Dani McGee is one of pop music’s more enigmatic singer-songwriters. She successfully demonstrates her aptitude in nearly every style of music and artfully dodges classification. "The songs write themselves," says McGee. "They have a life of their own and it is that life that dictates what the song will sound like in the end." When asked to define her musical style she quips, "I think of it as Eclectic Guitar." Though her songs may vary stylistically, two qualities remain consistent throughout her musical offerings: finely crafted lyrics delivered by a voice that is uniquely sensual yet innocent.

Currently, Dani McGee is performing as a solo artist and with her back-up band that includes seasoned session players as well as some of LA’s budding new talent. Her most recent release, Bar Talk is an EP-CD that features McGee’s distinctive word play – wry humor and a touch of cynicism. The selections range from the Go-Go-esque Mary’s Men to the sensual Latin underpinnings of A Room Full of Redheads; there is a taste of funk, a splash of jazz and a bit of grunge. Yet in the liner-notes, McGee deftly ties it all together by weaving the offering into a story of a night at the local watering hole.

McGee spent her formative years on L.A.’s West Side, and by her own admission was somewhat sheltered from ‘life in the big city’. She began studying piano at the age of ten then picked up the guitar at 12. She recalls her teenage years with a guitar perpetually slung over her shoulder. After completing high school, McGee moved to San Diego to attend college where she studied accounting and music.

As a solo artist, she gigged regularly at clubs and coffee houses until 1988 when she formed her first band – Dani McGee and the Symptoms. The Symptoms played several gigs at the notorious Spirit Club before it disbanded when McGee was recruited to front the All-Girl band Lost Girls in 1989. Lost Girls enjoyed the unsolicited attention frequently lauded on female musicians and performed at nearly every rock venue in San Diego County in a period of just six months. McGee left the Lost Girls in 1990 citing creative differences. She returned to solo work and released a cas-single that included her ever-haunting tune Ghosts of Saigon and her solo guitar work on the eerie folk song Wolf.

Finding her solo opportunities somewhat limiting she embarked again on the search for band members. This time she decided that she would no longer play the guitar – she would focus her efforts on writing and singing but the band faltered for lack of a bass player. With a little coercion from her new band mates McGee acquiesced and agreed to pick up the low end herself. Roget’s Playground was formed in February 1996. The three-piece band featured jazz junky Doug Reese on guitar, former punk rocker Bruce Birch on drums, with McGee on bass and vocals. They were gigging with only a few weeks of rehearsals and completed its first CD, Periodic Table Manners, within a year.

After two years of recording and performing as singer-songwriter-bass player McGee found herself smitten by her newest instrument and returned to LA to study bass at Musician’s Institute in Hollywood.
In addition to her work as a performing artist, Dani McGee devoted several years to educating San Diego’s budding songwriters while president of the San Diego Songwriters’ Guild. She currently teaches musicianship, volunteers for local arts organizations and mentors disadvantaged children.