Danny Bevill can’t remember when music wasn’t a driving force in his life. Picking up a guitar at a young age ignited a passion within him, which has never dimmed. Bevill’s late father recognized his son’s talent, passing down the fundamentals of guitar playing, lyric writing and singing — skills Bevill is eternally grateful for.
“I started playing the guitar at 5 or 6,” Bevill said. “My dad and grandpa were guitar players. I grew up just wanting to do everything they did.”
Playing a one-hour set during the 2025 Chickasaw Annual Meeting and Festival with his newest band, Lost and Found, has been one of his favorite accomplishments to date.
“It felt like I (was) playing for family at the (Chickasaw Annual Meeting and) Festival,” Bevill said. “The more time I am with other Chickasaws, the more I feel welcomed and supported.”
Bevill’s music career spans more than half a century. He has played in countless bands, incorporating differing musical venues and styles. His bands have performed almost all genres of music. Elements of gospel, rock, country and jazz are all apparent in his guitar playing, vocals and writing styles. He said the bands he has played in have always influenced his career.
“I can cover hundreds of songs,” Bevill said. “I played in my first band in my early teens. One of my first gigs was playing in my school’s talent show. At that time, I also played lots of private parties and events. It was a learning experience.”
Bevill is currently involved with three Oklahoma City bands: Nasty Weather Band for 32 years, The Noteables of OKC, and Lost and Found.
His music career is managed by his wife, Valerie. Throughout the years, Bevill has also performed as a solo artist. He was proud to entertain Chickasaws during the Chickasaw Nation’s 2024 Elder Christmas Luncheon in Ada, Oklahoma.
Music has taken Bevill far, including the meccas of sound and stage: New York, New York, and Memphis, Tennessee.
“Both Valerie and I have performed at Carnegie Hall,” Bevill said. “It was with prominent Christian artist Sandi Patty and accompanist Jay Rouse. We sang in the choir. It was fantastic.”
As a member of the Chickasaw Warrior Society, Bevill has also had the opportunity to play music at other venues across the U.S. and around the world. He has performed in Al-Kharj, Saudi Arabia, and Thumrait, Oman, during an 11-year military career. Bevill also played for airmen and soldiers on U.S. Air Force bases in Anchorage, Alaska, Goldsboro, North Carolina, and Palmdale, California.
Bevill’s music career transitioned in the early 1990s when he returned from the Persian Gulf War. Continuing to write and perform his own material as a solo artist and in bands, Bevill began to perform as a studio musician. Known as “hired guns,” studio musicians provide instrumentals and harmony vocals for bands or solo artists.
Today, Bevill has a recording studio in his home. One of the walls he describes as his “Wall of Fame” is devoted to a lifelong collection of music memorabilia and personal achievements. Among the collection are photographs of Bevill with some of his favorites, such as Garth Brooks and Vince Gill, both Oklahomans, along with many other famed musicians.
Throughout the years, Bevill has collected an abundance of instruments and musical equipment for both scheduled and impromptu music sessions. Guitars, banjos, bass, piano, keyboard and a full drum kit are there for Bevill and his guests.
“I learn every instrument I buy,” Bevill said. “I don’t know that I have a favorite I like to play. They all have a purpose. One of the guitars I bought way back when I got out of the military in 1993. It doesn’t look anything like it did when I bought it. That guitar has never failed me.
“Each instrument is a tool. One is used for live performances, another for the studio, and I have one for just plinking around on at the pool. I still have my grandad’s old guitar and banjo. Those are the most sentimental,” Bevill said.
Through the decades, Bevill has seen many changes within the music industry. He said the introduction of digital and computer technology has changed both the recording and postproduction of music.
To keep current with advancements in music technologies and industry best practices, Bevill earned an associate degree in contemporary music production. He earned the degree in 2023 from the Academy of Contemporary Music at the University of Central Oklahoma, Edmond, Oklahoma.
“I wanted to learn about audio production and performance,” Bevill said. “I went back to college after I retired. The Chickasaw Nation helped me go back to school. I was proud to wear my Chickasaw stole during graduation.”
Music continues to serve as an emotional outlet for Bevill. Music was there for him during his days away from home while serving his country. He said music also gave a young and impressionable Bevill fond memories of both his father and grandfather. It allowed him to endure the emotional pain when his father, Charles, died and later when he lost his brother, Don.
According to Bevill, he is currently using music to build community. He is sharing his testimonials, along with others who have things to say through music, concerning Christ, veteran affairs and his Chickasaw heritage.
“In addition to my wife, I sing in our church choir. I teach guitar lessons for seniors and veterans,” Bevill said. “They have classes Thursday evening. It’s wonderful teaching new people guitar. Once every quarter or so, I run audio equipment for about 15 people who come together for performance and fellowship. It’s fun.”
Bevill believes music’s power can never be overstated.
“My goal is to provide an outlet for people to express themselves,” he said. “Being able to express myself is one of the most important things music has done for me. My childhood was volatile. My dad took his own life when I was 10. I locked myself in my bedroom and played my guitar. A lot of emotion is more acceptable when expressed through music.”
In 2014, suicide tormented his family again. A two-time loss survivor, Bevill wants others to know First Americans and veterans have higher rates of suicide than others. He wants people to know the signs of loved ones in distress.
“Along with my church groups, my tribe and bands, I am also associated with the International Survivors of Suicide, LOSS (Community Support Group) and I lead a class for a group of suicide survivors,” Bevill said.
“Over the years, I have given my own testimony. I bring my guitar, explaining my family’s combined passion for music. I play a sad song, something people don’t always want to hear, but they have to grieve. It is important to understand music isn’t always fun. It is used for healing too,” he added.
Bevill spent two and a half years in the Army and nine years in the Air Force. He was a surgical scrub tech and medic. According to Bevill, the structure the military gave him was a blessing. He feels the military taught him basic life skills he otherwise may not have learned.
“When you work in an environment like the military, you develop relationships that are almost like family,” Bevill said. “You learn from and teach to those around you.”
Bevill was excited to have participated in the 2025 Chickasaw Elders Conference at the WinStar World Casino and Resort, followed by the Chickasaw Veterans Conference.
“It feels good to know our tribe takes care of both our elders and our veterans,” Bevill said. “The veterans have an immediate bond at the warrior lodge and veterans conference. It’s almost just like the relationships we had during active duty. We care for each other.”
According to Bevill, one of the best feelings as a Chickasaw veteran is running into another Chickasaw warrior at a U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs function — both sporting their Chickasaw Warrior Society Pendleton “Grateful Nation” vest.
“It is awesome because I am born Chickasaw. This isn’t something just anyone belongs to. You don’t get invited to wear our vest,” Bevill said. “I usually explain the vest before people have a chance to ask what it is. I explain the ribbons on it are from the campaigns of the different wars and conflicts we served in. They are impressed. It is awesome.”
Bevill said he receives his Chickasaw heritage from his mother, Betty Bevill. While Bevill’s hometown is Spencer, Oklahoma, he said his great-grandmother, Francis Delila Higgins, is recognized as a founder of Tuttle, Oklahoma.
“I feel like I come from a people that are cultured,” Bevill said. “When I am around other Chickasaws, I feel like we have similar beliefs, no matter where we come from.”
If you or anyone you know is having thoughts of suicide, call the 988 Suicide Prevention & Crisis Lifeline for help. For additional information or training, call Chickasaw Nation Suicide Prevention Services at (580) 421-8734.