Grounded in blues music learned from his father, a steel worker who played blues guitar at weekends,[4] McDonald spent his early days playing jazz, doo-wop, and gospel, and eventually relocated to New York City as a teenager with his band of friends, called The Entertainers.

[2][3] McDonald formed the group Wood Brass & Steel in 1973 with bass guitarist Doug Wimbish and drummer Harold Sargent.

After leaving Sugarhill, McDonald, Wimbish, and drummer Keith LeBlanc began working with Adrian Sherwood, and eventually formed the trio into the industrial/dub group Tackhead, initially fronted by Gary Clail and later Bernard Fowler.

[2] In the 1990s, McDonald assumed the moniker "Little Axe" and began moving from hip hop to a form of blues that drew from an array of musical influences, including dub, R&B, gospel, and jazz.

With Will Downing With Harold Melvin & the Blue Notes With Melba Moore With Sinéad O'Connor With The O'Jays With Brenda K. Starr With Candi Staton With Donna Summer