He made his musical debut playing a four-string tenor banjo for his first-grade classmates, and while various sources differ slightly, all suggest he was headed to a professional career early. One report has him forming his first "Rick Danko Band" at age 12 or 13, another reference mentions that by age 14 he was putting on country & western shows with his brothers, Maurice Jr., Dennis and Terry, using various group names. It is also written that he started a band at that age with his eldest brother, Maurice Junior and a local high school teacher on drums. This trio performed country music and R & B at local dance halls, sometimes rented themselves, weddings, and other events. The group, "The Starlights", expanded to included accordion, second guitar and "a girl singer", expanded their repertoire to include polkas for newer European immigrants.