{{Short description|American musician}} {{Infobox musical artist | name = Danny Chauncey | image = Danny Chauncey.jpg | caption = Chauncey performing in 2011 | image_size = <!-- Only for images narrower than 220 pixels --> | birth_name = Daniel Smith Chauncey | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1956|6|19}} | birth_place = San Francisco, California, U.S. | instrument = {{hlist|Guitar|keyboards}} | genre = {{hlist|Southern rock|hard rock}} | occupation = {{hlist|Songwriter|musician}} | years_active = 1981–present | current_member_of = Gregg Allman and Friends | past_member_of = 38 Special<br />Billy Satellite<br />Mistress | website = {{url|https://dannychauncey.com}} }} '''Daniel Smith "Danny" Chauncey''' (born June 19, 1956) is an American rock guitarist. He is best known for being a member of the Southern rock band 38 Special.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Greene |first=Scott |date=Summer 2000 |title=Danny Chauncey (.38 Special) |url=http://swampland.com/articles/view/title:danny_chauncey_38_special |access-date=2022-06-24 |website=swampland.com}}</ref>
== Background == Chauncey was born in San Francisco, California and raised in Alameda County, California.<ref name=":3">{{Cite web |title=Danny Chauncey - BIO |url=https://dannychauncey.com/bio |access-date=2022-06-24 |website=dannychauncey.com}}</ref> He attended Alameda High School.<ref name=":3" />
He grew up listening to classical music,<ref name=":0" /> but however, his musical interests changed when he heard the song "Twist and Shout" by The Beatles.<ref name=":0" /> He was then interested in learning to play the guitar, getting his first guitar when he was eight years old.<ref name=":0" /> He also learned to play the French horn in high school.<ref name=":0" /> Also in high school, he played with several rock bands.<ref name=":0" />
His first instrument was a Stella 6-string cowboy guitar. His first electric was red Gibson SG with a Fender 50w Super Reverb.{{Citation needed|date=March 2009}}
== Career == In the early-mid-1970s, Chauncey was a member of the Bay Area rock group Mistress,<ref name=":0" /> where he plays lead and rhythm guitar.<ref name=":1">{{cite web |last1=Jones |first1=Nick |title=Mistress |url=http://gdm.glorydazemusic.com/articles.php?article_id=3656 |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304065101/http://gdm.glorydazemusic.com/articles.php?article_id=3656 |archive-date=4 March 2016 |website=Glorydaze Music |accessdate=26 April 2015}}</ref> In 1977 the group recorded a self-titled album for RSO Records.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" /> The album was released two years later, shortly before Mistress disbanded.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />
He also played in a side band, the Alameda All-Stars with Brad Gillis and Kelly Keagy who were both in the band Night Ranger.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":3" />
Chauncey left Mistress to join Billy Satellite.<ref name=":0" /> It was with this band that he co-wrote "I Wanna Go Back" which became a hit for Eddie Money.<ref name=":2">[{{AllMusic|class=artist|id=p20365|pure_url=yes}} Billy Satellite: Overview] at Allmusic. Retrieved 15 July 2009.</ref> The band was together for several years and recorded an album, ''Billy Satellite'', for Capitol Records.<ref name=":2" />
While in Billy Satellite, he was a studio musician for Taxxi, an English band that played Euro-tech music.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |title=Danny Chauncey Songs, Albums, Reviews, Bio & More |url=https://www.allmusic.com/artist/danny-chauncey-mn0000674187 |access-date=2022-06-24 |website=AllMusic |language=en}}</ref> He recorded three albums with Taxxi from 1982 to 1985, including ''States of Emergency'', ''Foreign Tongue'', and ''Expose''.<ref name=":4" />
In 1987 after the break up of Billy Satellite, Chauncey joined 38 Special, staying with them through 2019.<ref name=":0" /> Chauncey says, "We really hit it off so it felt natural. I was allowed to contribute songwriting from the beginning as 'I Wanna Go Back' was a hit on the charts for Eddie Money around the same time that I joined, so the guys knew I was a capable songwriter."<ref name=":0" />
He recorded many albums with 38 Special, providing vocals and keyboards in addition to guitar.<ref name=":4" /> He is also the engineer and producer for some of their albums.<ref name=":4" />
After he left 38 Special, he started playing live shows with Gregg Allman and Friends.<ref name=":0" />
==References== {{reflist}}{{38 Special}}{{Authority control}} {{Authority control}} {{DEFAULTSORT:Chauncey, Danny}} Category:American rock guitarists Category:American male guitarists Category:American lead guitarists Category:38 Special (band) members Category:Living people Category:1956 births Category:20th-century American guitarists Category:20th-century American male musicians Category:Alameda High School alumni