Tuesday, May 22, 2012

Donald 'Duck' Dunn (1941 - 2012)

May has been a tough month for rock and roll fans. We've lost Adam 'MCA' Yauch, Donna Summer, Robin Gibb, and Donald 'Duck' Dunn to name a few.

I grew up in a house where Stax and Motown were on heavy rotation. Every weekend, my mom would play the Best of Sam and Dave and she would have my sister and I be her back-up dancers while she would lip-sync. It was great. The music of Stax and Motown was - and still is - wonderful and I am a fan to this day.

Stax was record label based out of Memphis, Tennessee and the house band was Booker T. and the M.G.'s. Booker T. Jones (piano), Donald 'Duck' Dunn (bass), Steve Cropper (guitar), and Al Jackson, Jr. (drums) were the backbone of Stax and they are the musicians on hits for artists like Otis Redding and Sam and Dave. Those hits include 'Hold On, I'm Comin', 'Soul Man', and 'Try A Little Tenderness'. Booker T. and the M.G.'s had a major hit with the ultra cool instrumental, 'Green Onions'.

Donal 'Duck' Dunn not only performed as a member of Booker T. and the M.G.'s but he also worked with artists such as Eric Clapton, Neil Young, Diana Ross, and The Blues Brothers.

Enjoy some classic clips featuring Donald' Duck' Dunn, Otis Redding, and Sam and Dave.











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