Champion Jack Dupree | Artist

William Thomas "Champion Jack" Dupree was an American blues and boogie-woogie pianist and singer born 1910 in New Orleans, Louisiana. His nickname was derived from his early career as a boxer. Dupree taught himself piano and spent his early years playing in barrelhouses and other drinking establishments. Dupree's career was interrupted by military service in WWII where he was a cook in the US Navy and held by the Japanese for two years as a prisoner of war. He moved to Europe in 1960 and began to build his reputation on the back of the resurgence of interest in blues music at that time in Europe and the UK. Dupree's playing was piano based blues and boogie-woogie influenced by his New Orleans Creole roots. In the late sixties Dupree was supported by UK's young blues-rock players such as Tony McPhee from Groundhogs, John Mayall, Mick Taylor, Paul Kossoff and Eric Clapton. Outstanding releases include the superb early album Blues From The Gutter ('59) and later albums When You Feel The Feeling You Was Feeling ('68), Scoobydoobydoo ('69), Back Home in New Orleans ('90) and Dupree 'n' McPhee ('05).

Artist Website: wikipedia/Champion_Jack_Dupree

Featured Albums: Champion Jack Dupree

Related Artists: Paul Kossoff, Groundhogs, Mick Taylor