Richard Clare "Rick" Danko (December 29 1943 - December 10, 1999) (his birthdate is often mistakenly listed as 1942) was a musician and singer from Green's Corners, near Simcoe, Ontario, probably best known as the bass player and one of three lead singers of The Band. At the age of 14 (1957) Danko booked himself as an opening act for ronnie hawkins, & his band The Hawks. Hawkins asked Danko to join his band as a rythym guitarist, though later he would have Danko learn the bass, and by 1960 was Hawkins' bassist.