Robert Ian McDonald

Robert's earliest memory, musically, was sitting alone with his grandmother as she played him Scottish and Irish folk tunes on her mandolin. This helped to fire in him his love of music. In 1960 his grandmother gave him that precious heirloom – his Martin mandolin, made in 1906, which he still has and plays. His father scrounged to buy him his first guitar also in 1960. It was practically impossible to play due to it’s warn condition. He finally managed to find a suitable guitar at a second hand store. This event launched his career as he was determined to squeeze every last drop of music out of any dilapidated instrument that people kicked his way. Music theory was acquired by his involvement with the school orchestra, which is also where he experimented with various brass instruments. One day his father slipped a violin into his hands which Robert fondly remembers playing for several years. The violin was eventually stolen. Everywhere he went he picked up bass guitars, sat behind drum sets, spent time in Italian music stores listening to classical guitarists and picking up any possible tips, accepted a gift of a piano which he literally took completely apart and put it all back together again by himself, and practiced 6 hours a day to make music his middle name. He became known for his ability to create and edit modern popular rock & Roll music for an entire band. His expertise does not end there however, as he is able to proficiently play Guitar, Mandolin, Trumpet, Bass, Drums and other percussions.

He started his career in the Detroit, Michigan, USA / Windsor, Ontario, Canada area and was a member of the following groups...

- Blair
- Black Watch
- Roy Allen & The Mustangs
- Bonzo Bob & The Smoothies
- Fortima
- Amitrof

Not only did he play for these groups, but also he edited, arranged and produced the musical scores for all the instrumentation.

In 1969, his group, Bonzo Bob & the Smoothies, placed top 3 in Battle of the Bands, and in 1971 his group performed live at the University of Windsor and this was aired on Windsor's CKWW radio station. Then in 1972 he and his band Amitrof placed #1 in the Battle of the Bands. In 1974 Robert was offered a chance to participate in a tour package involving Kenny Rogers, but he had just ended his career temporarily.

In the interim, Robert has spent the years as a songwriter and helping others with their musical and production needs.

Robert left the music industry for over 30 years for personal reasons. It was as if he stuck himself in a bottle, musically speaking, corked it, and tossed it in the ocean. That bottle has now washed up on the shores of Portland Oregon at CD Baby. This is music that should have hit the charts in the 1970’s. Robert has graciously opened these floodgates and the music is just gushing out.

In recent years the software industry has accommodated Robert with excellent sampling tools enabling him to create entire orchestral compositions as well as modern style music in great variety. These modern software miracles and digital keyboards allow him to write, edit, master and produce any music you may desire to hear. This means that you may wish background music, dramatic or solemn in nature, to support your theatrical production. Robert is probably capable of creating this for you. Just give him your basic sample or description of what you need in the way of musical style and Robert will create a rough sample demo for you to analyze. Do you need a thriller mood, with electric guitars or eerie strings? You need Robert’s expertise in this instance.

He has also produced jingles for radio and TV.

Robert’s album: “Smooth as Silk” features songs with masterful background patterns that carry you along as if on a silver platter only to be further surprised by waves of addictive melodies and instrumental riffs that simply blow you away. The rock-ish tune “Café Rendezvous” is all about a celebrity who escapes the vulture-like thirst of the paparazzi. He shrewdly distracts the paparazzi and ends up in a peaceful and quiet location where nobody knows. The guitar work is sensational. Many listeners have tagged “Café Rendezvous” as "a cleaver invention", "very CONTEMORARY" and "ready for TOP 10 RADIO right now." This song is a “must hear”, “must buy”, “must play”, and a “must become # 1”, of them all.

Robert Ian McDonald seeks to become known for his orchestral compositions and productions. His next album, “Score it Right”, has been structured according to a philharmonic orchestral production. Inserted are tads of modernism. Look for its release later this year in 2007.

Robert visualizes himself conducting an orchestra while playing various instruments, including an electric guitar. Modern composers are depicted standing and facing an orchestra with their backs to the audience. Mozart would view this as odd, as he conducted an orchestra sitting behind his piano. Robert is a people person and his music emerges