Paul McDonald

S10 · Eliminated 8th

As of July 2025

Paul McDonald fronts the Nashville band Paul McDonald & The Mourning Doves, formed in 2023. His album So Long to the Dark Side, recorded with that band and producer Bobby Holland, came out in July 2025. He founded the One Big Love festival in Nashville in 2022.⁠[1][2][3][4][5]

Career

Before the show

  1. March 14, 2007–June 6, 2008Before American Idol, released the EP Hightide Blues (2007) and the album Love Come Easy (2008) as lead singer of the band Hightide Blues.The Grand Magnolias (Hightide Blues until 2010)⁠[9][13][14]
  2. August 2010Moved with his band to Nashville in August 2010, where Hightide Blues took the name The Grand Magnolias.The Grand Magnolias (Hightide Blues until 2010)⁠[9]

After the show

  1. July 6, 2011–September 21, 2011Toured with the season 10 top 11 on the American Idols Live! Tour 2011, a 49-date run in the United States, Canada and the Philippines.⁠[15]
  2. November 14, 2011Released the duet single "Now That I've Found You" with Nikki Reed on Enzo Records.⁠[9][16]
  3. 2012Recorded "All I've Ever Needed" with Nikki Reed for the soundtrack of The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn – Part 2.⁠[1][9]
  4. October 29, 2012Released the five-track EP The Best Part with Nikki Reed on Enzo and Ira Records.⁠[8][9]
  5. July 8, 2014Released the album I'm Not Falling with Nikki Reed on Enzo and Ira Records.⁠[9][17]
  6. June 1, 2018Released his first solo album, Modern Hearts, independently; Jordan Lehning produced it.⁠[1][10][11]
  7. September 10, 2021By September 10, 2021, a deluxe reissue of Modern Hearts through the Scottish label Vacancy Records was scheduled for October 1, 2021.⁠[11]
  8. July 2025Released the album So Long to the Dark Side on OBL Records, preceded by the singles "Dark Side", "What's the Point?" and "Unwind".⁠[2][3][4]
  9. August 5, 2025Announced on August 5, 2025 as a main-stage headliner, with The Mourning Doves, of the 30A Songwriters Festival in Miramar Beach, Florida, scheduled for January 16 to 19, 2026.The Mourning Doves⁠[12]

Date not documented

  1. The Grand Magnolias' self-titled album reached number 12 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart and had sold 9,000 copies by April 27, 2011.The Grand Magnolias (Hightide Blues until 2010)⁠[9]

Discography

TitleTypeYearLabelRIAA certificationU.S. sales
The Grand Magnolias⁠[9]The Grand Magnolias (Hightide Blues until 2010)Album
Hightide Blues⁠[9][13]The Grand Magnolias (Hightide Blues until 2010)EP2007
Love Come Easy⁠[9][14]The Grand Magnolias (Hightide Blues until 2010)Album2008
The Best Part⁠[8][9]EP2012Enzo and Ira Records
I'm Not Falling⁠[9][17]Album2014Enzo and Ira Records
Modern Hearts⁠[1][10]Album2018Paul McDonald Music LLC
So Long to the Dark Side⁠[2][3]Album2025OBL Records

Awards

Checked October 8, 2026; none found.

Other activity

  • October 2022Founded the One Big Love music, food and arts festival, which began as a gospel brunch and pig roast in Madison, Tennessee, in October 2022 and supports community and nonprofit groups.⁠[5]

