Dan, a Southern Californian, escaped to Texas in 1984 hauling his passions - music and acting - with him. His parents, active choral singers, passed their love of music on to him.
His influences are diverse. Growing up, he listened to the crooners of the 40's to the rock and rollers of the 60's and 70's. In the early 70's he began listening to the country music of Hank Williams Jr., Merle Haggard, Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings. At the same time he discovered the country-rock fusion of Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen, Poco, Pure Prairie League and The Grateful Dead. He counts all of these artists and Elmore James, The Beatles, The Doors, and The Eagles as prime influences.
Dan started playing the piano at about age five. He moved to the organ a few years later, playing the pop and show tunes of the 40's, 50's and 60's. The 60's turned his eyes to the new sounds of the British invasion. He began writing his own songs about this time. On his dime year, he started playing the Alto and Tenor saxophone until he picked up the guitar at age thirteen. The guitar became is his instrument of choice and he never looked back.
In his teens, Dan performed with choral groups in church and school. He formed a comedic folk group, The Freedom Singers and performed in California. In the late 60's he toured the US, Canada and northern Europe with The Continental Singers. Dan was a singer and played guitar with the group.
When Dan relocated to Texas, he spent about a year in the blues scene until, almost accidentally, he discovered a Texas Songwriter circle hosted by T-Roy Miller. Dan started playing in T-Roy's band, Generation teX. They still perform together on occasion as the T-Roy and Dan Show.
Dan has performed extensively in the Dallas/Fort Worth area at such venues as The Sons of Hermann Hall, The Top Rail Ballroom, The White Elephant Saloon, Poor David's Pub, and Adair's. In addition, he has played around the state of Texas at The Texas Music Nation Celebration and Raz on the Braz in Rainbow, The Neon Spur in Wichita Falls, T-Roy's Pickin' in the Pines in Pine Mills, and The Old Quarter in Galveston. Dan is a popular entertainer at corporate events. His clients include IBM and Vinson Process Controls.
In the spring of 2002, Dan released his first solo album entitled, The Dragon. The project was produced by the legendary Tom Morrell and co-produced by Tim Alexander. Dan formed his band, Juvenile Senility, to take the album on the road. His shows are known for good-natured fun and his audiences dance their cares away to his music.
Dan has performed with several Texas songwriters and entertainers including Matt Martindale (Cooder Graw), Kevin Deal, Jim Suhler, Matt Hillyer (1100 Springs), Jay Johnson, Annie Benjamin, Becca Dalrymple, Randy Hopper, Bodie Powell, Rene Lawrence, Freddie Spears, and Rick Gerard. He has shared billing with some of the best in Texas music such as Billy Jo Shaver, Rusty Wier, Davin James, Terry Rasor, Cooder Graw, 1100 Springs, Brian Burns, Nathan Hamilton, Max Stalling, Ed Burleson, Mark David Manders, John Evans and Tommy
Alverson.
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