnagrantis.com]
* [http://itunes.apple.com/ca/album/suites/id529515783 iTunes: ''Donna Grantis Electric Band'' '''Suites''']
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|categories                = [[Category: Biographies]][[Category: Musicians]]
}}