Word reached me that Danny Billings passed. Most people don't know who Danny was, but for a brief shining moment, Danny was doing what I dreamed of doing...playing drums in a rock and roll band. Danny was the second drummer and a part of the most successful incarnation of the band Missouri.
Here's their story
Danny is the guy all the way to the right...think he had any problems with the ladies? He was also one of the first guys I met when I moved to Kansas City. I welcomed them on stage at Worlds of Fun right after I got there(at that venue I also announced Sammy Hagar and Mucheal Stanley) but,I digress. We became good friends and he was one of the nicest, most down to earth people I have ever met.
Apparently, he was killed in a car accident. He was 51.
4 comments:
Missouri was the very first band I ever saw at a real Rock concert when I was 15, as they opened Summer Rock '79 at Arrowhead, ahead of Sammy Hagar, The Cars, Heart, and my ex-idol Fred Nugent. I remember Mo. being a lot more well-received at that show than The Cars were.
I first got into Missouri by way of Kiss, ironically. Their first album came out when I was first starting to listen to album Rock radio, and I latched on to their song "Mystic Lady" one night in late '77 on KY-102 while waiting up to listen to 'Kiss Alive II' on the old "Midnight Album Hour"--remember THAT institution, my friend? That song has stuck with me ever since--very trippy tune and a very cool track. Not unlike The Rainmakers, it seemed like Missouri should've been destined for bigger and better things. RIP, Dan...
Similar for me too. I got off the air in Sedalia at 2:00 a.m. At the time I would sit and listen to Larry King on god only knows what station for a little while and just decompress. One night after a short King session, I heard Missouri on KY102 playing Mystic Lady. Awesome song at the time. The next day I contacted Chris Fritz about bringing the band to Sedalia for two shows...this had to be in '77/early '78. I toyed with a few concert promotions back then putting my own bucks on the line. We had two sold out nights and the place rocked in the old convention hall. Made a few bucks, partied way too much, and had one of those (two actually) nights of my life....oh to be young and stupid again. I still have the autographed albums.
I heard Missouri played on KSHE radio when I was in junior high school. Thanks for the blog, Randy, great stuff!
Dan didn't die in a car accident. His death was more tragically preventable than that. He is missed.
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