Legendary bass player ‘Duck’ Dunn of Booker T. and the MGs dies in Tokyo at age 70

WaPo ^ | 5/13/12 | AP

[bigbob]

Donald “Duck” Dunn, the bassist who helped create the gritty Memphis soul sound at Stax Records in the 1960s as part of the legendary group Booker T. and the MGs and contributed to such classics as “In the Midnight Hour,” ‘’Hold On, I’m Coming” and “Sitting on the Dock of the Bay,” died Sunday at 70.

Dunn, whose legacy as one of the most respected session musicians in the business also included work with John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd’s Blues Brothers as well as with Levon Helm, Eric Clapton, Neil Young and Bob Dylan, died while on tour in Tokyo.

News of his death was posted on the Facebook site of his friend and fellow musician Steve Cropper, who was on the same tour. Cropper said Dunn died in his sleep.

[bigbob]

We are losing our legends....

RIP Duck.

[Army Air Corps]

RIP

[Terry Mross]

I grew up near Memphis in the 60s. Loved the MGs (Memphis Group). All the legends are dieing. And there’s nobody to fill their shoes.

[unkus]

All the legends are dieing. And there’s nobody to fill their shoes.

---

That’s for sure.

[Terry Mross]

http://www.duckdunn.com/biography.html

Levon Helm, Donald “Duck” Dunn.....if it comes in threes, who’s next?

[antiRepublicrat]

To me was getting worried after John Lee Hooker died about a decade ago. Yes, credit the Blues Brothers for getting me into this music. I never heard it as a child, but I was "hooked" with that scene. Here's a link that showed me the National Endowment for the Arts actually does worthwhile ventures.

At least King and Clapton are still around, and there is under 60 talent out there. IMHO Robert Cray does great blues, but with a modern twist. Even blues changes with the times I guess.

[GrandJediMasterYoda]

Well there are musicians out there to fill their shoes. The problem is the music industry, like the rest of the entertainment industry, has been completely and utterly overtaken by leftists. So unless you promote their agenda, like homosexuality, victimhood, environmental nonsense, BS causes, your band/musician ain’t going to be signed nor promoted. That’s why most come across as puppets today, the karaoke performers, the prison queen rappers, the “cause” bands like Coldplay with their free trade BS and Chris Martins constant bashing of Bush, because that’s just what they are; puppets of the left. Oh yes, and Green day who were just some stupid punk band until they were told to promote the agenda or they were toast so they came up with “American idiot” now they’re a pathetic lounge act.

[bigbob]

I think the Blues Brothers showed a lot of us there was more to music than what the Billboard charts told us there was, so don't feel alone. Scratch the surface of the blues and what comes up - John Lee Hooker. Sonny Boy Williamson. Muddy Waters. Howlin' Wolf. B.B King....and then you hear their songs performed by the Stones, Stevie Ray, Led Zep...and you realize what they realized long ago, that this was real American music that spoke to many. As your link proves - thanks, that's great stuff. My local NPR station runs 9 hours of blues every week. I figure it's their penance for Terry Gross ;-)

[Gator113]

RIP Duck.....

I love most music, but blues is at the top of my list.... but the blues harp is my absolute favorite.

[Captain Beyond]

Rest in peace Mr. Dunn. You as a person and your basslines will be sorely missed. Thanks for the music.

Here is Steve Cropper and Donald Dunn doing an updated version of Green Onions from their Booker T. & The MG’s days.

Green Onions
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IM6MEb2xnLk

And one of my favorite tunes and scenes from the “Blues Brothers” movie.

Everybody Needs Somebody to Love
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EHV0zs0kVGg

[MediaMole]

I was lucky enough to see John Lee Hooker a couple years before his death. It was an amazing show. He began strumming a guitar while sitting in a chair, apparently a very old man, by the end of the show was dancing around the stage like a kid.

[sargon]

I saw Donald "Duck" Dunn in 1985 when he was the bassist for Eric Clapton's Forever Man tour (see Clapton's Live in '85 concert video for some good footage), and I also remember him from The Blues Brothers...

[ProtectOurFreedom]

I never heard of the song ‘’Hold On, I’m Coming,” but it reminded me of a joke told by my college roomie many moons ago.

Q: “Has the postman come yet?”

A: “No, but he’s breathing heavy.”

Too bad...it just doesn’t have the same kick in this era of email, Facebook, IM, texting, etc. In fact, anybody under 30 probably won’t get it.

[tentmaker]

Duck Dunn - 2 Minute History

[antiRepublicrat]

The greatest thing about John Lee Hooker, you never hear the same song twice. He plays it how he feels it at that time, real emotion, real blues. Having been introduced with the Blues Brothers, of course that version of Boom Boom is my favorite. They had to record the song right there on the street where he was playing, couldn’t do a studio recording and expect to be able to sync.

[antiRepublicrat]

Sorry, didn’t mean to steal this from Dunn, just got sidetracked. Being the bassist, he was always in the background, but he did lend some excellent bass from the blues through rock and even pop.

Funny thing is, most people in the Western world have heard him and didn’t even know it.