Dan Connor was born and raised in the middle of Michigan’s lower peninsula. He started piano lessons when he was five, and bought his first guitar when he was fourteen. As a sophomore in high school he formed the “Keyhoppers”, a dance band named for his aggressive piano style.

Music and motorcycles received most of his post High School attention. He played in numerous bands but made his first real money in music as a jingle writer for radio and television commercials in East Lansing, Michigan.

Wow, Dan, you are really cool!!

After a life altering motorcycle trip to Tin Pan Alley in New York City, he sold his ailing Triumph 500 scrambler, bought a rusted out Cadillac, and moved to Reno, Nevada. A series of promotional jingles for the State Of Nevada, Sierra Pacific, and numerous Reno accounts led to lots of radio play and a decision to write the songs people were listening to rather than the filler between them. He hit the road with bass player Larry Dalton and has focused on song writing ever since.

In 1982 Connor formed the San Diego band Bordertown. They toured major cities in the southwest with a sprawling artistic event called “The Craft Festival”. Connor did double duty as a band member and Master Of Ceremonies. In 1986 he recorded his first album of original material, backed up by the other band members. Bordertown won best contemporary band in the 1991 San Diego Music Awards and was nominated for band and album of the year in ’92. Bordertown produced three albums of original material during it's “going for it” decade. As the band was winding down, Connor and band mate David Beldock developed a song writing program for elementary schools and thus began Connor’s continuing interest in introducing children to music.