Donnie Dacus

Last updated
Donnie Dacus
Birth nameJames O. Dacus
Born (1951-10-12) October 12, 1951 (age 72)
Pasadena, Texas, United States
Genres
Occupation(s)
Instrument(s) Acoustic and electric guitar, vocals

James O. "Donnie" Dacus (born October 12, 1951) is an American guitarist, vocalist, actor, songwriter, and co-producer. He has been a member of the rock bands Chicago and Badfinger.

Contents

Early life

Dacus grew up in Cleburne, Texas. By the age of 14, he was teaching guitar in the local music store and playing with a local band he organized called The Chantels. Eventually, the band changed its name to The Shux and won the Battle of the Bands in Dallas, Texas. Dacus was subsequently managed by the Beard Brothers out of Fort Worth, Texas. Dacus received his big break when he was discovered by the band The Yellow Payges in 1968 during a concert with Buffalo Springfield and The Beach Boys.

Career

Dacus has contributed to a number of artists' albums that went Gold, Platinum, and Multi-platinum as a singer, songwriter, and guitarist. Dacus’ background vocals may be heard on Billy Joel's "My Life". [1]

Dacus has worked and performed with a number of notable musicians, including Billy Joel, Boz Scaggs, Crosby, Stills, & Nash, [2] Neil Young, Stephen Stills (solo), [2] John Lennon, Elvin Bishop, REO Speedwagon, Steve Cropper, Kiki Dee, Elton John, Chicago, [3] The Turtles, Roger McGuinn, Badfinger, Bobby Womack, Edoardo Bennato, Mac Davis, Veronique Sanson, Bonnie Bramlett, Deep Purple, Ambrosia, Orleans, Berry Gordy of Motown's MoWest label group Odyssey, [4] Rick James, and Spirit.

Dacus has performed at major concert venues such as The Hollywood Bowl, Carnegie Hall, Kennedy Center, the Greek Theatre, Dick Clark Live, Pine Knob Music Festival, Merriweather Post Pavilion, Tanglewood, A Week In Central Park, Dr. Pepper Stage, King Biscuit's Concert Hour, Don Kirshner's Rock Concert, Midnight Special , The Olympia in Paris and Summerfest in Milwaukee, and Navy Pier at ChicagoFest, where more than 150,000 people attended. Dacus appeared on the front page of the Chicago Tribune and the cover of People magazine during his tenure with the group Chicago, who garnered the Hollywood Walk of Fame award.

Dacus starred as Woof in the film version of Hair , co-starring Treat Williams, Beverly D'Angelo, Annie Golden, and John Savage, and directed by Academy Award winner Miloš Forman. Hair opened the Cannes Film Festival in 1979 and was nominated for two Golden Globe Awards.

Dacus debuted with Chicago following the death of founding member Terry Kath. The first album he appeared on ( Hot Streets ) went to No. 12 and platinum. He also was in the lineup for Chicago 13 . After the 1979 tour in support of Chicago 13, he was released from the band without an announcement. It was the start of a period of personnel changes for Chicago.

In 1982, Dacus joined Badfinger with Tom Evans, Mike Gibbins, and Bob Jackson, plus Reed Kailing, who had been lead guitarist with the Grass Roots.

In 2016, Dacus returned to the spotlight after years away from the music industry by reuniting with several former bandmates. In January 2016, he appeared as a guest guitarist alongside former Chicago vocalist and bassist Peter Cetera at a concert at Magic City in Miami, Florida. [5] In April 2016, Dacus appeared as a special guest guitarist alongside former Chicago drummer Danny Seraphine and former Chicago percussionist Laudir de Oliveira, in a performance following Chicago's 2016 induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. [6]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Badfinger</span> Welsh rock band

Badfinger were a Welsh rock band formed in 1961 in Swansea. Their best-known lineup consisted of Pete Ham (guitar), Mike Gibbins (drums), Tom Evans (bass), and Joey Molland (guitar). They are recognised for their influence on the 1970s power pop genre. It is estimated that the band sold 14 million records.

Chicago is an American rock band formed in Chicago in 1967. The group began calling themselves the Chicago Transit Authority in 1968, then shortened the name in 1969. Self-described as a "rock and roll band with horns," their songs often also combine elements of classical music, jazz, R&B, and pop music.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Terry Kath</span> American guitarist and singer (1946–1978)

Terry Alan Kath was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter who is best known as a founding member of the rock band Chicago. He played lead guitar and sang lead vocals on many of the band's early hit singles alongside Robert Lamm and Peter Cetera. He has been praised by his bandmates and other musicians for his guitar skills and his Ray Charles–influenced vocal style. Jimi Hendrix cited Terry Kath as one of his favorite guitarists, and considered Kath to be "the best guitarist in the universe".

