Donavon Frankenreiter - Pass It Around (2008)

Pass It Around is Donavon Frankenreiter's 2008 release. Donavon Frankenreiter, from Downey, So. California, is a US musician and surfer. He is a long-time friend of Jack Johnson and his debut self-titled album was released in 2004 on Johnson's Brushfire Records through Universal Music and made the Australian ARIA Top-40 charts in April 2004.

The first thing that strikes a person when they meet Donavon Frankenreiter is that they've probably never met a person quite like him before. From his genuine nature, to his big heart, to his all-around charisma, once you connect with his vibe you realize that he is truly unique. Donavon lives an incredible life, one that he never takes for granted. His vocations and drive have enabled him to live the one person's fantasy, as a reality.

First and foremost, you have Donavon the husband to his wife Petra and father to his sons Hendrix and Ozzy. Their love and presence are the driving force in his life, as can be seen by the beautiful tattoo of the three on his forearm. Next you have Donavon the pro-surfer, who has and continues to travel the world extensively surfing in some of the most popular and also most remote places on the globe. As a matter of fact, both Donavon's surfboard and guitar case have seen more places than most humans ever will. And of course, you have Donavon Frankenreiter the musician, who is about to release his third, and probably most important album to date titled Pass It Around (Lost Highway).

Donavon's first record, 2004's Donavon Frankenreiter was made with the aid of his long time friend Jack Johnson, and spawned the AAA radio hit "Free". "On my first record, I didn't have a direction. I just wanted to make a record," says Frankenreiter. In 2006, Donavon signed with Lost Highway and began to find his own musical voice with the appropriately titled Move By Yourself. "The second one I did myself and it definitely had a direction I felt great about." On Pass It Around, Frankenreiter followed his instincts, and in the process actually found himself both artistically and stylistically, as a musician and a songwriter.

For Frankenreiter, embracing a change of methodology was vital, not just because he was open to it, it's what he does: he persistently challenges himself and it's keeping him honest, humble and open. An example of Donavon's openness came when a suggestion was made for the track "Your Heart".

"When I gave Joe the demo, the horn lines you hear were all harmonica. But it was too much like `Harvest Moon,' the Neil Young song," he says. "So, Joe tells me he hears a mariachi band in there instead. I knew I could trust his wisdom. When I heard it for the first time it was unreal, because if fit so naturally."

Donavon was humbled as he tracked Pass It Around at the legendary Hollywood studio, Sunset Sound, knowing he was stepping into the same vocal booth that Joplin and Morrison made history in.