When Donald "Duck" Dunn has that pipe going it's gonna be groovy. Sam & Dave and Steve Cropper

Donald "Duck" Dunn (1941–2012) was the bass guitarist whose quiet authority and perfectly placed notes powered the Stax Records revolution. Born and raised in Memphis, Dunn got his famous nickname from his dad while watching Disney cartoons. Donald grew up riding his bike and being mischievous with his future bandmate and soul guitar legend Steve Cropper! When Cropper started playing guitar, Dunn picked up the bass. He was largely self-taught, playing along to records and filling in what he instinctively felt should be there. This unique approach is why Dunn's bass lines are still legendary today; they are totally unique and not from any textbook. Dunn’s earliest band, The Mar-Keys, had a national hit with "Last Night" in 1961. But Dunn's true destiny arrived in 1965 when he replaced Lewie Steinberg as the bassist for the house band at Stax Records: Booker T. & the M.G.'s. Alongside Booker T. Jones, Cropper, and drummer Al Jackson Jr., Dunn created one of the tightest, funkiest, most soulful rhythm sections in music history. As the M.G.’s bassist and a Stax session powerhouse, Dunn played on thousands of records. He wasn't flashy; he was essential. His bass lines are the foundation of soul songs you know by heart, including Otis Redding's "Respect" and "I Can't Turn You Loose," Sam & Dave's "Hold On, I'm Comin'," and Albert King's "Born Under a Bad Sign." He made the groove deep and irresistible. Even after the M.G.'s formally split, Dunn's reputation was so immense that he continued session work, playing with giants like Bill Withers, Eric Clapton, and Stevie Nicks and Tom Petty on "Stop Draggin' My Heart Around." In 1980, Dunn reunited with Cropper and others to join The Blues Brothers Band, bringing his bass to the big screen. He was the quiet, pipe-smoking force of rhythm, delivering one of the most famous lines in music movie history when he declared their rhythm section was powerful enough to "turn goat piss into gasoline!" He appeared in both The Blues Brothers and its sequel. Dunn remained a musical force and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Booker T. & the M.G.'s in 1992. His passing in 2012, just hours after performing a double show in Tokyo with Cropper and Eddie Floyd, marked the end of an era for the bass world. Video credit to The Midnight Special. #live #concert #song #music #soul #rnb #funk #guitar #bass #band

Added 7 Apr 2026