05/01/2025
The beginning of a new year is a good time to reintroduce the band. We are fortunate enough to have a lot of new friends on social media, so there is no time like the present to highlight all of the Daredevils as we enter our last year of touring.
John Dillon (original founding partner)
John Dillon was born and raised in the sleepy Arkansas Delta town of Stuttgart. He learned guitar and country harmonica from his mother when he was 12 years old. John bought his first electric guitar—a Silvertone from Sears Roebuck and Company—when he was sixteen and made the decision, then and there, that music was his calling. He resolved to follow his muse wherever she led him and, as luck would have it, this turned out to be Springfield, Missouri when in 1965 he was accepted into Drury University, graduating in 1970 with degrees in philosophy and theater.
Shortly after leaving college, with a few original songs under his belt and just enough skill on guitar to land a gig here and there, John played around Springfield as a solo musician and songwriter. He met friend and future partner, Steve Cash, in 1969. And although Cash didn’t play an instrument he was interested in the music scene and asked John to help him learn harmonica. It wasn’t long until Cash was writing his own songs and sitting in with John at his gigs. John performed on Thursday nights at the New Bijou Theatre as John Dillon and Friends. In December 1971, Larry Lee asked John to jam with a loose group of musicians and writers to share original tunes they had each written at the New Bijou Theatre.
It was after the first two get togethers that John brought along a very reluctant Steve Cash to a session and soon thereafter the six original members would form the band that was initially known as The Family Tree.
The Family Tree band eventually evolved to become The Ozark Mountain Daredevils when they signed their record deal with A&M records, and soon thereafter, as luck would have it yet again, John and Steve co-wrote “If You Wanna Get to Heaven,” a song that would become the Daredevils’ first radio hit and the band’s most popular song at live performances.
As a one the original founding partners of The Ozark Mountain Daredevils, John proudly looks back at more than five decades of music played, miles traveled, and countless stories of amazing characters and beautiful places. He still follows his muse, writing songs, playing and recording music with the band that he loves.
