PBS Television Special - Debuts in March, 2006
2-DVD set - Available at Retail Fall, 2006
3-CD set - Released in February, 2006

Even as he's charmed millions of fans worldwide with his trademark blend of country music, inspirational songs and traditional Irish ballads, Daniel O'Donnell has never lost his love for the 50's and 60's rock and roll songs he first heard as a young boy.

The multi-talented Irish entertainer has displayed his enthusiasm for this great legacy with three bestselling rock-oriented studio recordings: Daniel In Blue Jeans, The Jukebox Years and, most recently, Teenage Dreams. These recordings, and the singer's recent UK- and Ireland-based rock 'n' roll tour, catapulted the O'Donnell phenomenon to new popular heights, adding to his already remarkable figures of 7.5 million albums and two million videos and DVDs sold worldwide.

The tour's explosive final concert was taped live before an audience of 6,000 at Dublin's legendary Point Theatre in October, 2005 to create 2006's new PBS Television special, Daniel O'Donnell: The Rock 'n' Roll Show. This concert event continues the singer's string of highly-rated pledge drive shows, including The Daniel O'Donnell Show (2002), Daniel O'Donnell & Friends (2003), Daniel O'Donnell: Songs of Faith (2004), and Daniel O'Donnell Branson Encore (2005).

In addition to television airings throughout 2006, the concert will be released as a 2-DVD set in North America in Fall 2006, with exclusive bonus footage not shown on the TV show. A three-CD package featuring all 60+ songs from the entire concert was recently released in the U.S. and Canada.

Also featuring O'Donnell's longtime singing partner Mary Duff, his seven-piece band, a fiery brass section, three backup singers and eight dancers, the 80-minute television show & two hour, 40 minute DVD extravaganza include sizzling choreography, stunning 50s & 60s era sets, and multiple costume changes‹all of which contribute to a vibe that's more full-scale Broadway Musical than simply another great concert. O'Donnell was heavily involved in bringing back this homage to the days of bobby socks, drive-ins and danceable music - he conceived it all, from set list and costumes to dance sequences and colorful sets, and was then helped by professionals to bring his ideas to reality. "It was all that I hoped for," he comments, "and exactly what I had envisioned."

Throughout his career, O'Donnell has always included rock and roll songs in his concerts. "The sprinkling of rock songs I did proved really popular with my audiences, and they were, for me, the most fun part of the show," he says. "My criteria for any concert I do is to sing songs that I have always enjoyed. So when we decided to record the studio albums and then put together the Rock 'n' Roll tour, the decisions on the set lists were relatively easy. But we didn't want to make the show just a great collection of songs everyone knew. It was important that the production was big and exciting and took the audience on a trip back to the 50s and 60s. I think we've achieved that."

O'Donnell believes that his audience shares the same joyful nostalgia he has for the songs of this era, which range from classics by Elvis and The Beatles to Buddy Holly, Bill Haley & The Comets and O'Donnell's longtime friend and mentor, British pop singer Cliff Richard. "These songs had a universal appeal that endures today - they are cross-generational," he says.

Applying his trademark "If I love it, I sing it" philosophy to a wealth of songs from the 50s and 60s, he covers a variety of magical, instantly familiar melodies, beginning with a rousing medley of Elvis Presley songs and continuing through "Teenager In Love," "Oh Boy," "Three Steps To Heaven" "That'll Be The Day," "Calendar Girl," "Daydream Believer," "Donna," "Let's Twist Again," "Let's Dance" and "Rock Around The Clock."

At the centerpiece of the television show are two medleys that reflect not only O'Donnell's personal favorites, but truly define different eras in rock and roll history. His Elvis medley includes "Blue Suede Shoes," "Good Luck Charm," "Love Me Tender" and "All Shook Up." Hopping a decade to The Beatles, he sings "All My Loving," "Hey Jude," "Yesterday" and "Ticket To Ride."

