While still a teenager Donald (Dee Bee) Burnside was the leader of Soul Odyssey which landed Donald his first record deal “No One Else Pt 1” with Memphis based Hi/London Records. Shortly thereafter, Donald co-produced two (2) GOLD albums with Darryl Cameron aka Captain Sky, “The Adventures of Captain Sky”, and “Pop Goes The Captain” for AVI Records. Other productions/arrangements by Donald featured on AVI Records included Davis Import's "DJ Devlish" and Air Power’s “Welcome to the Disco”. Donald also arranged and co-produced Captain Sky’s 3rd album “Concerned Party #1 For Philly’s TEC Records. Donald continued to land numerous production deals and arranging/orchestrating assignments with Mercury Records, Elaine & Ellen “The Look of Love”, Atlantic Records, Yvonne Gage “Garden of Eve”, Sugarhill Records, The Moments/Harry Ray, “Lost Affair”, Private Eye Records, The Dells “I Am Your Man", Brunswick Records, First Love “Don’t Say Goodnight”.

A stint in the disco monster group El Coco found Donald leading the band as “El Coco” where he toured the world performing the group's million selling hits like, "Let's Get It Together" and "The Cocomotion". A highly in-demand Arranger, Conductor and, Composer, Donald’s lush orchestrations and blazing horn licks contributed to the rise of the Disco Phenomenon. Commonly known as “the Quincy Jones of Chicago”, artists from around the globe would come to Chicago to incorporate Donald’s majestic arrangements and the sounds of The Chicago Symphony Orchestra; a sure fire-receipt for chart-making success.

A gifted and eclectic writer, Donald was capable of commanding any musical genre, jazz, Cleveland Eaton/Count Basie Band, soul, Willie Clayton, R&B, The Chi-lites, Jerry Butler, Gene Chandler, house , disco, pop, and down-home blues James Cotton. Donald’s syncopated horn arrangements are the highlight of many of Chicago’s biggest and well known local hit artists like Wrecking Crew “Pixie Dust”. In the eighties Donald was a Production Associate with Tom Tom 84 that included projects such as The Jacksons, Earth, Wind & Fire, The Emotions, and Pockets.

Possessing a unique blend of creative skills and executive business acumen, Donald joined Columbia/Epic Records (now Sony Entertainment, Inc.) where with mentor Granville “Granny” White Donald contributed to the success of superstars, Michael Jackson, Luther Vandross, Ronnie Isley (Mr. Big), and Babyface. Donald also co-helmed Chycago International/CBS Records along with Granville White and son Maurice (M. Glen) White. This collaboration produced chart success with Yvonne Gage, Superior Movement, First Love, and Ossie III.

Versed in all phases of publishing, Donald’s company affiliations; Burnt Out Music, Prodigy Productions, Burning White Productions and the Cloak & Dagger Group negotiated and signed global deals with Paramount, Cotillion Music, CBS Songs, SBK Entertainment World Johnny P “Connect The Dots” and Vintertainment/Elektra Record Romeo And “Romeo & You". Transcontinental travels became a fundamental part of Donald’s professional endeavors.

Donald’s own record labels West Madison Street Records, Triple T Records, After Five Records helped to launch the Chicago House music phenomenon with hits albums, West Madison Street "Throw Down" and West Madison Street "Hoe Down", which featured various hip-hop and house music artist from Chicago’s vast landscape of talent like; “House It Up” by Hokus Pokus, “You Bring Me Up” by Captain Sky, “Chocolate Lover” by Donnell Pitman, “Ooh Baby Baby” by Romeo, “You Keep Me Hanging On” by Velia Thompson and “What Love Has Joined Together” by Essence.

Loaning his talents to Madison Avenue, Donald arranged commercials for Comtrak, a leading Chicago jingle-production house. Jolly Green Giant, Sunkist, McDonald’s and Amoco are only a few of the Fortune 500 assignments that Donald’s arrangements contributed to their multi-media campaigns. Luster Product’s “S-Curl-The Man’s Look” and McDonald’s “Big Mac’s 25th Anniversary” spots all produced, arranged and conducted by Donald, were awarded the industry’s highest honor a Cleo.

Throughout his career Donald’s music industry consulting firm R&R Management has interfaced with music moguls Charles Koppleman, Marty Bandier, Jerry Greenberg, Bob Jaimason, Mel Iberman, Doug Morris, Tommy Mottola, Clive Davis, Ron Yettnikoff, Tony Martell, Irv Azoff, Ron Alexenburg, Sidney Herman, Jules Rifkin and Irving Robinson. Other clients included super-producers Teddy Riley and Gene Griffin developing production budgets and marketing strategies for platinum artists Guy, Bobby Brown, Whitney Houston, Today, Boy George, Stephanie Mills, Basic Black and Rex 'N Effect.

As a Managing Director with Wake Up Music, one of the industry's top independent urban promotion/marketing firms, Donald has loaned his talents toward the success of MC Hammer, Keith Sweat, Master P, Erykah Badu, 2-Pac, Snoop Dog, So So Def Records, Notorious B.I.G., Dru Hill, R Kelly, Destiny’s Child, Tony Braxton, Outkast, Backstreet Boys, Nelly, DMX, and Alicia Keys.