Donny Kees is an American songwriter and musician. Kees has written songs for numerous artists and charted several singles on the Billboard country charts. Since 1984, Kees has continued to write hit songs for other artists, most notably George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Reba McEntire, George Jones, Conway Twitty, Joe Nichols, Bryan White and Diamond Rio.
Early life Kees was born in Carbondale, West Virginia, to Earnest "Pete" Kees, and Loretta. The family soon moved to Chesapeake, West Virginia, where Kees grew up. His father, an insurance salesman, musician and blues singer, influenced Kees' to pursue a career in music. When Kees was 12 years old, he became the youngest member of the local musicians union. As a young teen, he had his first public performance at a local Chesapeake venue called Ralph's with his band the Don Juans.
Continuing to perform with the Don Juans, Kees attended East Bank High School where he met his wife, Diana, and from where he graduated in 1965. After high school, he enlisted in the United States Air Force while attending University of Maryland and served in the Vietnam War in 1967 and 1968. During that time, he also performed for the United Services Organization (USO).
Career During the 1970's, Kees continued to perform and write music. He moved to Nashville, Tennessee, in 1984 after scoring cuts for Conway Twitty and others to pursue a career in songwriting, eventually signing a publishing deal with Acuff/Rose and an artist deal with 16th Avenue Records.
Kees quickly became one of Nashville's most sought after songwriters. Kees has had 3 number one singles on Billboard Country Charts and R&R charts along with five Top 10 singles. Kees has won five Broadcast Music (BMI) awards for 1 million plus airplays. In 1993, Kees' song "When Did You Stop Loving Me" from the Pure Country soundtrack by George Strait was nominated by the Music City News Songwriter Awards as a Top Ten Song of the Year. The song was later used in a nationwide ad campaign for Nissan. In 1997, he received a Nashville Songwriters Association International (NSAI) Achievement Award for his work on the number one hit, I'm Not Supposed to Love You Anymore, along with Skip Ewing and Bryan White and again in 2003 for I Believe, another with Skip Ewing, the latter also winning a BMI award in 2004. The 2002 song Brokenheartsville for singer Joe Nichols was Kees' first number one hit on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart. Kees soon followed that up with ''I Believe" by Diamond Rio. The song spent two weeks at number one on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart and also charted in the top 40 of Billboard Hot 100. The song has also been used in music therapy practices to help people deal with grief and loss.
Awards and nominations BMI 1994 - When Did You Stop Loving Me 1997 - I'm Not Supposed to Love You Anymore 1999 - If I Never Stop Loving You (song) 2003 - Brokenheartsville 2004 - I Believe (Diamond Rio song)
Nashville Songwriters Achievement Award 1997 - I'm Not Supposed to Love You Anymore 2003 - I Believe
Music City News Country Songwriters Award
1994 - When Did You Stop Loving Me (nominated)
Selected discography Kees has worked with country stars including George Strait, Kenny Chesney, Reba McEntire, George Jones, Conway Twitty, Joe Nichols, Diamond Rio, Bryan White, Aaron Tippin, Tammy Wynette, Randy Travis, Mark Wills, and Lorrie Morgan.
