Al Donahue, born Albert Francis Donahue on June 12, 1904, in Dorchester, Massachusetts, was a prominent American violinist and big band leader. He began playing the violin at the age of nine and pursued his education at Dorchester High School, Boston University Law School, and the New England Conservatory of Music. Despite his legal education, Donahue chose a career in music, leading campus bands in Boston and eventually forming his own ensemble at Boston's Weber Duck Inn in 1925. His band gained popularity, leading to engagements in Florida hotels and on Eastern Steamship ocean liners.

In the mid-1930s, Donahue substituted for Ray Noble as the bandleader at the Rainbow Room in Rockefeller Center. He transitioned from sweet pop music to swing, touring nationally and performing at prestigious venues such as the Palladium in Hollywood and Loew's State Theater in New York City. His band recorded extensively between 1935 and 1942, producing hits like "Jeepers Creepers," which reached #1 on the Billboard chart in 1938.

Donahue's band featured notable sidemen like Ray Anthony and vocalists such as Paula Kelly and Phil Brito. After World War II, he shifted towards light music and appeared in films like "Sweet Genevieve." He also became associated with luxury cruise ships, directing music for the Furness Bermuda Line and performing on ships like the Queen of Bermuda until 1963.

In his later years, Donahue settled in Oceanside, California, where he ran a music store until his death on February 20, 1983, in Fallbrook, California. He was married to Frederica Gallatin and had three children: Albert, Peter, and Nancy. Donahue left a legacy as a versatile musician and bandleader, known for his contributions to the big band era and his enduring association with luxury cruise entertainment.