Career
His major recordings included "Doctor Heckle and Mr. Jibe" with the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra with Johnny Mercer, "Stage Fright" with Carl Kress, "Chasin" a Buck", "Feelin" Number Pain", recorded in 1927 with Red Nichols, and "Chicken a la Swing". McDonough played with Red Nichols in 1927 as a banjoist, and soon after played with Paul Whiteman.
After exchanging banjo for guitar, he did extensive work as a session musician in the 1930s and played with Jimmy and Tommy Dorsey, The Boswell Sisters, Joe Venuti, Benny Goodman, Miff Mole, Adrian Rollini, Red Norvo, Jack Teagarden, Johnny Mercer, Billie Holiday, Pee Wee Russell, Frankie Trumbauer, Glenn Miller, and Gene Gifford among others
He and Carl Kress recorded as a guitar duet in the mid-1930s as well. He played in the Jam Session at Victor with Fats Waller, Tommy Dorsey, Bunny Berigan, and George Wettling.
McDonough was an alcoholic and died as a result of this in 1938. Dick McDonough compositions included "Doctor Heckle and Mr.
Jibe", which was recorded by the Dorsey Brothers Orchestra with Johnny Mercer on vocals, "Chicken a la Swing", "Stage Fright", "Chasin" a Buck", and "Danzon".