Donnie Demers: The Man Behind the Music

Donnie Demers performing at the Global Green Pre-Oscar Gala (Photo from Donnie’s Facebook page)

When looking at the list of accomplishments and accolades that musician and multi-platinum selling song-writer Donnie Demers achieved during his career, it is impossible not to be impressed by his talent and success – but what his family and loved ones remember most about the composer is his unwavering and genuine love for music and people.

Donnie, who was born with muscular dystrophy in 1959, passed away last December two days after his 66^th birthday. While his personal orbit included Frank Sinatra, Quincy Jones, Paula Abdul, Carol Burnett, Sammy Davis Jr., Karen Carpenter, Liza Minnelli, Justin Bieber, and many others, Donnie’s star shone bright amongst the famous in-crowd as a talented creative artist who truly connected with people through kindness and music.

As a composer, lyricist, and pianist, Donnie never allowed his disability to take center stage, famously saying on an early Good Morning America appearance, “We all have disabilities. Some are just more visible than others.”

“Those who knew him said he wore his wheelchair the way others wear glasses — it helped him see the world more clearly,” reflects his brother, Michael Demers. “That famous quote of his reflects the biggest lesson he taught us: that we are all in this together, we all have our own stuff to deal with, and we need to be kind and compassionate. His music was incredibly in touch with the human condition and had a way of opening our eyes to deep feelings, which you can hear in lyrics like ‘Mother’s Hand’ or his self-reflecting song for the MDA telethon, ‘Something is Wrong’.”

An early love of music

Donnie as a young MDA Ambassador.

From the time that he started tinkering with a toy piano when he was four years old, Donnie’s love for music – and his natural talent – were evident. Some of Michael’s earliest memories of his younger brother are of Donnie playing and learning on a plastic toy piano in his room while their other brother, Jimmy Demers, sang along with him.

“He always had a musical gift – he was self-taught,” his sister, Merba Gioconda, shares. “Music was his thing, as well as people. He was a people person. He was just very warm and connected and genuine. You loved him the minute you met him.”

As one of seven children, Donnie was the only member of the Demers family living with a disability and began using a wheelchair at a young age. “From our earliest days, even though he was in a wheelchair, he was treated no differently than any of us,” Jimmy says.

His siblings credit their mother for instilling a strong sense of independence in Donnie throughout his childhood, teaching him to be self-sufficient and supporting him in the pursuits of his passions. She also served as the president of the local chapter of MDA in Worchester, Massachusetts, in the 1960s and Donnie became an early ambassador for the organization. The family’s connection to MDA would come full circle when Donnie made his first national television appearance on the Jerry Lewis MDA telethon in 1982, performing his original song, “If We Fell in Love Again.” That appearance would become the first of many notable achievements in the decades that followed for the talented composer and lyricist.

A career of compassion

Donnie and Jerry Lewis on stage at the MDA Telethon.

Along with his sister Merba, Donnie was a member of his high school’s choir, traveling and performing around the city. As one of the only students with a disability in his local public school in Massachusetts, Donnie learned to navigate a world that wasn’t built for someone with a disability and never allowed his limitations to prevent him from pursuing or participating in what he loved most. He competed in the district and state choir while continuing to hone his talents at the piano and write his own music at home.

After graduating high school, he attended the University of Arizona, where he furthered his musical studies and dove into songwriting and composing, then moved to LA to share his magic with the world. After his first appearance on the MDA Telethon, performing his original composition, he was commissioned to write the Telethon’s national jingle, which aired on television and radio stations across the country.

In 1983, the then-mayor of Worcester, Massachusetts proclaimed September 5 as “Donnie Demers Day, recognizing the rising star for his inspirational contributions as a composer, lyricist, and musician.

Donnie with Tony Bennett rehearsing for a performance. (Photo from Donnie’s Facebook page.)

“What followed was a quiet, remarkable career that touched some of the biggest names in entertainment,” Michael says. “Sammy Cahn told Donnie he had ‘a gift of melody like no other’.”

Donnie’s original song “Second Chances” appeared in the feature-length film, Double Trouble, which he performed with Pepper MaShay. He wrote the theme for the 2007 Special Olympics World Summer Games, performing live at the closing ceremony in Shanghai and later at the 2009 Winter Games in Boise with Jimmy. He also composed and produced Jimmy’s debut album, “Dream a Little.”

Among many other original songs, his song “Broken Heart ” appeared on French-Israeli singer Amir Haddad’s multi-platinum album, Au cœur de moi. “My Everything” hit #1 on iTunes when performed by British soprano Joanna Forest with the City of Prague Philharmonic Orchestra. “Save Your Love for Me ” was performed by Jackie Evancho under the musical direction of David Foster at the David Foster Foundation Miracle Concert in Calgary.

Donnie with close friend, Paula Abdul, on the opening night of her residency at the Flamingo Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas.

“Donnie had an amazing career, but he didn’t treat it like a career because music was just his true love,” Merba says. “He wasn’t out there pushing to be a star – that wasn’t even on the top of his list. He just became one naturally because he was one.”

His passion for creating and sharing music with the world stemmed not from a desire to achieve success but from the desire to express the love that he had for music and for others, the deep feelings that he carried and was able to translate into beauty and connection.

“Donnie loved sharing his music with everyone,” Jimmy says. “He knew the minute he sat down to play a song the veils and masks would drop. Suddenly, the sounds reminded everyone we were one. The music was the catalyst, but it was Donnie’s heart that was the miracle.”

A legacy of love

For anyone who knew Donnie, the kindness and genuineness with which he connected with others exemplified the true nature of his heart: love, compassion, and an undeniable sense of humor. He exuded a child-like joy and vibrance for life juxtaposed with a deep appreciation and understanding of human emotion and connection.

Jimmy and his siblings in London in 2003.

“He was so smart and so great with music, but he was also incredibly funny,” Merba says. “He had such a funny sense of humor and there wasn’t a person that didn’t just fall in love with him when they met him. You could walk into a room with him in it and he just made you happy because he saw you for who you were. He had a knack for being able to see people and he was compassionate – and he could make something very serious into something funny but still be sympathetic to whatever your needs were.”

Donnie was a deeply caring individual and attentive listener who truly cherished the opportunity to connect with people, both through his music and through his interactions with others, sharing his passion, love, and generosity with everyone that he met.

“Those who knew him will always remember his independent lifestyle and his passion for music and people, especially those with disabilities,” Michael says. “He navigated the obstacles of life while using a wheelchair yet somehow made that chair disappear in your eyes when you were with him or thought of him.”

As his music lives on in the world, a lasting legacy of his undeniable talent and passion, the man behind the music and his immeasurable love for life lives on in the hearts of everyone who was blessed to have met him, known him, and loved him.

Jimmy and Donnie Demers.

Jimmy recalls the joy, love, and quick wit that Donnie brought to every interaction and reflects on the lasting message and beauty of Donnie’s music. “His music was his ultimate gift to the world, and in each note, he’s reminding us to stay awake and be present. To feel and live, as much as we can while we can,” Jimmy says. “That legacy will live on and impact lives he will never know. Because of him, I am more alive than I ever would have been had he not lived. He may no longer be here to feel or touch, but whenever his music is played, believe me, it will be felt, and in turn, we will be touched.”