In Memory of The Incredible Duck Dunn
The Mar-Keys “Last Night” (Stax/Satellite, 1961)
Eddie Purrell “The Spoiler” (Volt, 1964)
Booker T & The MG’s “Booker-Loo” (Stax, 1966)
These tracks can be found on the “Singles Mixer Vol. 2” podcast.
I regret that the purpose of today’s post is to mark the passing of one of the greats of the rhythm section in all of music, Donald “Duck” Dunn. My ability to keep up with this modest little blog here is being tested by the falling of musical giants what feels like every week, never mind someone who I admired as much and managed to wear as many hats as Duck Dunn.
Donald “Duck” Dunn for any who don’t know was ¼ of the heavy weight Stax attack known as Booker T and the M.G’s. His bass playing along with Al Jackson’s drumming is some of my favorite rhythm section work in all of music; the two of them creating some of the heaviest and amazingly minimal grooves you could ever hope for in a band.
His ability to find a deep, simplified and heavy pocket began with his involvement in the early Stax group The Mar-Keys who had a hit in 1961 with “Last Night” that was solid shoulder-wiggling, hard hitting R&B at its best. The record, originally released on the Satellite label (pictured) was a big deal for the Stax brand, giving it an early shot in the arm so big that they realized they couldn’t keep their current label name due to a conflict and were forced to come up with the Stewart/Axton combo meal we all knew to grow and love as Stax.
Dunn left the Mar-Keys in 62 but returned to the Stax fold full-time to join Booker T and the M.G’s in 1964 where he continued to create amazing music both in the style of the punchy r&b of the mar-keys and more complex, Jamerson-style melodic bass lines. One of my favorites is while backing Otis Redding on “I Can’t Turn You Loose” from 1965, it’s a frantic run on the fret board while Otis goes to town. (I previously posted a very early Sly and The Family Stone cover here, check it out in Singles Mixer V. 1)
Though not as prolific of a songwriter as fellow MG’s Booker T and especially Steve Cropper, Dunn also had writing credits of a few songs that weren’t released by the MG’s. Included here today is a record I’m fond of but was by and large ignored when it was released (with the exception being that it was a regional hit in Chicago by Eddie Purrell an artist from Detroit recorded by a Memphis group and label…). Either way, I dig “The Spoiler” and hope it helps to round of the picture of the multi-talented Duck Dunn.
Strangely, this past Saturday day I was hanging out with my step-father and the Blues Brothers movie was on. I’ve never seen it (despite the incessant hounding of a few good friends) but was psyched to see Duck jamming while Belushi and Aykroyd went nuts. I said “jeez, George, see the dang movie already.” It’s sad to know that’s the only way I’ll get to see the great, immortal Donald “Duck” Dunn perform.
I hope you enjoy the tracks and highly recommend anything the man ever touched and reading Rob Bowman’s great book Soulsville USA: The Story of Stax Records for lots of great anecdotes and stories that show how full of love and joy he was for music and his fellow woman and man.
All the best,
-George / Snack Attack