~A poem about Kent DuChaine, by his wife, Sarah.~ This is a poem about a man, Kent DuChaine, ‘tis told that he lives way down on Arrowhead Lane, When a young man, a cassette he did play And the blues life immersed him and in him did stay. DuChaine opened a show for the great Bukka White’ Kent can tell you himself of his stature and might. One of Kent’s’ joys, you will have to agree Is his guitar, Leadbessie, a pure treat to see. She’s a beaten up old darlin’, a National Steel And together they’ve earned many, many a great meal. Kent learned that in life, one has to be humble, He works and plays hard and never does grumble. Kent met with a legend, old Johnny Shines, A bit crumbled and broken as if he’d worked down the mines. With Snooky they where awarded by W.C. Handy, This award is now in a house, lived in by Candy. Kent and Johnny traveled and played over 200 shows, His death hit Kent hard, it’s still one of his woes. He carries on livin’ the life of the blues, Travelin’ hard on those roads and spreadin’ the news Of blues men and women from days gone and past, Singing their songs so their memories last. Kent DuChaine now has, a boy, step son and a wife, Something he thought he'd never have in his life. There is so much to tell you, too much to write down, I could write this forever, boy, I could really go to town! Who’s he’s shared the stage with makes blues fans go “WOW” But I don’t wish to take much of your time right now, “ONE OF THE BEST!” the London Times did declare, Do you have of copy? Coz I can’t find it nowhere. If you were to book Kent DuChaine up on your great stage, I would like to inform you he doesn’t demand a great wage, Your audience will love him, I promise you that, Coz he sure is amazing’, one hell of a cat! You have our email, address and website, Call us sometime, but please, not in the dead of the night. We look forward to hearing from you very soon, And Kent can come by and show that the blues is not all doom. The way he entwines stories with songs…gosh, it’s so clever! But remember, his main objective, keeping’ it alive…BLUES FOREVER!
Kent DuChaine & Leadbessie: Biography
Kent Duchaine started in music when his father taught him to play the ukulele at the age of six, at thirteen he got his first electric guitar and formed a band with his buddies in his hometown of Wayzata, Minnesota, playing mainly popular music at private parties and school functions. After reading some liner notes of an Eric Clapton album Kent started researching blues music. He discovered a Robert Johnson album and was astounded and fascinated at the banging sound as the bottle neck knocked against the frets as Johnson slid it up and down the neck of his guitar. Kent used a butter knife at first determined to recapture the wonderful sound. He immersed himself into the blues music of Johnson, Muddy Waters, Lightening Hopkins, T-Bone Walker, Bukka White and never looked back. Kent learned to play the slide guitar and soon developed his own ferocious wild style. In 1970 he opened a show for one his hero’s, the slide guitar genius, Bukka White. From 1972 - 1975 Kent performed in a band with Kim Wilson from the present day “Fabulous Thunderbirds”. The band backed up blues greats such as Fenton Robinson, Boogie Woogie Red, Luther Tucker, Hubert Sumlin and Eddie Burns. The reputation of the band grew and Willie Dixon arranged a recording contract and a concert sharing the bill with Albert Collins, John Lee hooker, Howling Wolf and Margie Evens. In 1979 Kent met up with his beloved and ever faithful Leadbessie. She’s a beat up 1934 National Steel Guitar that wows and astounds audiences when the equally beat up case she travels in is opened and her extra heavy strings are furiously played. Kent discovered and looked up a legendary blues man with the name of Johnny Shines in 1989.
They traveled together for three years and performed over 200 shows together. In that time they recorded “Back To the Country” with harmonica great Snooky Pryor and were honored with the coveted W.C. Handy Award for best country blues album but unfortunately they did not add Kents' name onto the recording! In 1991 the Smithsonian Institute honored the king of the delta blues, Robert Johnson. Kent and Johnny were specially invited to perform and “Roots Of Rhythm And Blues: A tribute To Robert Johnson Era” was the result. This was recorded by Sony/Columbia and also Grammy nominated. Kent and Johnny’s wonderful partnership and friendship was cut short when Johnny Shines sadly passed away in in April 1992. Since going solo in 1982 and hitting the roads, riding the rails, flying the skies and sailing the seas, Kent and Leadbessie have probably by now clocked up over two million miles together including over 79 overseas tours (yup, she’s faithful old girl!). A (small) handful of wives have been picked up and lost along the way and many stories gained of friendships, loves, heartaches and the blues that he communicates to his audiences, most of which, leave folk laughing or scratching their heads in disbelief. He also speaks of the history of the blues music, the great men who developed it, and his incredible involvement with some of them to audiences far and wide. Songs such as “Shake Your Money Maker”, Jitterbug Swing” have folk up dancing, Kent’s’ versions of “Trouble In Mind”, “St James Infirmary” have been seen to bring tears in many eyes. The London Times newspaper has named him as one of the best five concerts in the U.K. Kent and Leadbessie have dedicated fans all over the world who are asking all the time for him to add another album to the six that he has already released which include his own ingenious compositions as well as songs that he loves and keeps alive that those wonderful, old blues guys produced.