Donnie Sutherland

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Donald "Donnie" Sutherland OAM (b. 1946) is an Australian radio and television presenter, best known for being the host of "Sounds" on Australian television between 1975 and 1987. Sutherland has also worked extensively as a television producer and music journalist, and he is closely associated with the Australian greyhound racing industry.

Sutherland was born in Fairfield, NSW in 1946. He commenced an apprenticeship as a horse jockey in the early 1960's but increasing weight and an increasing interest in music ended this career after four years. Between the mid and the late 1960's Sutherland completed numerous recordings with various ensembles. He released his first solo single entitled "Fairy Land" in 1969; this recording was notable for being the first stereo single to be recorded in Australia.

In the early 1970's Sutherland began his career as a radio disc-jockey with 2UW in Sydney. Around the same time Sutherland began writing for the influential music magazine "GO-SET", where Molly Meldrum was a colleague.

In 1975 Sutherland was engaged to be the host of Channel 7's music show Sounds Unlimited (the name would later be shortened to "Sounds"). This show was to run for three hours every Saturday morning for twelve years until 1987, and was the only successful competitor during that period to the ABC's Countdown.

At the conclusion of his tenure with "Sounds", Sutherland worked with the emerging Sky Channel until 1991.

In 2000, Sutherland was awarded the Order or Australia for his services to the Entertainment industries and for his charity work.