As a special bonus, the DVD set includes two additional medleys: O'Donnell pays homage to Cliff Richard with a medley that includes "Living Doll" "Young Ones," "Summer Holiday," "Miss You Nights," and "Do You Want To Dance"; and finally there is "The Moon Of Love Medley," a spectacular show within the show featuring O'Donnell, Mary Duff, dancers, an elaborate set, and a theatrical tale, and incorporating classic tunes like "Dream Lover," and "Then I Kissed Her." "It's a great love story that Mary and I get to participate in," O'Donnell says.

Audiences have long been enthralled by Duff, who sings a number of songs on the TV show and DVD, including upbeat renditions of "My Boy Lollipop," "Lipstick On Your Collar," and "Where The Boys Are," among others.

Looking back on his remarkable career, O'Donnell reflects, "I always feel very privileged to have been allowed to do what I've done. When I started on this journey 25 years ago and decided to become a professional singer, I never envisioned that I'd get to travel to so many wonderful places, and that so many people from around the world would come to my shows! I feel very lucky to have come this far."

He speaks fondly of his family's stone cottage in the little seaside village of Kincasslagh, with no running water, an open-hearth fire and pots hanging from crooks. O'Donnell's father, a hard working farm laborer, passed away when O'Donnell was six, but he remembers singing and telling stories with his four older brothers and sisters and their grandparents. His mother, a homemaker, looked on proudly as O'Donnell's sister Margo launched her singing career at age 12 and became a popular singer throughout Ireland. He had long been a member of his church choir, but he made his first real steps towards a professional career in music when he joined Margo's band in 1980.

He formed his own band a year later and the going was rough - at one point he even seriously contemplated emigrating to Canada. But he persevered and, as the now legendary story goes, used what little savings he had to record the song "My Donegal Shore," which led to his signing his first deal with Ritz Records in Dublin and London. The rapturous applause of 80,000 fans at the 1985 London Irish Festival assured him that his destiny lay in music. He later electrified audiences at major world venues like London's Royal Albert Hall, Dublin's Point Depot, New York's Carnegie Hall and Sydney's Opera House.

O'Donnell was introduced to Americans through his PBS Television specials, which have helped him gain immense popularity here; his live shows are now major destinations for bus tour groups, and fans often travel for hours to catch him live in concert. Twice-yearly Branson, MO appearances are supplemented by national tours throughout the U.S. and Canada in 3,000 - 15,000-seat arenas. In 2006, O'Donnell is scheduled for month-long Branson runs in the Spring and Fall, which are sandwiched around 11 U.S. and Canadian dates in May and June. The North American concerts will feature O'Donnell's popular blend of country music, inspirational ballads, Irish songs - and some of the rock and roll songs featured on the TV show & DVD set.

His recordings have appeared on Billboard Magazine's World, Pop album and Heatseekers charts. His success in Great Britain is legendary, with each of his 20-plus recordings since 1987 entering high on the U.K. country charts, some enjoying Top 20 positions at the same time. Add to that 19 hit singles and huge video sales, and it's little wonder why in Mojo Magazine's 1999 survey of Britain's musical tastes, he came in at #31‹ahead of Bob Dylan and the Spice Girls! He also broke the Billboard chart record for most entries (nine) on the World Music chart at the same time. These past two years, he has also been nominated for the Country Music Association's (CMA's) Best International Artist Award. His latest hit release, From Daniel With Love, a set of love songs released in time for Valentine's Day in the U.K and Ireland, is slated for North American release in 2006. O'Donnell's autobiography - Daniel O'Donnell My Story - and picturebook - Daniel O'Donnell My Pictures and Places - have both been published here by Virgin Books, and are available in both hardcover and paperback.

"It's tremendous that my audience supports me and follows the band wherever we go," says O'Donnell. "It's strange to some people how the same artist can put on a fully religious show one year, then come back and sing his heart out with the rock and roll he grew up with. Even stranger is that I often do a rock medley in the midst of the inspirational songs. But it's exciting to finally get a chance to devote a whole show to music that has proven so inspiring to me. I've always danced a little onstage but to get a chance to do full-blown choreography this time...well, that was a special opportunity all its own."

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