Donovan played some of the biggest shows in the 60s, showcasing his music on the most popular shows in the U.S. and the U.K. After the hippie movement dissolved sometime in the 70s, Donovan largely faded from sight. A boxed set of some of his best music, was released in 1992, bringing the attention to Donovan that had been lagging. The set, called Troubadour, included two CDs that included some unreleased songs and a booklet about his career. With this simple release, Donovan was rediscovered as the talent that he is. And with this rediscovery came a renewed demand for his music and new tours launched.

In recent years Donovan has embarked on several large tours, playing in venues of different sizes on both sides of the Atlantic. Most venues are colleges or small music festivals, but sometimes Donovan does play larger, more prestigious venues. Recently he put on a sold-out show at the Kodak Theater in Los Angeles.

Originally from Scotland, Donovan often plays in the U.K. and Ireland. The most recent tour in the U.K. was canceled for undisclosed reasons. There was no explanation given, though he did release a statement saying that it was not health related. Fans have been waiting for a revised tour schedule or an entirely new tour, but so far there has been no announcement.

Since the Troubadour release, there have been many CD releases, including at least two greatest hits CDs. He also recently released an album of all new music- Beat Cafe. This 2004 release is evocative of the original music that made him famous, but there is some attempt to keep up with the times. And, this is what keeps him popular with his fans- his music stays current, though he never completely betrays his style to compete with current musical styles. With his integrity intact, he still creates music that evokes peace and contemplation, and writes refrains that are bound to reverberate around the mind for weeks at a time.

The new releases and attention that Donovan's music has received has also gotten him prestigious honors. The University of Hertfordshire awarded him with their honorary Doctor of Letters degree.