Rick Danko was one of the founding members of the Band, a legendary group that blended rock, folk, country, and blues into a unique and influential sound. He was also a talented singer and songwriter, who contributed lead vocals to some of the Band’s most memorable songs, such as “The Weight”, “Stage Fright”, and “It Makes No Difference”. But his life and career were cut short by a tragic and unexpected death in 1999. What was the cause of his death, and how did it affect his family, friends, and fans? Here is a brief overview of Rick Danko’s life and death.
Early Years and Musical Beginnings
Rick Danko was born on December 29, 1943, in Blayney, Ontario, Canada, near the town of Simcoe. He came from a musical family of Ukrainian descent, and grew up listening to country music, gospel, and R&B on the radio. He learned to play the banjo at an early age, and made his musical debut in front of his first-grade classmates. He dropped out of school at 14 to pursue a career in music, and joined a local band called the Starlights, which played country and R&B at various events.
At 17, he auditioned for Ronnie Hawkins, a rockabilly singer who had a backing band called the Hawks. He was hired as a rhythm guitarist, but soon switched to bass after learning the instrument from another member of the Hawks, Rebel Paine. He also became one of the lead singers of the group, along with Levon Helm and Richard Manuel. The Hawks also included Robbie Robertson on lead guitar and Garth Hudson on keyboards and saxophone.
The Hawks toured extensively with Hawkins across Canada and the US, playing a mix of rockabilly, blues, and R&B. They developed a reputation as a tight and energetic live act, but also grew restless under Hawkins’ control. In 1963, they decided to leave Hawkins and form their own band. They continued to call themselves the Hawks for a while, but also experimented with different names, such as Levon and the Hawks, the Canadian Squires, and the Crackers.
Working with Bob Dylan and Becoming the Band
In 1965, the Hawks were hired by Bob Dylan to be his backing band for his controversial transition from folk to electric rock. They faced hostile audiences who booed and heckled Dylan for betraying his acoustic roots. The Hawks stood by Dylan’s side, providing him with a solid and powerful musical support. They also accompanied him on his famous 1966 world tour, which was documented in the film Dont Look Back.
During this period, the Hawks also started to work on their own material, influenced by their diverse musical backgrounds and their exposure to different genres and cultures. They rented a house in West Saugerties, New York, which they nicknamed Big Pink because of its pink color. There they recorded dozens of songs with Dylan, some of which were later released as The Basement Tapes. They also recorded their own songs without Dylan, which became the basis for their debut album as the Band.
The Band chose their name as a simple and modest way to identify themselves after working as sidemen for so long. They also wanted to distance themselves from the psychedelic trends of the late 1960s, and create a more organic and rootsy sound that reflected their rural upbringing and influences. Their first album, Music from Big Pink (1968), was a critical success that showcased their distinctive blend of rock, folk, country, and blues. It also featured some of Danko’s best vocal performances on songs like “The Weight”, “Caledonia Mission”, and “This Wheel’s on Fire”.
The Band followed up with their self-titled second album in 1969 (also known as The Brown Album), which was equally acclaimed and contained more classics like “The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down”, “Up on Cripple Creek”, “Rag Mama Rag”, and “King Harvest (Has Surely Come)”. The Band became one of the most respected and influential groups of their era, admired by peers like Eric Clapton
