My name is Donny Marvel and I am an acoustic and electric guitar player/songwriter/sound and recording engineer from Caroline County, MD. I have loved music my entire life but my love for playing an instrument came when my dad gave a box of records at age 6. Within this box was a wide variety of music, but nothing caught my eye and ear like KISS. Ever since the day I heard KISS ALIVE II, I have wanted to play music and make music my life. 

    I started playing drums in the 5th grade band and shortly after began taking drum kit lessons. I loved to put on my favorite songs and play along for hours! My first band experience came in middle school when I got together with a couple friends to share our love for heavy metal. We would jam on Metallica songs and try and write our own originals. The guitar player and myself became good friends and when we entered high school we tried to find others that shared our love for music. It did not take long before we were in a music theory class with other musicians who wanted to start a band. With the help of our teacher Dr. Thompson, we were able to form a good cover band to take our show out to local venues; Ashley Mitchell was the singer for this group. 

     After graduation, we all went our separate ways, but Ashley and myself realized we worked well together and should keep some sort of collaboration going. I had never heard a singer like Ashley Mitchell.  Her passion and dedication to music seemed to be just like mine.  Her voice was amazing and I knew if I continued to work with her we could eventually create something special. Before getting involved with any other bands, I decided I wanted to pursue my other interest, audio engineering. I had always enjoyed recording and sound, but never understood the concepts. I decided to attend The Sheffield Institute for the Recording Arts (S.I.R.A.) where I graduated at the head of my class. S.I.R.A. changed my life.  It helped me gain the tools to enter into the sound engineering field. 

    Now possessing the knowledge of sound and recording, I decided to advance my instrumental knowledge.  Along with playing drums, I also expanded my knowledge of guitar and bass, for some reason playing guitar seemed to fit so much better than any other instrument I had ever played.  Ashley and I, still working together, decided to create an original CD. In 2009 we completed our first original CD, “Time to Shine.”  I produced, recorded, and played almost all of the instruments on the record, with the help of some other gifted musicians.  This was truly an amazing experience being a new graduate from S.I.R.A. 

Ashley and I spent several years touring with the Ashley Mitchell Band, but we discover our songwriting roots in 2015 when we created a one of a kind duo, Rivers & Rhodes. In 2016 we released our self titled album. Ashley and I are continuing to grow with our original music and are performing almost every weekend. 

Flower Child Music Studios was created in July of 2019.  Ashley and I are eager to share our passion, knowledge, and dedication to music with aspiring musicians and performer.  We have made music our lives and continue to pursue our passions for teaching, songwriting, and performing.

  Although I enjoy writing, playing, and listening to all genres of music, I will always stick to my roots and be a hardcore kid for life! 

 

 " KOTF " - Terror