<i>Chicago Transit Authority</i> (album) 1969 studio album by Chicago

Chicago Transit Authority is the debut studio album by the American rock band Chicago, known at the time of release as Chicago Transit Authority. It was recorded and released in April 1969 and became a sleeper hit, reaching number 17 on the Billboard 200 by 1971. Chicago Transit Authority spawned several successful singles, including "Does Anybody Really Know What Time It Is?", "Questions 67 and 68" and "Beginnings". The album stayed on the Billboard chart for 171 weeks, beating the previous record for a rock album's longevity of 155 weeks and has been certified double platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). For this inaugural recording effort, the group was nominated for a Grammy Award for 1969 Best New Artist of the Year. The album was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame in 2014.

<i>Chicago XI</i> 1977 studio album by Chicago

Chicago XI is the ninth studio album by the American rock band Chicago. It was released on September 12, 1977 through Columbia Records. It was both the last to feature guitarist and vocalist Terry Kath prior to his death in a gun accident just over four months later, and the last to be produced by longtime associate of the band James William Guercio.

<i>Hot Streets</i> 1978 studio album by Chicago

Hot Streets is the tenth studio album by the American rock band Chicago, released on October 2, 1978, by Columbia Records. This was the band's first album with all-new material released since their second that did not have a numbered title. It was also the first album not to feature original guitarist/vocalist Terry Kath, who died from an accidental self-inflicted gunshot wound in January 1978. He was replaced by Donnie Dacus on this album.

<i>Chicago 13</i> 1979 studio album by Chicago

Chicago 13 is the eleventh studio album by American rock band Chicago, released on August 13, 1979, by Columbia Records. Chicago 13 was the band's final release featuring lead guitarist Donnie Dacus, who had followed the late founding member, guitarist Terry Kath. All band members contributed to the songwriting.

<i>Chicago XIV</i> 1980 studio album by Chicago

Chicago XIV is the twelfth studio album by American rock band Chicago, released on July 21, 1980. Recorded at a time of waning interest in the band, Chicago XIV remains one of Chicago's poorest-selling albums, failing to reach Gold certification by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), and was deemed a commercial flop. It is also notable for being their last studio album with Columbia Records, and the last one to feature percussionist Laudir de Oliveira.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Exodus (band)</span> American thrash metal band

Exodus is an American thrash metal band formed in 1979 in Richmond, California. Their current lineup consists of guitarists Gary Holt and Lee Altus, bassist Jack Gibson, drummer Tom Hunting, and lead vocalist Steve "Zetro" Souza. There are no original members left in Exodus other than Hunting, who has departed from the band twice, in 1989 and 2004, but rejoined in 2007. Exodus is also notable for including a then-unknown Kirk Hammett, who was the band's lead guitarist from its inception to his departure in 1983, when he left to join fellow Bay Area thrash metal band Metallica as Dave Mustaine's replacement. Holt has been most consistent member throughout various lineup changes and breakups, and is the only member to appear on all of Exodus' recordings. Much of the band's career has also been affected by feuds between both band members and record companies, two extended hiatuses, deaths of former band members and drug addictions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Molly Hatchet</span> American Southern rock band

Molly Hatchet is an American rock band formed by guitarist Dave Hlubek in Jacksonville, Florida in 1971. They experienced popularity and commercial success during the late 1970s and early to mid-1980s amongst southern rock and hard rock communities and listeners. The band released six studio albums on Epic Records between 1978 and 1984, including the platinum-selling hit records Molly Hatchet (1978), Flirtin' with Disaster (1979), and Beatin' the Odds (1980). They also had charting singles on the US Billboard charts, including "Flirtin' with Disaster", "The Rambler", "Bloody Reunion" and "Satisfied Man". Molly Hatchet has released many more studio albums since their split with Epic Records in 1985, although none have been as successful as their early albums, nor have charted in the United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Danny Seraphine</span> American drummer

Daniel Peter Seraphine is an American drummer, record producer, theatrical producer, and film producer. He is best known as the original drummer and a founding member of the rock band Chicago, a tenure which lasted from February 1967 to May 1990.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Bill Champlin</span> American musician (born 1947)

William Bradford Champlin is an American singer, keyboardist, guitarist and songwriter. He formed the band Sons of Champlin in 1965, which still performs today, and was a member of the rock band Chicago from 1981 to 2009. He performed lead vocals on three of Chicago's biggest hits of the 1980s, 1984's "Hard Habit to Break" and 1988's "Look Away" and "I Don't Wanna Live Without Your Love". During live shows, he sang the lower, baritone, vocal parts originally performed by founding guitarist Terry Kath, who had died in 1978. He has won multiple Grammy Awards for songwriting.

