James "Billy" Dankert was born and raised in Austin, Minnesota. As a musician in the 1980s and 1990s, Dankert earned a modicum of fame as drummer, singer, and songwriter for Minneapolis-based band Gear Daddies

Gear Daddies

The Gear Daddies are a band from Austin, Minnesota that enjoyed moderate success in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Its members were Randy Broughten , Nick Ciola , Billy Dankert , and Martin Zellar...

. After the breakup of the band, he returned to school to study language and literature. He released one solo album, Bowling Shoes Blues on the Crackpot Records Label in 1993.

Jim now resides in St. Paul, Minnesota. He still plays the drums and is also a freelance artist.