Take 5 with Donna Mogavero Donna Mogavero is a singer, songwriter, acoustic and electric guitar performer in central Ohio. Some of her music awards include Outstanding Acoustic Solo Performance, Outstanding Folk & Rock Singer Vocalist, and Best Female Vocalist. She has shared the stage with the likes of: Warren Zevon, Osbourne, America, Jessie Colin Young, Livingston Taylor, Ellen DeGeneres, and many others. This year Donna was the Grand Marshal of the Columbus Italian Festival 2013 Parade. 1) Put together your fantasy band - it can contain any musicians dead or alive: My fantasy band all of whom are amongst the living would be: Steve Gadd on drums, Leland Sklar on bass, Billy Payne on keyboards, Rob McNelly on guitar – that I had the privilege of him playing on and producing my Out Of The Nest CD – and throw in local girl Kay Harris and my all-time favorite singer Bonnie Raitt on background vocals and I would be pretty much in heaven. 2) Tell us about your own top, most favorite musical performance: I have had so many wonderful musical performances but I'd have to say that my favorite was the release of my second CD – the Out of The Nest CD release concert at Little Brothers back in 1999. A lot of love was shown to me at that show. 3) Tell us about the most exciting musical concert/event you ever attended: I have seen many of my musical heroes but the ultimate was seeing Joni Mitchell in 1988 at the Palace Theatre. Second would be Paul McCartney and third, I saw YES twice. 4. What do you think is/are the most important issue(s) facing central Ohio: As far as the most important “issues” I feel are important to central Ohio would have to be our education system and the lack of education and awareness to drug and alcohol ADDICTION. I think our state has totally dropped the ball on education and our entire society just keeps sweeping addiction under the rug. I’m sure that addiction falls into the mental health category and we see where and what society has done with that...nothing. 5) What was it like living in Nashville and how would you compare it to Columbus? Between 1994/95 I bounced back and forth between Columbus and Nashville. In Nashville I was in hopes of someone liking my music well enough to give me some kind of higher recognition, a possible “record deal.” I was fortunate enough to have a few wonderful connections in the music industry down there and was introduced to David Pomeroy who was at the time recording with Trisha Yearwood. David liked my music well enough to work with me and play a songwriter showcase, but needless to say nothing became of that. I was too “rock” or “out of the box” for Nashville. This journey took me out to California. I played a lot out there and even won a local recording compilation contest with twelve others from the area. It was there I recorded my freshly written song “Vines.” In either of these places, although the industry is strong, playing and making any money is very difficult. Unlike Columbus I have been able to play here and make a very humble living that suits me just fine. I don’t feel the “competition” here that you have in Nashville or California. Donna performs every Thursday at Vittoria’s Italian Restaurant, 10241 Sawmill Parkway Powell, OH 43065, 6-9pm. Sunday, December 8th she’ll be at Woodlands Tavern, 1200 W. Third Ave., Columbus, OH 43212 from 2-5pm. On Friday, December 20th she’ll perform at the Wall Street Night Club’s “Ho Ho for Bravo” benefit concert for Buckeye Region Anti-Violence Organization 7:30- 9:30pm, 144 North Wall Street Columbus, Ohio, 43215.