“Dana Lyons is clearly a man in love with the planet, whether it is the natural world or the realm of personal relationships. And when that world is threatened, he lashes back with sharp wit and biting satire…loaded with superb lyrical intensity.†–Woody Rehanek, Columbiana
"Cows With Guns" is one of the best humor-with-a-point songs I've heard since the days of Tom Lehrer. Perfectly paced, wonderfully witty, carefully self-aware ("Bad cow pun..."), and carrying a serious message wrapped in gentle and imaginative humor. Nicely done, Mr. Lyons -- and I'm glad to know that the chickens in choppers are on our side. –Rik Myslewski, San Francisco
Dana Lyons is the singer/songwriter best known for his dynamic performances and outrageous hit songs “Cows With Guns,†“RV†and “Ride The Lawn.†A global radio and web hit, “Cows With Guns†was 1 for the year on Dr. Demento, 2 on the Australian Country charts, 1 in Seattle and spent six months on the Irish Top 40.
Bringing together a mix of comedy, ballads and love songs, Dana’s sharp wit and beautiful voice have him performing at concert halls, festivals, conventions, fundraisers and universities across the US and around the world. Dana’s music style includes a bit of everything; his biggest radio hit, “Cows With Guns,†receives crossover radio play on country, rock, alternative, community, college and oldies radio stations worldwide. He has seven releases to date, including his latest two, released in 2004: “Circle the World: Songs & Stories†with Dr. Jane Goodall and “Ride the Lawn.â€
Dana has toured in 46 of the 50 American states, around the East Coast of Australia and across Ireland, England, New Zealand, Mexico, Kazahkstan and Siberia. Dana performs at festivals ranging from Farm Aid with Willie Nelson and Neil Young to the Harley Davidson Festival in Sturgis, South Dakota where he shared the stage with Lynyrd Skynyrd, Steppenwolf, Nazareth and Blue Oyster Cult. His policy of “I’ll play anywhere once†has landed Dana gigs on a tropical island in the Great Barrier reef of Australia, an Irish Pub in Beijing and the Hanford Nuclear Waste Dump in his home state of Washington.
Two of Dana’s songs have been made into award-winning illustrated books: Cows With Guns, published by Penguin (winner of the Bullitzer Prize), and The Tree, published by Illumination Arts. The Tree was endorsed by Dr. Jane Goodall, has forwards by Pete Seeger and Julia Butterfly Hill and has won numerous awards.
Dana’s songs have been re-recorded by many artists, but perhaps his highest honor as a songwriter came when Pete Seeger called him to get the music for Dana’s song “I am an Animal.†Dana has shared the stage with many notable performers including Willie Nelson, Neil Young, Dave Matthews, John Mellencamp, Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams, Pete Sears of Jefferson Starship, Stephen Stills, River Phoenix, Nickel Creek, Country Joe McDonald, Utah Phillips and John Trudell.
Dana was born in Kingston, New York. He graduated from Swarthmore College in Pennsylvania. He lives in a nice garage in Bellingham, Washington, with his cat Oliver. His astrological sign is Taurus.
