Donnie Maines is the youngest of four brothers who make up the Maines Brothers Band of Lubbock, Texas. They are carrying on a tradition begun in the 1950s by their father and uncles, the original Maines Brothers, who played country and western swing throughout West Texas. Donnie's older brothers Lloyd, Steve, and Kenny began playing a Sunday matinee dance at the Cotton Club on the outskirts of Lubbock while still in high school. When they brought the band together again in 1976, it was with Donnie on drums. The band has also featured Cary Banks, Richard Bowden, Jerry Brownlow, and Randy Brownlow.
In 1980, the Maines Brothers Band released Route 1, Acuff, and in 1981 their recording of Terry Allen's "Amarillo Highway" solidified their style of West Texas music. Two more independent albums, Hub City Moan and Panhandle Dancer, caught the attention of a producer at Mercury/Polygram records who signed them to a record contract in 1983. Their hit single "Everybody Needs Love On A Saturday Night" was released in 1984. From 1983 to 1986 the Maines Brothers toured across the country appearing with Alabama, Ronnie Milsap, Reba, Barbara Mandrell, Dr. Hook, The Judds, Brooks and Dunn, Steve Wariner, Jerry Jeff Walker, and others.
Two more independent albums followed their departure from Mercury/Polygram: Red, Hot and Blue in 1987 and Wind Storm in 1990. The Maines Brothers Band gathers annually in Lubbock for a reunion concert including many family members. Donnie, who described himself to the Lubbock Avalanche-Journal in 2017 as "still welding and building fence," tours churches to play gospel with two of his sons.
