Donnie Dacus
Encyclopedia
Donnie Dacus is a musician best known for his work in the band Chicago
and his role as Woof Daschund in the 1979 movie Hair
.
on October 12, 1951.
His music endeavor began in a teenage band called The Shux, in honor of Jimi Hendrix
. In 1966, the band played at a Mardi Gras in Fort Worth, Texas. After graduating from Cleburne High, Dacus left the band to record with another band, the Yellow Payges.
album, doing background vocals and playing rhythm guitar. A few years later, he teamed up with Stephen Stills
for several projects. On Stills
Dacus has two writing credits, and on Illegal Stills
he is featured prominently.
In 1978, Dacus was cast as Woof, a supporting character in the movie Hair
, and about the same time, jazz-rock band Chicago
selected him as a replacement guitarist and vocalist after the death of Terry Kath
. His debut with Chicago (Hot Streets
) went to #12 and platinum, but not without controversy amongst the fans. Dacus also was in the lineup for Chicago 13, which was the least commercially successful of the band's albums to that point. After the 1979 tour in support of Chicago 13, Dacus was dropped from the band for undisclosed reasons. Chicago used session guitarists for Chicago XIV, then added guitarist Chris Pinnick as a full-blown member following his studio work on Chicago 16.
In 1982 Dacus resurfaced, joining Badfinger
for a tour, and in the late 80s, he was involved in the Broadway musical Cats
.
Chicago (band)
Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...
and his role as Woof Daschund in the 1979 movie Hair
Hair (film)
Hair is a 1979 American film adaptation of the 1968 Broadway musical of the same name about a Vietnam war draftee who meets and befriends a tribe of long-haired hippies on his way to the army induction center...
.
Early life
Don Dacus was born in Galena Park, TexasGalena Park, Texas
Galena Park is a city in Harris County, Texas within the Houston–Sugar Land–Baytown metropolitan area. The population was 10,887 at the 2010 census.-History:...
on October 12, 1951.
His music endeavor began in a teenage band called The Shux, in honor of Jimi Hendrix
Jimi Hendrix
James Marshall "Jimi" Hendrix was an American guitarist and singer-songwriter...
. In 1966, the band played at a Mardi Gras in Fort Worth, Texas. After graduating from Cleburne High, Dacus left the band to record with another band, the Yellow Payges.
Career
Dacus's career began in the mid seventies, playing guitar on Chris Hillman's 1976 album, "Slippin' Away". He also worked on Crosby, Stills, and Nash's CSNCSN (album)
CSN is a Crosby, Stills & Nash album released in 1977, the fifth album by the group, and the first without Neil Young since his entry into the band...
album, doing background vocals and playing rhythm guitar. A few years later, he teamed up with Stephen Stills
Stephen Stills
Stephen Arthur Stills is an American guitarist and singer/songwriter best known for his work with Buffalo Springfield and Crosby, Stills & Nash . He has performed on a professional level in several other bands as well as maintaining a solo career at the same time...
for several projects. On Stills
Stills (album)
Stills is a 1975 studio album by Stephen Stills. It is his third solo album and his first release on Columbia Records.Stills began recording a solo album in 1973 under the tentative title As I Come of Age, and it was "almost completed" by February 1974...
Dacus has two writing credits, and on Illegal Stills
Illegal Stills
Illegal Stills is a Stephen Stills album released in 1976.-Track listing:#"Buyin' Time" – 3:36#"Midnight in Paris" – 4:00#"Different Tongues" – 3:09...
he is featured prominently.
In 1978, Dacus was cast as Woof, a supporting character in the movie Hair
Hair (film)
Hair is a 1979 American film adaptation of the 1968 Broadway musical of the same name about a Vietnam war draftee who meets and befriends a tribe of long-haired hippies on his way to the army induction center...
, and about the same time, jazz-rock band Chicago
Chicago (band)
Chicago is an American rock band formed in 1967 in Chicago, Illinois. The self-described "rock and roll band with horns" began as a politically charged, sometimes experimental, rock band and later moved to a predominantly softer sound, becoming famous for producing a number of hit ballads. They had...
selected him as a replacement guitarist and vocalist after the death of Terry Kath
Terry Kath
Terry Alan Kath , born in Chicago, Illinois, was the original guitarist and founding member of the rock band Chicago...
. His debut with Chicago (Hot Streets
Hot Streets
Hot Streets is the 12th album by American rock band Chicago and released in 1978. In many ways, Hot Streets marked the beginning of a new era for the band...
) went to #12 and platinum, but not without controversy amongst the fans. Dacus also was in the lineup for Chicago 13, which was the least commercially successful of the band's albums to that point. After the 1979 tour in support of Chicago 13, Dacus was dropped from the band for undisclosed reasons. Chicago used session guitarists for Chicago XIV, then added guitarist Chris Pinnick as a full-blown member following his studio work on Chicago 16.
In 1982 Dacus resurfaced, joining Badfinger
Badfinger
Badfinger were a British rock band consisting originally of Pete Ham, Ron Griffiths, Mike Gibbins and Tom Evans, active from 1968 to 1983, and evolving from The Iveys, formed by Ham, Griffiths and David "Dai" Jenkins in Swansea, Wales, in the early 1960s. Joey Molland joined the group in 1969,...
for a tour, and in the late 80s, he was involved in the Broadway musical Cats
Cats (musical)
Cats is a musical composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber, based on Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats by T. S. Eliot...
.