At the outset, I must thank Colin Keller for providing me with a draft on the great country rock band, Danny and the Dusters.
Recently, Danny and the Dusters band members celebrated 25 years together as one of the top groups in the Battlefords and, indeed, Saskatchewan. The band came together in 1991. To date, Danny and the Dusters have approximately 800 live performances to their credit. A great deal of the band’s gigs were in northwest Saskatchewan, but a fair number of bookings included places like Calgary, Edmonton, Moose Jaw and Buffalo Narrows for example. The band also collaborated on two “Best of the West” CD compilations which included original recordings and a cover for each CD.
Original band members who are still with the band include Dan Wilgenbusch on lead vocals and rhythm electric guitar and Colin Keller on vocals, bass guitar and keyboards. Other members include David Weber on vocals and lead guitar, and Sheldon Revet on vocals and drums. Past members included Larry Knoble on vocals and drums (1991 – 1996), John Thompson on lead guitar (1991 – 1995), and Darryl Gruber on drums (1996 – 1999).
Over the years, Danny and the Dusters has opened for some truly great bands – Dr. Hook, the Good Brothers, Brad Johner, Derek Ruttan and Eric Lines to name a few. Danny and the Dusters are able to play practically any kind of venue – rodeos, cabarets, weddings, for example – which speaks to the versatility of the band. The band also exercised a high degree of social responsibility and has raised many thousands of dollars for various charities and fund raisers.
Over the past few years, Danny and the Dusters provided the entertainment for many communities 100th anniversaries throughout northwest Saskatchewan. The band found this extremely gratifying – a great experience to see communities come together to celebrate.
Occasionally a band experiences a truly memorable event. On one occasion, they were playing a wedding in Davidson. The wedding pictures showcased a large tornado in the background. Colin remarked that they missed the twister by about 20 minutes.
Danny and the Dusters have over 300 songs in their repertoire. The band has always taken pride in playing its best (consistently sounding its best) regardless of the venue. They have a wide range of tunes – something to please everyone.
The band would like to thank the public for its great support over the years. They look forward to continuing to entertain for many years to come.
Colin Keller’s musical involvement was not limited to Danny and the Dusters. He also headed a great family band (the Keller Family Band).
Colin related that the Keller Family Band enjoyed a great six year run playing many different gatherings including dances, birthday parties and anniversaries. Colin noted that, “Although our kids have grown, and some have moved out, they all have an intense love of music. All of our kids still pursue music whether it’s Eddie on the drums or Luke and Kate as members of the North Battleford Comprehensive High School Band. Music was the glue that kept our family together and made us smile.”
