2026 – Donna Herula
Release Date : September 18, 2026
By Phillip
Smith; October
10, 2026
The charming voice and guitar
mastery of multi-award-winning folk-blues artist Donna Herula once again
has wowed me over with her latest album Cold Feet. She has a way of dialing into one’s soul with
her music. On this ten-track recording, Herula
is joined by guitarist Tony Wittrock, bassist Marc Edelstein, and
drummer Kenny “Beedy Eyes” Smith, with special guests producer/guitarist
Jon Shain, Alton Smith on organ/keys, Anne Harris on
violin, John Jochem on harmonica, Steve Eisen on sax, Rick
Barnes on percussion, and backing vocalists Candy LaFlora, Kary
Ream, and Rebecca Toon.
The album begins with a beautiful guitar-centric instrumental “On My Way Home”. Herula’s delicate slide guitar performance on the National Tricone is a delightful treat with Wittrock and Shain joining in with acoustic guitars alongside Barnes on shaker. The way she loads that Nashville twang into “Cold Feet” a tale of a bride-to-be who has second thoughts, brings to mind the story-telling songs of the Grammy Award-winning country singer Jeannie C. Riley. With a droning slide guitar intro, Herula ushers in her cover of Skip James’ “Cypress Grove Blues” and perfectly sets the ominous mood for the song. She certainly makes this blues classic her own. The up-tempo dance-friendly track “Backseat Driver” smacks me immediately with its infectious melody and true-to-life lyrics, and I love every bit of it. I can’t help but think of the melodic hook of Aretha Franklin’s “Chain of Fools” when I hear Herula sing “Things Can Change”. This is certainly a go-to song for those who need a boost of encouragement when things are going awry. I get a heavy heart with every listen to her ballad “Float to Heaven”. Accompanied by Harris on violin, this tragic tale of loss and a lifetime of self-blame is according to Herula, a “John Prine-style storytelling song that I am really proud of.”. It’s brilliantly written and somberly delivered. Bringing the album to its end is a riveting cover of “Dust My Broom” where all stops are pulled. It’s so fun to hear her wail on slide with this one. It’s a splendid closer.
Donna Herula’s Cold Feet is a terrific record and has the mark of a timeless gem.
Photo by Robert Erving Potter III 
Photo by Robert Erving Potter III
For more information about
Donna Herula, visit her website https://donnaherula.com