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Dan was born in Ottawa in 1958, one of a family of 18, many of whom carried the music gene, which came from their mother’s side. At the age of eight, Dan discovered a love for country music. He was inspired by listening to artists like Buck Owens, Merle Haggard and Faron Young, just to name a few. After a few years of rehearsal with the late Bob Desmond and his brother Hughie, Dan found himself performing for the first time at the St-Vincent Hospital in Ottawa alongside CJOH personality Bill Luxton as the M.C. It was then, in 1971 when he purchased his first HOFNER semi electric guitar to join a band that he and three other siblings had formed and named THE COUNTRY CIRCLE.
He performed in nightclubs such as Lake St-Marie in (Quebec), Montnaguard (Ottawa), Claude Hotel (Ottawa), and the Maple Leaf Hotel in (Ottawa). In 1975, a tragedy struck and Dan lost the oldest member of the band, his brother Romeo Albert Loyer. Devastated, this led to the break up of the Country Circle and a one-year absence from music for Dan.
In 1976, Randall Prescott showed up at Dan’s doorstep and took him under his wing. Dan learned a great deal playing bass guitar along side Randall, Ron and Irwin Prescott. After the closing of the Lafontaine Hotel (Golden Rail) the band folded.
Chez Paul Hotel 1978 to 1981 is when Dan purchased his first pedal steel guitar to play along side Gerry Levac Sr (Grumpy and Company). 1982 Dan moved on with Jan McCambly and the Pony Express, performing throughout Ontario and Quebec. Dan started his recording career with the Pony Express.
First album was recorded for Andy Lusk called Ottawa Valley Entertainers, which was recorded in the basement of Jan McCambly’s home. The band broke up in 1985.
Dan also had the opportunity to record his sounds of the pedal steel guitar on Paul Henry Dallaire’s "Canadian Passive" album.
1985 to 1989 Dan joined Todd Nolan, traveled and recorded a live album at the Cedars dining lounge in Kanata. The album was called "Todd Nolan Live at the Cedars". 1989 to 1996 Dan performed with Hughie and Bob Desmond at the Capital Tavern in Ottawa and also at Diamond Lynn’s in Ottawa, which led to the "Bob Desmond and Friend’s" album recorded at Snocan studios in Ottawa.
Dan has been a musician for 51 years and still enjoys singing and playing music.
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