In the center of the frame, Donato leans casually against the dark railing of what appears to be the bed of a pickup truck. He is dressed in a classic Western-inspired outfit, featuring a wide-brimmed cream cowboy hat, a dark denim jacket worn over a light-colored button-down shirt, and dark jeans. His long, wavy brown hair falls to his shoulders, and he looks directly at the camera with a calm, steady expression.

The background features a vast, vibrant green field that stretches toward a line of dense, leafy trees under a bright blue sky filled with fluffy white clouds. The natural, high-key lighting enhances the "Cosmic Country" aesthetic, blending traditional Americana with a modern, airy feel. — Daniel Donato Credit: Jason Stoltzfus

By the time the fifth studio album emerges, a lot of artists have pretty much found their sound. But not country wunderkind Daniel Donato.

On last summer’s Horizons, the 30-year-old “cosmic country” pioneer (both the name of his backing band, and a subgenre that’s ever-evolving and picking up inspiration from all corners of country music) didn’t take the helm on songwriting, and made it a team effort with his band. Some tunes were even tested in front of crowds on previous tours before anything was solidified. The result was a 15-tracker that leans more into Americana and honky-tonk territory, kicked up a notch with Donato’s frenetic-as-ever guitar work.

The Nashville axeman’s trip to the line-dancing capital of Largo comes almost exactly five years to the date after his Tampa debut at the now-shuttered Ybor City location of Orpheum, which turned out to be one of the very first shows back from COVID-19 restrictions. And Donato has been playing some pretty long shows this year (and we’re talking Springsteen long), so maybe give the babysitter an advance before heading out to Largo next Friday night.

Ahead of the show, Donato told Creative Loafing Tampa Bay about the album that changed everything for him. Read his full quote below.

One album that set me free was the Willie Nelson Stardust album. This is Willie Nelson’s most successful selling album commercially, yet with the least contribution of original songwriting gifts from his brilliant and unique perspective, as the album is all recreations of old American Jazz standards. The approach of this album is very delicate yet concise. The literal volume dynamic of each instrument, whether that be the drums, the bass, the organ, Willie on Trigger, and Mickey on harmonica, is all so hauntingly low. From the moment I heard this album, the track “Blue Skies” has been in my soul and in my mind nearly every day since.

A moment that really brought this album to life for me was when I had the opportunity to speak with Mickey Raphael about the production of Stardust. It seems that everything about this album points to the motto of “letting it happen.” It is as smooth as glass, yet as vast as the heavens themselves. Whenever I desire to feel freedom, I turn on Willie Nelson’s Stardust. —Daniel Donato

Tickets to see Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country play Largo’s Cowboys Dance Hall on Friday, April 10 are still available and cost $38.18.