Duke Dawson |
One of Detroit’s blues veterans has passed away. Drummer
Horace “Duke” Dawson died Friday at the age of 82 following complications from
heart surgery.
“I’ve known him for years and he was an exceptionally
nice guy,” said Wolfgang Spider, Detroit Blues Society board member. “He told
me that as a young kid, he would sit around the kitchen banging on the pots and
pans, driving his parents nuts. They bought him a drum set and he went on from
there. Over the years, he probably gave away five or more sets of drums to
schools and organizations.”
Little Sonny |
Dawson, a 2002 recipient of the Detroit Blues Society’s
Lifetime Achievement Award, played with many acts over the years, including the
Butler Twins, Uncle Jesse White and the 29th Street Blues Band, the
Harmonica Shah Blues Band, and C. J. Morris and his Back Alley Blues Band. He
was best known for his many years performing with singer-guitarist Louis “Mr.
Bo” Collins.
“Duke was a beautiful dude, he never had a cross word,”
said singer-harmonica player Little Sonny. “He admired me and I admired him.”
Louis "Mr. Bo" Collins |
Little Sonny and Mr. Bo both started out in Washboard
Willie’s band and continued to perform together after they left that band and
Little Sonny became a bandleader. Eventually, Mr. Bo went out on his own and
that’s when he hired Dawson as drummer. The former bandmates would often catch
each other’s shows, with Mr. Bo's band at the Zombie and Little Sonny's band at the Apex
Lounge.
“Duke was one of the nicest guys I’ve ever met, he always
had that smile,” Little Sonny said. “We were good friends and my drummer James
Crawford, who we called Jim Due, and Duke were the best of friends. We all came
along at the same time. Duke’s been there just as long as I was.”
Little Sonny has been a member of the American Federation
of Musicians for 56 years and Dawson was a longtime union member as well. The
two friends would go together to the annual union dinner and hoped to do so
again next month.
“He told me something one time, that when young musicians
asked him what they should do in the business he told them ‘join the union, be
at your gigs on time, and don’t drink and don’t smoke.’” Wolfgang Spider said.
“He was one of the most beautiful guys I’ve ever met,”
Little Sonny said. “I’ve never seen Duke mad. He always had that joy on him,
all the time. His personality was beautiful.”
Dawson endured health problems over the last decade, but
continued to perform.
“He lived to play music and played on and off, even with
his health problems, over his wife’s objections,” Wolfgang Spider said. “He
would tell her that he was just going to listen, but they would always call him
up on stage to play.
“He was widely
admired by everyone and had thousands of friends and fans. He was one guy that
everybody liked. You always hear that when someone passes away, but in this case
it was the absolute truth.”
Funeral arrangements are pending. To check on the
arrangements, visit the Detroit Blues Society’s Facebook page.
Detroit Blues Challenge
Dale Robertson Band |
Smokin' 45s |
The second round of the Detroit Blues Challenge was held
Saturday night at Callahan’s Music Hall in Auburn Hills. The two winning acts –
the Dale Robertson Band and the Smokin’ 45s – advance to the finals on Oct. 21.
The winners of the band and solo-duo categories at the finals go on to
represent Detroit at the International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tenn.
(Photos of Duke Dawson, Dale Robertson Band and Smokin' 45s courtesy of Blues Photos by Don McGhee)
To send info to JB Blues, please email Joe.Ballor@dailytribune.com
Duke sold me my first Butler twins tape, Live in Detroit. . .Never forget it.
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