“ . . . when Dupree, the pride of Fort Worth,
came to our rescue, it was bye-bye to multiple
guitarists because—miraculously, it seemed
to me—one man playing rhythm and lead at
the same time took the place of three.”
—Jerry Wexler, Atlantic Records producer
grandfather. The day after his first plane ride,
the Texas guitar man was onstage with King
Curtis and the Kingpins and learning the rest
of the repertoire onstage. The Duprees lived
with Curtis, and the Kingpins played weekends at Small’s Paradise in Harlem.
At his first recording session, Dupree
shared guitar duties with the same Billy
Butler whose solo he had diligently learned—
and who he would replace in Curtis’
performing band. Switching to a Gibson
ES-335, Dupree would sit with Curtis, who
played a Guild Starfire, and the two would
work out licks and arrangements for the
band. Eventually, the sideman exchanged his
Gibson for a Guild like his boss’.
Cornell Dupree in the late ’70s or early ’80s with
his modified Fender Telecaster. Photo courtesy
of Gordon Edwards
