Delve Into Danko

After Bob Dylan's motorcycle accident, The Band (minus Robbie Robertson and Levon Helm) found themselves settled into their new home that Rick Danko found called Big Pink. Rick lovingly remembers, "Big Pink was our clubhouse. Richard did all of the cooking, Garth washed all the dishes because he didn't trust anyone else to do them, and I took the garbage to the dump and kept the fireplace going with split logs.". Bob Dylan paid the boys weekly while they settled in, and they saw it as a chance to finally relax after being on the road nonstop from their time in the Hawks and then the Bob tour. During this period, Rick also got a dog from Bob Dylan named Hamlet. Hamlet was a huge dog (thought to have been a poodle mix), and Bob was having a hard time training him and breaking the nippy habit. While he was having a hard time training his Saint Bernard as well, Rick felt a pull towards Hamlet and was sympathetic to his messy fur and living outside since Bob kicked him out...

                                                                                                  Rick with Bob 1965                                                                         In August 1965, The Hawks received a phone call that would set the course for the biggest change for the rest of their lives. Bob Dylan called them stating that he needed backup for his performance at the Hollywood Bowl. Initially, Bob was only looking for a drummer and a guitarist, so his interest was only in Levon Helm and Robbie Robertson. The phone call ended in interest but ...