Dark Facts About Rick Danko, The Band’s Soulful Wild Man

His Life Was Tumultuous

“The Band” may sound like an unremarkable name for a legendary roots-rock group, and Rick Danko wasn’t exactly the flashy headline-grabbing frontman.

Shockingly, though, in his 56 short years on the planet, Danko managed to pack in more tragedy, addiction, drama, and danger than most rock stars could ever dream of.

Keep reading to uncover how the bassist from “the greatest band in the history of the universe”—as George Harrison called them—could have such a chaotic side…

1. He Had Humble Beginnings, Eh?

The Band are the pioneers of the Americana genre, but here’s a twist—four out of five members, including Rick Danko, were actually Canadian. Danko entered the world on December 23, 1943, in the now-vanished farming hamlet of Blayney, Ontario. His rural roots would provide him with heaping helpings of hillbilly cred—and his parents definitely enabled the habit…

Rick Danko performs Oakdale fairgrounds in Oakdale, California on January 1, 1978.

Larry Hulst, Getty Images

2. He Was Born Country

Music was in the Danko DNA and Rick’s parents encouraged him every step of the way. A sickly kid plagued by asthma, allergies, and ADHD (for which doctors prescribed anti-depressants), young Rick found his escape in music. To lift his spirits, his parents let him stay up late and listen to the Grand Ole Opry on the radio—and it worked.

By first grade, Danko was already setting the stage for future fame by serenading his classmates on the banjo like a pint-sized country star.

Photo of Rick Danko - circa 1970

Michael Ochs Archives, Getty Images

3. He Took A Leap

At just 14, Danko made a bold move—he dropped out of school to chase his musical dreams. Playing in a band with his brothers and a high school music teacher, he quickly became the talk of the local music scene.

His raw talent was hard to ignore, and it wasn’t long before someone influential took notice—someone with the power to catapult his career to the next level.

But, as Danko would soon learn, big breaks often bring even bigger challenges…

Rick Danko at Woodstock Reunion, Parr Meadows, Ridge, NY - 1979

Rtsanderson, CC BY-SA 3.0, Wikimedia Commons

4. His Dreams Were Coming True…For Now

Opportunity came knocking and for a teenage wannabe rock star, it didn’t get better than this. Danko’s band, The Starlights, caught the attention of none other than music legend Ronnie Hawkins, a powerhouse of the 1960s music scene.

Soon enough, The Starlights were opening for “Rompin’ Ronnie” himself, and 17-year-old Danko’s dreams seemed to be coming true.

But just when it looked like life couldn’t get any sweeter, things took a sharp turn.

Portrait of Ronnie Hawkins (aka The Hawk) - 1980

Gie Knaeps, Getty Images