Danny and the Dinosaurs - About Us

Danny and the Dinosaurs is a Dallas & Ft. Worth based dance band that began performing in 1987.  Originally this Dallas band had five  members, three of which (Danny, Kid Kliff, and BamBam) are still with the band today (though BamBam took an 18 year break).  Initially, classic 50's and 60's oldies Rock & Roll was the main genre for the band, developing a full-harmony oldies sound and style that was unique among Dallas bands.

In the 1990's, the Dinosaurs began adding new members as well as new music - expanding into R&B and Motown.  With a new horn section, the Dinosaurs developed a very distinctive and driving full horn sound adding to the great vocals.

By the turn of the century, Danny and the Dinosaurs were a top recognized variety band in Dallas with great harmonies and a big horn sound.

In 2005, Danny & the Dinosaurs broke up for about a year.  In mid 2006, a few of the old members started the band back up - this time with great attention and focus to the aspect that made the band renowned in the Dallas area and throughout Texas - rich vocal harmonies.

We're all a bit older now, the band is a bit smaller, and we've expanded our repertoire with new tunes.  We still play a great deal of oldies rock, but we've added some mellow rock and even some country - music that didn't quite fit with the big horn sound of a few years ago.  We're also able to play in some of the clubs where we could no longer fit on stage by the late 1990's and we're finally getting to see many of our old friends again!

Today, the Dinosaurs can be seen weekly at a number of venues in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area.

 

 

 

 

2008 Version of Danny and The Dinosaurs

 

 

 

 

Danny Hickman, Vocals, Guitar, Keyboards

A child of the sixties, Danny grew up with the English evasion, folk and even Motown influences in the midwest. His career began in 1965, working with a couple groups around the Chicago area, even backing some groups such as, The New Colony Six, The Cryin' Shames and The Association. After being drafted in the late sixties, he quickly joined the U.S. Air Force. After his tour of duty, he toured on the road for around seven or eight years - mostly performing in the hotel and motel circuit.

Returning to his hometown area the band worked in and around the Freeport area for many years, before his move to the Dallas area in 1985. Two years later, "The Dinosaurs" were born. We thought we were old then!
 

 

And the multi-talented "KIDKLIFF", Mr. Tull Rea
Lead / Backup Vocals, Bass Guitar

Tull Rea was born and raised in Dallas, Texas. His paternal grandmother, Jessie Preston Rea played piano and organ and had him singing at an early age. Tull's father, Gordon Rea, is a well known singer/performer around Dallas, and has been the Official Song Leader for Lions International.

Tull was raised in Oak Cliff. He attended Kimball High School with such notables as Steve Vaughan, Rocky Athas, Mike Holmes, Mike Schwedler, Steve ( Stubie ) Doak. He played stand-up bass in the school folk group The New Tyme Singers in 72-73. He was in the Kimball High School production of Hello, Dolly and played Perchick in Fiddler on the Roof ( his wife Theresa played Chava ). He attended Mountain View College and was in "1776" and many other productions from 73-75.

In 1972 he, David Murphey and Steve Doak formed a rock band Abacus, playing for school dances and parties. In 1974 he and David Murphey formed The Texas Sidewinder, playing Progressive Country Music in clubs around Dallas and Cedar Creek Lake. When Texas Sidewinder disbanded in 1976, he joined local rock band Shotgun, playing venues such as Mother Blues and Sneaky Pete's. He reunited with The Texas Sidewinder in 1977 and enjoyed success for a few years.

In 1978 he married Theresa Gaudin. When his oldest son, Tull IV  ( drummer with Frolic ) was born in 1980, he took a few years off. After another son, Todd, and a daughter Tracey, he answered Dan's newspaper ad, and became a charter member of Danny and the Dinosaurs in February 1987. After their first private party gig, in August 1987, daughter Terri was born. ( Theresa was so surprised to see the result of all the Saturday rehearsals, she went into labor! ) ;-)

Besides being an oldies fan, ( he rarely missed a chance to see Vince Vance and the Valiants when they played at Whiskey River…) his favorite bands include: The Beatles, Delbert McClinton, Brave Combo, Stones, Blues Brothers, Chicago, Righteous Brothers, CSN&Y, Santana, Hard Night's Day, and Frolic.

Though Tull has played in many Dallas bands, with this band's emphasis on vocals, he is in his element as a member of Danny & the Dinosaurs.

J.D. Church, Lead / Backup Vocals, Lead Guitar

This is a picture of me at my first paying gig.  As you can see I’ve been at this for a long time.  It started small enough, renting halls and throwing dances, it didn’t stop there.  The next thing I know I was playing at clubs around the midwest.  I needed more, performing in Europe.  I was playing different kinds of music – jazz, rock, country.  I couldn’t get enough.  I thought that opening for people like Delbert and Exile or playing at B.B. Kings in Memphis would help, to no avail.  I have found peace as Dinosaur.

 

 

 

 

 

 

BamBam Rubble, Drums

BamBam was born shortly before the end of the Cretaceous Period, some 70 million years ago.  We know little about this creature, except for his claim that he invented the thumb tack and the first chisel made of wood. 

BamBam speaks seventy-eight languages fluently.  Unfortunately, all his contemporaries that spoke these languages are now extinct (well, except for this guy named Mutt that used to hang out with the Dinosaurs).

Mr. Rubble's hobbies include chariot racing and cave painting.  He is also a strong advocate of global warming (he claims the world was much more pleasant prior to the formation of the polar icecaps, when Iowa was still beachfront property).

BamBam was one of the original Dinosaurs in 1987, but left the band a couple of years later after encountering problems with the space-time continuum.  Over the years, BamBam has played with many Dallas bands, as well as bands throughout the midwest.

In Memoriam Ronny Paulk 1956 - 2007 Our good friend Ronny Paulk passed away in December, 2007, at age 51.   Ronny had been the sound engineer for the Dinosaurs for many years.  He was a 1974 graduate of Kimball High School in Oak Cliff.   He was a dear friend to all current and former Dinosaur members, and many of our fans.  We all miss Ronny very much.