Happy Birthday Rick Danko: ‘I Can See Clearly Now’ From 1977

Famed The Band bassist Rick Danko was born in Blayney, Ontario on this date in 1943. Danko went on to join Ronnie Hawkins’ backing band The Hawks and eventually teamed with other members of the group to form one of rock’s most legendary acts – The Band. Rick was the first member of The Band to release a solo album in the wake of the group’s The Last Waltz farewell concert in 1976 and toured behind his self-titled debut the following year.

On December 17, 1977 Rick Danko brought his band to the Capitol Theatre in Passaic, New Jersey. A cover of Johnny Nash’s 1972 hit “I Can See Clearly Now” was among the songs the Rick Danko Band performed that night. The Canadian native’s distinctive voice and thumping bass fits the cover like a glove. Watch professionally-shot footage of “I Can See Clearly Now” thanks to Music Vault:

Sadly, Rick Danko died in 1999 but his music will live forever.