Paul, Minn., USA to a military family, Dan travelled all over the USA as a child, but particularly in the South. There, he learned to love rock and roll, folk music, and the blues. He took banjo lessons for year; later he taught himself guitar, electric bass, and harmonica . His first "professional appearance was at a weekly series of concerts sponsored by the City of Oceanside, California, as bass player for the band, "House of Commons." He often hitchhiked 1,000s of miles in the Western U.S. to visit friends. He managed to pick up three university degrees along the way. He won a trophy at Ft. Hood, TX for the best rock band on the base some years later. In the late 1970's, he played in various bands and formations in Tallahassee, FL, and the nearby "Redneck Riviera", once appearing before 800 paying customers.

He has visited all 50 U.S. states at one time or another. In his spare time, he enjoys reading history books, and travelling to various National Parks, Monuments, Historic Sites, and Battlefields to hike, birdwatch, and study history.

In 2000, he took off to Europe to find more opportunities. He taught himself how to read and write music, and now has a handful of copyrighted songs, with more on the way. He has now travelled to 19 countries, and stays world open to more musical ideas and influences.