DD

Today is the birthday of Denny Dias.  He's probably the most important member of Steely Dan whose name isn't Fagen or Becker.

Dias was working in his own band in 1970 when he advertised for a keyboardist and a bassist.  Songwriters Donald Fagen and Walter Becker happened to play those instruments, so they applied.  Dias recognized they were such great songwriters that he soon fired everyone else and started playing the duo's music.  They moved to California, picked up some other players, and Steely Dan was born.

Dias plays a fine guitar on their first three albums.  After that, Becker and Fagen broke up the band to use only session musicians, but that still included Dias on some cuts.  So he ended up playing on their first six--and best--albums.