Daniel W. Preston, 67, St. Cloud

August 7, 1953 – July 27, 2021

Daniel William Preston passed away peacefully on Tuesday, July 27, 2021 in St. Cloud Minnesota. Well known in the area as part of the crowd-pleasing musical duo, Preston and Paulzine, he left this life with his performing partner, Deanna, at his side.

Born August 7, 1953 and raised in Grand Forks, North Dakota, he was the oldest of four children. He attended Central High School where he found a very creative group of friends with similar interests in drawing superheros and writing science fiction stories.

Dan looked at the world through a different window than most people. He was uniquely his own person. He was an avid collector of comic books, sci-fi, pulp fiction, and record albums. His knowledge of these things was encyclopedic. Fantasy and science fiction was his main prose writing and included several fanzine editions that he published, even including adult guest writers. He had a basement library nook that was a model of shelf and catalog card organization.

He was a music person from the beginning, and memorably, at four years old, made his way out of the congregation for a surprise appearance in his mother's church choir to sing the complete “Hallelujah Chorus.” Then, in high school, he taught himself to play the guitar and bass guitar, two of the many instruments he ultimately took into his long career as a self-employed musician. The Granite City Folk Society described Preston and Paulzine’s songbag as “capacious and various, covering country, jazz, blues, pop, rock, and the occasional torch song.” and continued, “prepare for musical whiplash as they switch from Bowie to bossa nova to Bobby Gentry to Pink Floyd.” Dan loved food, the spicier, the better. He was as likely to play for his dinner as for cash. His son, Adrian, was his pride and joy. He was also a devoted son and caretaker to his mother, Barbara L. Abrahamson, who preceded him in death.

He is survived by his son, Adrian Longley-Preston and husband, Luke Longley-Preston of Bellevue, WA; father John Preston and wife Mary Ellen of Greenfield, MA; sister Beth Preston and husband, John Strong of Nobleboro, ME; sister Carol Preston of Damariscotta, ME; brother Joel Preston and wife Judy of Richfield, MN.

A time of remembrance and celebration is being planned. Details will follow.