Tanya Donelly American singer and guitarist Date of Birth: 14.07.1966 Country: USA

Biography of Tanya Donelly

Tanya Donelly was born on July 14, 1966, in Newport, Rhode Island. Her parents were hippies and traveled between Rhode Island and California during the first four years of her life. Growing up, Tanya felt self-conscious about her parents' unconventional lifestyle compared to her classmates' more respectable parents.

When she was eight years old, Tanya met Kristin Hersh at school, and they quickly became close friends. In the 1980s, both of their parents divorced, and Tanya's father married Kristin's mother, making them stepsisters.

When Tanya was 12, she and her mother were involved in a serious car accident that left them both severely injured. This incident led Tanya to question the existence of God, as she had been raised as an atheist. However, after the accident, a family friend introduced her to the Hindu concept of Krishna, which Tanya immersed herself in for a period of time.

At the age of 14, Tanya and Kristin received guitars from their fathers and began learning to play songs by The Beatles. Soon after, they started playing together and writing their own songs, eventually forming their first alternative rock band, Throwing Muses, in 1982. While Kristin was the clear leader of the group, Tanya served as the second vocalist, guitarist, and songwriter.

In 1986, the band relocated from Rhode Island to Boston, where they recorded albums for 4AD Studios. Despite Throwing Muses' complex rhythms and diverse styles, Tanya felt that her simpler and more traditional compositions did not fit the band's concept. By the early 90s, Tanya embarked on a new project with The Breeders, and in December 1991, she formed her own band, Belly, which became her main focus for the next few years.

Belly released two albums before disbanding in 1996, as their bassist, Gail Greenwood, joined the band L7, and Tanya married Dean Fisher, the former bassist of Juliana Hatfield. In April 1999, their daughter, Grace Bee Fisher, was born.

In August 2013, Tanya Donelly announced her departure from the music industry. Throughout her career, Tanya has been influenced by various musical styles and artists, including Marc Ribot, The Beatles, and Leonard Cohen. She has mentioned Lucinda Williams, Joan Wasser, Dambuilders, Pixies, and Count Zero as some of her favorite artists. Although primarily performing her own songs, Tanya has incorporated cover versions of songs by Robin Hitchcock, Nina Simone, and The Beatles into her repertoire. She has released five albums and numerous singles and EPs, with her latest release, "Beautysleep And Lovesongs Demos," made freely available on her website in the fall of 2006.