Metal band singer's legacy lives at school
Danny Macko died doing what he loved the most — performing on stage with a metal band.
Macko, a Butler native, collapsed May 7, 2017, while performing with his band Breaking Point. He was declared dead later that night of a heart attack at age 53.
Macko's love of music and kind personality are now living on thanks to the efforts of some of his friends in the Butler music scene, who raised money at a recent event and made a donation to Butler School District to support music education.
Macko, a veteran who served in the U.S. Marine Corps, worked a day job at a restaurant in the Butler area. He wasn't necessarily wealthy, but was always kind and willing to help others, said Sondra Scott, one of his close friends.
“He was a kindhearted soul. If he had a million dollars, he would give you a million dollars,” Scott said.
Macko was the lead singer of Breaking Point and had been in numerous other metal bands over the years.
“Danny's passion was music, and over his lifetime he enjoyed the company of many friends from the local rock scene. Danny had a wonderful voice and an even more wonderful heart,” read his obituary, which was published May 9 in the Butler Eagle.
On the night of his death Macko was performing at Peter B's Rockin' Red Bar and Grill in Sarver. Breaking Point was the headlining act and money raised at the show was to support a friend in the music scene who was battling breast cancer.
Scott organized a celebration of life event last July at Peter B's which raised money to help Macko's family pay for his headstone. With the headstone paid for and some money left over, Scott vowed to do something charitable in Macko's honor.
So she decided to continue a tradition started by the man himself, having a rock show around the time of his birthday in early March.
“We wanted to keep his name and his memory alive,” she said.
On March 3, a group of his friends held a birthday bash concert at Peter B's with headlining band Zilch. The night served as a way to remember Macko and also to raise money for music education.“Lots of love and brotherhood in the room. Danny would be proud,” wrote Justin Cali, of the band Divine Tragedy, on Facebook.They raised $1,000, which was recently donated to Butler School District's music program. Butler Senior High School on Friday also received a plaque from Scott that reads “Dedicated in Honor of Danny Macko” to be hung in one of the school's music practice rooms.Bryan Helsel, a teacher at the high school, said that the district will be looking for ways to add to programming that will support students who are in rock bands, which was Macko's passion. The senior high school already teaches song writing and recording to music students, and they will look to expand those offerings.Some of the money will also go toward buying music for vocal teachers and providing resources for elementary teachers, which will allow the money to reach as many students as possible, Helsel said.Scott, through her business Wicked Web Jewelry, has been selling certain items, such as pins and T-shirts with a “DM” logo designed by a friend of Macko's. The proceeds go toward a future donation to music programs in the Butler area. She said another birthday bash is planned for March 2, 2019 at Peter B's and she hopes to continue the tradition on the first Saturday of March each year.