Sources

17 sources

  1. Paul McDonald | Opry — Grand Ole Opry. Label or artist. Retrieved October 8, 2026.
    Cited parts (5)
    • Biography: “In late 2023, Paul McDonald started recording his newest album with producer Bobby Holland and with his newly-formed band The Mourning Doves.”
    • Biography: “In his early 20's he started Hightide Blues, his first band, and began touring and making records full time.”
    • Biography: “a big song on the Twilight soundtrack”
    • Biography: “In 2018 he recorded and independently released his first solo album called Modern Hearts, produced by the wildly talented Jordan Lehning.”
    • Biography: “In 2018 he recorded and independently released his first solo album called Modern Hearts”
  2. Apple Music catalog entry: So Long To The Dark Side (Paul McDonald) — Apple. Release database. Retrieved October 8, 2026.
    Cited parts (3)
    • releaseDate: "releaseDate":"2025-07-11T07:00:00Z"
    • copyright: "copyright":"℗ 2025 OBL Records"
    • collectionName: "collectionName":"So Long To The Dark Side"
  3. About — Paul McDonald — Paul McDonald (official site). Label or artist. Retrieved October 8, 2026.
    Cited parts (2)
    • About: “So Long to the Dark Side is out now.”
    • About: “Recorded with producer Bobby Holland and built with his live band rather than around session players”
  4. 'American Idol' Fan-Favorite Releasing First New Album in 8 Years — AOL, published May 19, 2025. News report. Retrieved October 8, 2026.
    Cited parts (2)
    • Paragraph 1: “he is releasing his first new album in eight years”
    • Paragraph 3: “its third single, "Unwind," dropped on May 19, following on the heels of the first two singles, "Dark Side" and "What's The Point?"”
  5. One Big Love — Paul McDonald — Paul McDonald (official site). Label or artist. Retrieved October 8, 2026.
    Cited parts (3)
    • One Big Love: “ONE BIG LOVE IS A MUSIC, FOOD, & ARTS FESTIVAL ESTABLISHED IN 2022 BY PAUL MCDONALD”
    • One Big Love: “ONE BIG LOVE IS A MUSIC, FOOD, & ARTS FESTIVAL ESTABLISHED IN 2022 BY PAUL MCDONALD THAT SUPPORTS COMMUNITY AND NONPROFIT ORGANIZATIONS.”
    • One Big Love: “in the backyard of Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge in Madison, TN in October 2022”
  6. American Idol season 10 — Wikipedia, updated September 29, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (1)
    • Elimination chart row Paul McDonald: Pl. 8, Eliminated in the Top 8 column (4/14); ratings table episode 'Top 8 Results Show', April 14, 2011
  7. List of American Idol finalists — Wikipedia, updated June 10, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 6, 2026.
    Cited parts (1)
    • Contestants table, row Paul McDonald: season 10, place finish 8th
  8. Apple Music catalog entry: The Best Part - EP (Paul McDonald & Nikki Reed) — Apple. Release database. Retrieved October 8, 2026.
    Cited parts (4)
    • copyright: "copyright":"℗ 2012 Enzo and Ira Records"
    • releaseDate: "releaseDate":"2012-10-29T07:00:00Z"
    • collectionName: "collectionName":"The Best Part - EP"
    • artistName: "artistName":"Paul McDonald & Nikki Reed"
  9. Paul McDonald (musician) (Wikipedia revision 1362329405) — Wikipedia, updated July 3, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 8, 2026.
    Cited parts (8)
    • Extended plays table, The Best Part: “*Label: Enzo and Ira Records”
    • Lead: “since 2005, he has been the lead singer of the band Hightide Blues which was renamed The Grand Magnolias in 2010”
    • Discography, Albums, As part of Hightide Blues: “*2007: ''Hightide Blues'' (EP)”
    • The Grand Magnolias: “In August 2010, McDonald and his band members moved to Nashville and launched a campaign to let their fans choose a new name for the band.”
    • Post-Idol: “McDonald even recorded a song, "Now That I've Found You", with his wife [[Nikki Reed]], which debuted on Ryan Seacrest's radio show on November 15, 2011.”
    • Discography, Appearances: “"All I've Ever Needed" (with Nikki Reed)”
    • Post-Idol: “The couple released their first EP together, ''The Best Part'', on October 29, 2012.”
    • Post-Idol: “On July 8, 2014, McDonald and Reed released an album titled ''I'm Not Falling''.”
  10. Apple Music catalog entry: Modern Hearts (Paul McDonald) — Apple. Release database. Retrieved October 8, 2026.
    Cited parts (3)
    • copyright: "copyright":"℗ 2018 Paul McDonald Music LLC"
    • releaseDate: "releaseDate":"2018-06-01T07:00:00Z"
    • collectionName: "collectionName":"Modern Hearts"
  11. Paul McDonald Talks 'Modern Hearts' Reissue and the Never-Ending Journey to Being a Better Person — American Songwriter, published September 10, 2021. News report. Retrieved October 8, 2026.
    Cited parts (5)
    • Paragraph 6: “There’s no deal—I released it independently.”
    • Paragraph 1: ““Before the pandemic, in 2018, I released Modern Hearts independently,” Paul McDonald began.”
    • Paragraph 6: “on October 1, McDonald will put out a deluxe reissue of Modern Hearts via Vacancy Records”
    • Paragraph 6: “a Scottish label called Vacancy Records found Modern Hearts online and reached out to McDonald”
    • Byline date: “September 10, 2021, 11:19am”
  12. 2026 30A Songwriters Festival Headliner Announcement — 30A Songwriters Festival, published August 5, 2025. Official record. Retrieved October 8, 2026.
    Cited parts (4)
    • Paul McDonald & The Mourning Doves: “PAUL MCDONALD & THE MOURNING DOVES - Born in Alabama and baptized in the dive bars of the southeast”
    • Description: “30A Songwriters Festival will celebrate its 17th year January 16 - 19, 2026 with performances on the main stage”
    • Paul McDonald & The Mourning Doves: “Paul McDonald & the Mourning Doves will bring the songs of So Long to the Dark Side and more to the headline stage”
    • Post date: “Aug 5, 2025”
  13. Apple Music catalog entry: Hightide Blues - EP (Hightide Blues) — Apple. Release database. Retrieved October 8, 2026.
    Cited parts (2)
    • releaseDate: "releaseDate":"2007-03-14T07:00:00Z"
    • collectionName: "collectionName":"Hightide Blues - EP"
  14. Apple Music catalog entry: Love Come Easy (Hightide Blues) — Apple. Release database. Retrieved October 8, 2026.
    Cited parts (2)
    • releaseDate: "releaseDate":"2008-06-06T07:00:00Z"
    • collectionName: "collectionName":"Love Come Easy"
  15. American Idols Live! Tour 2011 (Wikipedia revision 1375445529) — Wikipedia, updated September 17, 2026. Reference work (secondary). Retrieved October 8, 2026.
    Cited parts (3)
    • Infobox, start_date: “start_date = July 6, 2011”
    • Infobox, end_date: “end_date = September 21, 2011”
    • Performers table: [[Paul McDonald (musician)|Paul McDonald]] (8th place)
  16. Apple Music catalog entry: Now That I've Found You - Single (Paul McDonald & Nikki Reed) — Apple. Release database. Retrieved October 8, 2026.
    Cited parts (2)
    • artistName and releaseDate: "releaseDate":"2011-11-14T08:00:00Z"
    • copyright: "copyright":"℗ 2011 Enzo Records"
  17. Apple Music catalog entry: I'm Not Falling (Nikki Reed & Paul McDonald) — Apple. Release database. Retrieved October 8, 2026.
    Cited parts (4)
    • releaseDate: "releaseDate":"2014-07-08T07:00:00Z"
    • copyright: "copyright":"℗ 2014 Enzo and Ira Records"
    • collectionName: "collectionName":"I'm Not Falling"
    • artistName: "artistName":"Nikki Reed & Paul McDonald"

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