Kees has either written or co-written the following songs for other artists: Singles YearSinglePeak positionsArtistUS Country1990Moody Woman*Charley Pride1990Searchin' for Some Kind of Clue17Billy Joe Royal1993When Did You Stop Loving Me6George Strait1994Whole Lotta Love on the Line30Aaron Tippin1996I'm Not Supposed to Love You Anymore4Bryan White1997"Connected at the Heart"44Ricochet1997There's Only You43Kevin Sharp1997The Used to Be's48Daryle Singletary1998If I Never Stop Loving You3David Kersh2002Brokenheartsville1Joe Nichols2002I Believe1Diamond Rio* Denotes did not chart
ArtistSongCo-writersAaron Tippin"In My Wildest Dreams"Aaron TippinAaron Tippin"This Heart"Aaron TippinAaron Tippin"Whole Lotta Love on the Line"Aaron TippinAaron Tippin"You Are the Woman"Aaron TippinAaron Tippin"What This Country Needs"Aaron TippinBilly Joe Royal"Searchin' for Some Kind of Clue"Pal Rakes, Nelson LarkinBryan White"I'm Not Supposed To Love You Anymore"Skip EwingCharley Pride"Moody Woman"James Troy Pickard (Jimmy Jay), Richard RossCharley Pride"You Put It There"James Troy Pickard (Jimmy Jay), Richard RossConway Twitty"Riverboat Gamblers"James Troy Pickard (Jimmy Jay)Conway Twitty"You Put It There"James Troy Pickard (Jimmy Jay), Richard RossDaryle Singletary"A Love That Never Died"Skip EwingDaryle Singletary"The Used to Be's"Michael Huffman, Bob MorrisonDavid Kersh"If I Never Stop Loving You"Skip EwingDawn Sears"Old-Fashioned Broken Heart"Terri SharpDawn Sears"He's In Dallas"Richard Ross, Johnny MacRaeDiamond Rio"I Believe"Skip EwingDonna Meade"Love's Last Stand"Tommy Riggs, James Troy Pickard (Jimmy Jay)Doug Stone"How Do I Get Off the Moon"Randy Boudreaux, Kerry Kurt PhillipsEddy Raven"Neon Row"James Troy Pickard (Jimmy Jay)Eddy Raven"Stay with Me"Ricky Ray RectorGeorge Jones"I've Still Got Some Hurtin' Left to Do"Richard RossGeorge Jones"When Did You Stop Loving Me"Monty HolmesGeorge Jones & Tammy Wynette"Whatever Happened to Us"Don SampsonGeorge Strait"She Took the Wind From His Sails"Dean DillonGeorge Strait"When Did You Stop Loving Me"Monty HolmesGeorge Strait"If It's Gonna Rain"Dean Dillon, Scotty EmerickGeorge Strait"Down Louisiana Way" Aaron Barker, Sanger D ShaferGeorge Strait"Neon Row"James Troy Pickard (Jimmy Jay)George Strait"When Love Comes Around AgainMonty Holmes, Jeff SilveyGeorge Strait"I'll Always Be Loving You"Aaron Barker, Sanger D ShaferJoe Nichols"Brokenheartsville"Blake Mevis, Randy Boudreaux, Clint DanielsJohn Michael Montgomery"What I Do the Best"Michael Huffman, Monty HolmesJohnny Rodriguez"Maxine"James Troy Pickard (Jimmy Jay)Keith Harling"Over You"Skip EwingKenny Chesney"Somebody's Callin' "Kenny ChesneyKenny Chesney"I Finally Found Somebody"Kenny ChesneyKenny Chesney"In My Wildest Dreams"Aaron TippinKenny Chesney"I'd Love to Change Your Name"Jim Weatherly, Kenny ChesneyKenny Chesney"You Win, I Win, We Lose"Buddy Brock, Kenny ChesneyKenny Chesney"Lonely, Needin' Lovin' "Buddy Brock, Kenny ChesneyKevin Sharp"There's Only You"Skip EwingLane Brody"Till You Found Me"Jim WeatherlyLee Anne Womack"Thinkin' with My Heart Again"Sanger D. Shafer, Dean DillonLorrie Morgan"Back Among the Living"Skip EwingMark Wills"Help Me Fall"Skip EwingMark Wills"Back on Earth"Skip EwingNeal McCoy"Why Not Tonight"James Troy Pickard (Jimmy Jay), Richard RossOleta Adams"I Knew You When"Shawna Harrington-BurkhartRandy Travis"Ants on a Log"Skip EwingRandy Travis"Once In a Heart Like Mine"Skip EwingReba McEntire"He's In Dallas"Richard Ross, Johnny MacRaeReba McEntire"Now You Tell Me"Shawna Harrington-BurkhartRicochet"Connected at the Heart"Skip EwingRicky Van Shelton"Love Is Burnin' "Frank J. MyersSammy Kershaw"What Might Have Been"Dean DillionSammy Kershaw"If You Ever Come This Way Again"Dean DillionTammy Wynette"What Do They Know"Richard RossTanya Tucker"What Do They Know"Richard RossTravis Tritt"It's All About the Money"Jody HarrisTy Herndon"Thinkin' with My Heart Again"Sanger D. Shafer, Dean DillonZac Brown"Grandma's Garden"Skip Ewing
Notes
"Moody Woman" did not chart on Hot Country Songs, but peaked at No. 9 on Hot Country Radio Breakouts.
References
External links
The Hayes Street Sessions - Donny Kees Marry Go Round - Donny Kees 1973 Butterfly - Donny Kees 1975 If You Want It You Got It - Donny Kees 1978