Too Soon Gone : Remembering Rick Danko 23 Years On

December 10, 2022, makes 23 years since Rick Danko silently left this world. In a way, it is ironic that someone who was notorious for being described as a "bull in a china shop" would pass in such a quiet manner, but for such poor health that Rick had been in, it was not a surprise to those who knew him. Regardless, he is still tremendously missed by his family, friends, and generations of fans. Even though it has been over twenty years, the loss of such a beloved person hits as hard as if it were yesterday. 

When I first discovered Rick Danko, it was the day after his birthday in 2019. Growing up, I was familiar with The Band with songs such as "The Weight", "Up On Cripple Creek", and "The Night They Drove Old Dixie Down", but I had just assumed they had one lead singer. As much as I liked them, I never delved deep into discovering them beyond those songs for the most part. I did not even know who Levon Helm was. In December 2019, I can remember listening to a playlist of Christmas rock songs and "Christmas Must Be Tonight" came on. The sweetness of the voice singing that song grabbed me and made me fall in love with this new tune. It was different from the southern voice I was used to hearing from The Band. Fast forward to December 30, 2019, I see a photograph of Rick Danko from The Last Waltz. I can remember scrolling through my feed on Facebook, and I stopped when I saw him. He looked unreal with his soft features and a gentle countenance that showed right through. He was so different from any other rock and roll artist that I had seen before. I had to know more about him.

Thus started my hyperfixation on everything about who Rick Danko was, his life, music, and anything that I could consume about him. He was the most beautiful celebrity I had ever seen and somehow seemed to be even more so on the inside. His smile emitted radiant joy that shone through his eyes as well. Nothing about Rick seemed pretentious, snobby, or fake. He did not give off airs of being better than anyone, was not flashy, yet was larger than life in his own way. It almost seemed odd to coin him as a rockstar when that is in the same category as Mick Jagger, David Bowie, and Robert Plant. This man was constantly bouncing and moving on stage, but did not wear stage outfits as an alter ego, didn't egg the audience on with antics, nor did he put the spotlight on himself more than necessary.

Within him, I also found my masculinity. I was at a confusing point of trying to figure out who I was in terms of my presentation. The love for dressing vintage was coming back, but I did not see myself when I looked at the mod, glam, disco, and psychedelic 60s and 70s fashion. It seemed so complex, and I could not find my niche of where I fit in. When I saw more pictures of Rick from those decades, immediately I saw myself in his clothing. The vibrant colors he wore, the floral and western prints, hats, and boots with a soft knit cardigan all stood out to me. I am also inspired by Gram Parsons, Townes Van Zandt, and many other western and folk artists, but I saw myself finally in Rick Danko. He was fully masculine but in a soft way. He embraced beauty even in his clothing, and I wanted to embody that as well. Three years later he is still my biggest fashion inspiration. 

It seems strange to be so devoted as a fan to someone that unfortunately I never had the fortune of meeting. When I read the stories of people who met Rick, it leaves me to wonder if I could have had the courage to tell him all of the ways that he has inspired me. Most people who are a fan of The Band cite Levon Helm as their hero, and I can understand that. So, why is Rick Danko my hero?

He is my hero for writing songs of joy and childlike wonder even as a grown man.

He is my hero for having a joyful and vibrant personality that could light up the whole room and make people feel good about themselves. 

He is my hero for never judging anyone and building every person up.

He is my hero for not being afraid to be masculine yet completely eccentric wearing a bright pink shirt, crushed purple velvet blazer, or a fuschia blazer. 

He is my hero for being a master of bass and giving me a love for it for the first time ever. His playing was full of bounce and punch in just the right places of the song.

He is my hero for being able to sing high tenor, deep rich baritone, or the perfect middle harmony to accompany any voice, in any genre.

He is my hero for having a noticeable scar on his face for most of his life which helped me become comfortable with my own noticeable scar.

He is my hero for being neurodivergent as I am too.

He is my hero for being keenly aware of environmental issues since the 1970s and helping out with causes for a greener planet even until the end of his life. 

He is my hero for being willing to help out with any good cause for children and people in need. 

He is my hero for being the only celebrity I have NEVER seen a less than positive story about. No matter what, Rick was happy to see his fans, treated the common working man with the same amount of respect as a rich millionaire, and was known for giving his last dollar to tip a worker well. 

Lastly, he is my hero for being selfless, generous, considerate, humble, hilarious, positive, and loving no matter what was going on. Granted, there are arguments that perhaps he was too positive, but I think we can all learn a lot from Rick about trying to look for the good and positive regardless of the storm we are in. He inspires me immensely in that way and has helped me become a more optimistic person. The world would be a better place if we could all strive to be like him. Rick's headstone says "Forever young, forever loved", and I could not agree more. Thank you for everything you gave to the world and continue to do so, Rick Danko. 

There are two quotes that I am sure you all are familiar with but I would like to close with them anyways. These, I feel, capture the true essence of who he was as a person. 

"By doing something positive in this world, you're helping people and the future. We're all trying to help the world... make it a better place to live. We're actually still changing the world, aren't we?" 

"When we were younger we wanted to change the world. Now we're smart enough to know we're just here the help the neighborhood."