Donald "Duck" Dunn was a renowned American bass guitarist, session musician, record producer, and songwriter.
Biography
Early Life
Donald "Duck" Dunn was born on November 24, 1941, in Memphis, Tennessee. His father affectionately nicknamed him "Duck" after the beloved Disney character Donald Duck. Growing up, Dunn was active in sports and often rode bikes with his childhood friend, Steve Cropper, who would later become a fellow musician.
Career
Dunn's musical journey began in the 1960s when he learned to play the bass guitar, inspired by his friends. He initially played in a band called the Royal Spades, which later evolved into the Mar-Keys, achieving national success with their hit "Last Night" in 1961. In 1965, Dunn joined Booker T. & the M.G.'s, replacing the original bassist Lewie Steinberg. His unique bass lines became a defining feature of the Stax Records sound, contributing to iconic tracks like Otis Redding's "Respect" and Sam & Dave's "Hold On, I'm Comin'." Dunn's work as a session musician at Stax led to collaborations with numerous legendary artists, solidifying his reputation in the music industry.
Legacy
Dunn's contributions to music were recognized with several accolades, including his induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1992 as a member of Booker T. & the M.G.'s. He also received a Lifetime Achievement Grammy in 2007 alongside his bandmates and was posthumously honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by Bass Player Magazine in 2017. Dunn's influence on bass playing continues to resonate, as he is remembered as one of the greatest bass guitarists of all time.
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Gallery
Label
- Record label
- Stax Records
Groups
- Blues Brothersbass guitar, originalcurrent
- Delaney & Bonniecurrent
- Murph & the Magic Tonescurrent
- Texas Toad Lickersbass guitarcurrent
- The M.G.'scurrent
- The Mar‐Keyscurrent
- The RCO All-Starscurrent
- The Stax Staffcurrent
- Booker T. & the MG’sbass guitar · 1965–1971
- Booker T. & the MG’sbass guitar · 1973–1977
- Booker T. & the MG’sbass guitar · 1994–2012
Played together with
Al Jackson, Jr.Booker T. & the MG’s · 1962–1971 · drums (drum set), original- Al Jackson, Jr.Booker T. & the MG’s · 1973–1975 · drums (drum set)
- Al Jackson, Jr.The Mar‐Keys
- Al RubinBlues Brothers · original, trumpet
Anton FigBlues Brothers · drums (drum set)- Anton FigBooker T. & the MG’s · 2002–2012 · drums (drum set)
- Birch JohnsonBlues Brothers · original, trombone
- Bobby ManuelBooker T. & the MG’s · 1973–1975 · guitar
Booker T. JonesBooker T. & the MG’s · 1962–1971 · bass, eponymous, guitar, keyboard, organ, original, piano- Booker T. JonesBooker T. & the MG’s · 1975–1977 · bass, eponymous, guitar, keyboard, organ, piano
- Booker T. JonesBooker T. & the MG’s · 1994–2012 · bass, eponymous, guitar, keyboard, organ, piano
- Booker T. JonesThe Mar‐Keys
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Identifiers & aliases
Also known as: Dunn
US bass guitarist, session musician, record producer & songwriter
American bass guitarist, record producer and songwriter (1941–2012)
Donald "Duck" Dunn was an American bass guitarist, session musician, record producer, and songwriter. Dunn was notable for his 1960s recordings with Booker T. & the M.G.'s and as a session bassist for Stax Records. At Stax, Dunn played on thousands of records, including hits by Otis Redding, Sam & Dave, Rufus Thomas, Carla Thomas, William Bell, Eddie Floyd, Johnnie Taylor, Albert King, Bill Withers, Elvis Presley, and many others. In 1992, he was inducted in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Booker T. & the M.G.'s. In 2017, he was ranked 40th on Bass Player magazine's list of "The 100 Greatest Bass Players of All Time".
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Opinions of fans — not verified facts.
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