Laudir Soares de Oliveira was a Brazilian musician and producer mostly renowned for his time as percussionist with the band Chicago.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">No Tell Lover</span> 1978 single by Chicago

"No Tell Lover" is a song written by Lee Loughnane, Danny Seraphine, and Peter Cetera for the group Chicago and recorded for their album Hot Streets (1978), with Cetera and Donnie Dacus singing lead vocals. The second single released from that album, it reached No. 14 on the U.S. Billboard Hot 100 chart and No. 5 on the adult contemporary chart.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Billy Idol</span> British-American singer and songwriter

William Michael Albert Broad, known professionally as Billy Idol, is an English-American singer, songwriter, musician and actor. He first achieved fame in the 1970s emerging from the London punk rock scene as the lead singer of the group Generation X. Subsequently, he embarked on a solo career which led to international recognition and made Idol a lead artist during the MTV-driven "Second British Invasion" in the US. The name "Billy Idol" was inspired by a schoolteacher's description of him as "idle".

Robert Gary Smith is an American musician and songwriter. He was a member of Chase and a founding member of Survivor. Smith has also performed or recorded with B.B. King, Joe Williams, Vic Damone, Patrick Leonard, Leslie West (Mountain), Steve Forman, Will Lee, Elliott Randall, Bobby Kimball, Tommy Shaw, Darryl Jones, Jim Peterik, John Gary, Bruce Gaitsch, Eric Miyashiro, Clark Terry, Chuck Findley, Larry Carlton, Jaco Pastorius and many others.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jeff Kollman</span> Musical artist

Jeffrey "Jeff" Kollman is an American guitarist and occasional bassist from Toledo, Ohio, best known for his work with Chad Smith's Bombastic Meatbats, Glenn Hughes, UFO offshoot Mogg/Way, progressive rock trio, Cosmosquad, and his 90s progressive metal band, Edwin Dare.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dakota (American band)</span>

Dakota is an American based melodic rock group, initially active during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Dakota first achieved moderate success with their 1979 self-titled album Dakota, but the band's popularity increased rapidly while performing as the opening act for Queen on their 1980–1981 The Game Tour. The band released their second and best-selling AOR album, titled Runaway, in 1984. The band experienced several line-up changes during the 1980s and eventually stopped performing in 1987. During the 1990s and 2000s original member Jerry Hludzik continued to record a number of records under the Dakota name, featuring guest musicians, friends and also his son Eli Hludzik. In 2014, original members Jerry Hludzik and Bill Kelly reunited and teamed up with Jon Lorance and Eli Hludzik to record a new Dakota album titled Long Road Home, which was released on October 30, 2015.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mike DelGuidice</span> American musician associated with Billy Joel

Michael DelGuidice is an American musician, best known as rhythm guitarist and vocalist of Billy Joel's band, and as the lead vocalist and pianist for the Long Island band Big Shot. He had played 15 years as a Billy Joel cover artist and later joined Joel's band at Joel's invitation in 2013.

References

  1. Bielen, Ken (2011). The Words and Music of Billy Joel. ABC-CLIO. p. 49. ISBN   9780313380174 . Retrieved 8 September 2014.
  2. 1 2 Souza, Charlie; Souza, Chip (2011). Live Your Dream. Charlie Souza. p. 139. ISBN   9781618423276 . Retrieved 8 September 2014.
  3. Seraphine, Danny (2010). Street Player: My Chicago Story. John Wiley & Sons. pp. 171–172. ISBN   9780470625736 . Retrieved 8 September 2014.
  4. Betts, Graham (2014). Motown Encyclopedia. AC Publishing. p. 430. ISBN   9781311441546 . Retrieved 8 September 2014.
  5. "Instagram". Instagram.com. Archived from the original on 13 September 2012. Retrieved 15 January 2021.
  6. "eventerbee.com" . Retrieved 2016-05-14.[ dead link ]