The Dameans

The Dameans were a group of Catholic musicians who rose to prominence in the folk music era of the 1970s.[2] They began as seminarians at Notre Dame Seminary in New Orleans, Louisiana, having formed circa 1967.[3]

The Dameans
OriginNew Orleans, Louisiana
GenresContemporary Catholic liturgical music
Years active1967-1995, last recording. Active on occasion. Recently, 2012;[1] In the summer of 2018, the Dameans reunited for a 50th anniversary concert.
LabelsF.E.L. Publications, TeleKetics, NALR, GIA
Past members
  • Darryl Ducote
  • Mike Balhoff
  • Dave Baker
  • Buddy Ceasar
  • Gary Ault
  • Gary Daigle

The group was originally composed of Darryl Ducote, Mike Balhoff, Dave Baker, Buddy Ceasar, and Gary Ault (and two others who participated early on). All contributed to vocals, with Darryl, Buddy, and Gary singing lead on most songs. All of these men contributed to the songwriting. Darryl, Buddy, and Gary frequently wrote lyrics and music for their songs. Mike is more of a lyricist and worked often as a co-writer with Darryl. Though they only played their own instruments on their first album, they are mainly guitarists (Darryl, Buddy, and Gary) with Mike playing upright bass and Dave adding tambourine. On all albums after "Tell The World", studio musicians have been used.[4]

Following the 1971 "Walk To The Gloryland" album, Dave Baker left the group. According to Darryl in a recent interview, Dave bowed out of the group because the traveling was too difficult and his home was in Wisconsin. Darryl mentioned that until 1970, The Dameans spent every weekend on the road with their music ministry. After they were ordained priests, the travel reduced to once a month with the blessing of their bishops. Traveling took them to 48 states, including Hawaii and Alaska.,[5][6]

Around 1978, a young Gary Daigle joined the group with the release of "Remember Your Love." Gary Daigle played keyboards and guitar, as well as taking an active role in songwriting.[7]

By the early 1980s, along with such groups as the St. Louis Jesuits, The Dameans' music "dominate[d] the publications scene" in contemporary Catholic liturgical music.[8] As part of the "second phase" of post-Conciliar Catholic folk music, the Dameans' songs reflected attention to liturgical and Biblical texts, and several were represented in the original Glory and Praise hymnals, Volume 2 of 1979 and Volume 3, 1981.[9] Their most popular songs included Look Beyond[10] and All That We Have.

The Dameans performed together on stage at a conference in 2012. This performance included Gary Daigle on keyboards, acoustic guitar, and backing vocals. Darryl leads the group in a never-recorded novelty Christmas song that he wrote in the early 1970s for a friend of his who enjoyed country music.[1]

Discography
  • Tell The World (1969) - F.E.L. Publications, recorded at Woodland Studios, Nashville, TN - recorded entirely in one day, with the members contributing acoustic guitars, upright bass, and tambourine. Ray Tate, producer for the album, added some lead guitar overdubs.
  • Songs of the New Creation (1970) - F.E.L. Publications, recorded at Paragon Studios, Chicago, IL - this recording and all that followed it used studio musicians.
  • Walk To That Gloryland (1971) - F.E.L. Publications, recorded at RCA Studios, Los Angeles, CA. The group members greatly disliked the arrangements of their songs that the producer had worked on and recorded without their input. They had very little say in how the recordings would sound. Original member David Baker left the group following this recording.
  • Beginning Today (1973) - TeleKetics, recorded at TTG Studios, North Hollywood, CA; Israel Baker, concert master
  • Day of The Son (1976) - North American Liturgy Resources, recorded at Sea-Saint Studios, New Orleans, LA
  • Remember Your Love (1978) - North American Liturgy Resources, recorded at Sea-Saint Studios, New Orleans, LA
  • Sing Out His Goodness (1979) - North American Liturgy Resources
  • Path Of Life (1981) - North American Liturgy Resources. This album featured songs and themes associated with the newly-founded Rite of Christian Initiation of Adults (RCIA).
  • Reflections, Vol. 1 (1982) - North American Liturgy Resources (instrumental arrangements of Damean songs)
  • Morning to Night (1984) - North American Liturgy Resources
  • Reflections, Vol. 2 (1985) - North American Liturgy Resources (instrumental arrangements of Damean songs)
  • Light In The Darkness (1986) - North American Liturgy Resources. This albums features more contemporary songs for the Advent and Christmas season. Recorded at the former Ultrasonic Studios in New Orleans, LA.
  • Reflections, Vol. 3 (1986) - North American Liturgy Resources (instrumental arrangements of Damean songs)
  • Intermissions (1988) - North American Liturgy Resources
  • Reflections, Vol. 4 (1991) - GIA Publications (instrumental arrangements of Damean songs, Gary Daigle plays all instruments on this recording)
  • Psalms For The Church Year, Volume VI (1993) - GIA Publications; Dameans participate as songwriters and vocals on their songs; other authors on this recording)
  • Child of God (1995) - GIA Publications; one new song by Gary Ault; children join the Dameans in re-recordings of their songs.

References
  1. "Dameans Concert Christmas 2012". abalhoff. January 8, 2013. Retrieved December 7, 2017 – via YouTube.
  2. Schaefer, Edward (2008). Catholic Music Through the Ages. Chicago: Hillenbrand Books. p. 153. ISBN 9781595250209. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
  3. "The Dameans 25th Anniversary songbook; published in 1992 by GIA Publications, Chicago, IL
  4. "Tell The World" original 1969 LP jacket and insert.
  5. http://thecatholiccommentator.org/pages/?p=42478
  6. "Beginning Today" record jacket
  7. Foley, John (2003), "All at Once the Music Changed: Reflections on Liturgical Music in the United States Since Vatican II", Toward Ritual Transformation: Remembering Robert W. Hovda, Collegeville, Minn.: The Liturgical Press, p. 114, ISBN 9780814661963
  8. Boccardi, Donald (2001). The history of American Catholic hymnals: since Vatican II. Chicago: GIA Publns. Inc. p. 57. ISBN 9781579991210. Retrieved 9 July 2001.
  9. Mannion, M. Francis (2004). Masterworks of God: Essays in Liturgical Theory and Practice. Chicago: Hillenbrand Books. p. 122. ISBN 9781568545110. Retrieved 27 July 2010.
  10. Boccardi, Donald (2001). The history of American Catholic hymnals: since Vatican II. Chicago: GIA Publns. Inc. p. 100. ISBN 9781579991210. Retrieved 9 July 2010.
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