Dana Key passes away

[separateunion]

I heard from a friend that Dana Key passed away last night from some sort of blood clot issue. Anyone have more information on this?

[knotodiswrld]

I found this article, but I don't know if I'd call it a "confirmed report". It says:

MONDAY, JUNE 7, 2010

Dana Key Passes Away
According to a tweet by Jamie Rowe of Guardian fame, Dana Key from Christian band Degarmo & Key passed away suddenly from a blood clot. Please pray for his family & friends.

Ironically, late last month, The Love of Christ Church in Cordova TN (where Key was Senior Pastor), announced a fundraiser for the flood victims in West Tennessee featuring a reunion by DeGarmo & Key on June 13th.

Another Article

[Enosh]

I am deeply saddened by this. I actually welled up a little when iheard the news today.


Dana key
Rock solid.

[Mexican Spud]

Same here Enosh. I dont know how Musica is going to take it when I tell her.

[knotodiswrld]

It's showing up in more and more places, so I guess the news is true.

I'll listen to "The Pledge" tonight in memory.

[Shell]

How sad.

[brent]

There were times in my life when I was moved by music to the point that specific songs, albums and artists became intertwined with the fabric of my memories. When I hear those songs, sights, smells and emotions rush in and take me away. I was so moved that I wanted to know everything about the artists, and how their music was made.

Christian rock influenced me in my teen years, when it was getting good and was more accepted. One of the first times I heard DeGarmo & Key was on Luv98, KCFO and FM101, KXOJ, in Tulsa, Oklahoma. I would hear Petra, Servant, Joe English, 2nd Chaper of Acts, Dallas Holm, Sweet Comfort, Phil Keaggy, Lamb, etc, etc and just be in heaven. Righfully so I guess. My parents cautiously allowed me to go to concerts. I liked records well enough when I could not afford to go. Back in the day there were plenty to attend.

I got some Christmas money one year, so I had my grandfather drive me to Gospel Melody at The Farm Shopping Center in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where I ran in and grabbed the bright blue DeGarmo & Key Band double live album. I could not go see them that year, so I had the next best thing. The album was recorded in Oklahoma City and Tulsa, and it inspired me to go next time. I was a while before I saw them. In fact, it was Servant's last tour that I saw D&K.

Years later, when I worked at KXOJ, I played the snot out of the old stuff in place of the new singles in rotation. I must admit that I loved the harder, bluesier, guitar and B3 era more than the poppier synth era. I really liked their last album from the 90s, where they made an attempt to be relevant to the younger grunge crowd. Soon after they called it quits, citing that it was a young man's game.

Recently we learned Dana Key passed from this life on Sunday, June 6th, from complications involving a blood clot. He was only 56. Dana was pastoring a church in Tennessee and occasionally playing with the D&K band for reunions. While I never met the man, his reputation was huge. He was legit. He lived what he sang. He practiced what he preached. His music inspired me to do what I have done for the last 20 years.

I will be sad for a bit. There will never be another D&K show on this earth. Dana was not too old to play. He had more music in his head, heart and hands than most of the young kids running the scales today. He had SOUL! He died relatively young. He left a family, church and thousands of friends behind. It's somehow easier for me to know someone who can no longer function physically passes away. When someone who is still kicking the devil's butt and taking names passes, it is just a little harder. Some may not be able to wrap their minds around why such a good guy and great musician would be called home, while some of the worst of the worst are allowed to live among us. I suspect that God had a plan and that plan was complete on Sunday. I suspect that God wanted to be closer to Dana, his amp stack, and his white Strat.

RIP Dana. You must be getting some great material for some really good tunes by now. I cannot wait to hear them in person.

[gman]

Here's a great article from gomemphis.com
http://www.gomemphis.com/news/2010/jun/ ... ahoo_feeds

[executioner]

They are top 10 as in my favorites all time. This is really hard to take, but I know he is rejoicing right now with the angels. God right now is getting an earful of an amp and guitar right about now.

[St_Augustines_Pears]

Judas freakin' priest!

This is such sad news. DeGarmo and Key were my second-favorite Christian rock band (next to Petra, of course). I'm a sucker for clean guitars and nice, tight harmonies...and D&K had both in spades.

My favorite album of theirs is probably STREETLIGHT. The whole album is great, but my favorite track is "Don't Throw Your Love Away". Seeing how my stepdaughter is now 15 years old, the song really hits home for me.

R.I.P. Dana Key...thanks for the music.

[blayze5150]

Dana Key's death has had a profound impact on my life. No offense to Bob Hartman, but Dana has always been my favorite Christian guitarist: My "Guitar Hero," if you will. I was deeply saddened by his death: not for Dana, because he's in heaven rejoicing! Not because I will never get the chance to see D&K reunite and see them in concert for the 3rd time, even though I would have loved that. I was heartbroken because I could live to be 1,000 years old and not have the impact for Christ on this earth Dana Key did in 56 years. He was such an inspiration like me. I see guys like him, John Schlitt and Mylon Lefevre and it makes me look at my own life and wish I had that relationship with Christ, that annointed aura that seems to come off of them that makes you want to trust God and conquer the world for His Kingdom. Dana's passing has made me realize that the only one stopping me from being that person is me. No more "maybe someday" or "I can't." I'm trusting God to make me who He wants me to be. Dana Key was at that point sometime in his life and he trusted God. It's time for me to do the same. Someday I will thank him in heaven for the impact he had on my life here on Earth.

[superfly]

All this talk about Classic Petra had me doing some web searches about some other favorites from back in the day. A webpage dedicated to Degarmo & Key mentioned that Dana Key passed away this past June. This news saddens me, grateful as I am that he is with the Lord. Was anyone here aware of this? I was fortunate enough to see him in concert on the Rock Solid tour in 1989, and he was so good (they all were). I am so thankful for all these musicians who've made such a positive impact on us.

[Preacherman777]

Yes, I've been aware of it since it happened. It was very sad. I was a big fan of D&K.

[separateunion]

All this talk about Classic Petra had me doing some web searches about some other favorites from back in the day. A webpage dedicated to Degarmo & Key mentioned that Dana Key passed away this past June. This news saddens me, grateful as I am that he is with the Lord. Was anyone here aware of this? I was fortunate enough to see him in concert on the Rock Solid tour in 1989, and he was so good (they all were). I am so thankful for all these musicians who've made such a positive impact on us.

I'm pretty sure there is already a thread on this somewhere. Maybe in the non-Petra related forum.

[Shell]

There was a thread about that.

http://thepetrazone.net/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=55654

That was sad, he wasn't very old.