Donavon Frankenreiter

Donavon Frankenreiter is an American musician and surfer from Downey, California. He works in acoustic and singer-songwriter styles, with surf and soft rock influences. He performs as a solo artist and also appears with The Donavon Frankenreiter Band.

Career

Frankenreiter starts out playing in Peanut Butter and Jam at the age of 18. In 1996, he forms Sunchild, where he plays lead guitar and does not sing. The band has a 1970s rock sound compared with The Black Crowes. Their first release, Barefoot & Live, comes out on Surfdog Records in 1997 and includes covers of The Allman Brothers Band, The Marshall Tucker Band, The Rolling Stones and Van Morrison, alongside original songs. A later studio album, California Honey, follows in 2000 on Sunchild Records. Sunchild ends in 2001 and Frankenreiter then pursues a solo career.

Solo work

Frankenreiter signs to Brushfire Records in 2002. His self-titled debut solo album is recorded with Jack Johnson and Mario Caldato Jr. as co-producers. Johnson appears on the record, along with G. Love and Eels member Koool G. Murder. The album is released in Australia in 2004 and later in the United States, and it reaches the Australian ARIA Top 40. It is tied to his support appearances with Jack Johnson and to his own surfing profile in Australia.

In 2006, Frankenreiter leaves Brushfire and signs to Lost Highway Records. His second album, Move by Yourself, is released that year. He also records “Lovely Day” with Koool G., and the song appears on the soundtracks to Snakes on a Plane and Georgia Rule. In 2010 he leaves Lost Highway, sets up Liquid Tambourine Records, and releases Glow, his fourth studio album of original material, produced by Mark Weinberg.

Collaborations and band projects

Frankenreiter has a long association with Jack Johnson, and Johnson’s Brushfire Records releases his debut solo album. He also works with Koool G., G. Love, and Mario Caldato Jr. In early 2012, he cuts ties with bandmates Eric Brigmond, Craig Barnette and Pete Winders, while continuing his link with original band member Matt Grundy. Other named projects associated with him include Jamtown and Devon Allman and Donavon Frankenreiter.