Cornell Dupree


Cornell Luther Dupree was an American jazz fusion and R&B guitarist. He worked at various times with Miles Davis, Aretha Franklin, Bill Withers, Donny Hathaway, King Curtis, and Steve Gadd, appeared on Late Night with David Letterman, and wrote a book on soul and blues guitar, Rhythm and Blues Guitar. He reportedly recorded on 2,500 sessions.

Biography

Dupree was born and raised in Fort Worth, Texas, where he graduated from I.M. Terrell High School. He began his career playing in the studio band for Atlantic Records, recording albums by Aretha Franklin and King Curtis as a member of Curtis's band The King Pins. He appeared on the 1969 Lena Horne and Gábor Szabó recording Lena & Gabor and on recordings with Archie Shepp, Grover Washington Jr., Snooky Young, and Miles Davis.
Dupree played guitar on Brook Benton's 1970 hit "Rainy Night in Georgia" in 1969. In December 1972, the British music magazine New Musical Express reported that Dupree, Roberta Flack, and Jerry Jemmott were injured in an auto accident in Manhattan. Dupree appeared on Joe Cocker's albums Stingray and Luxury You Can Afford. He also released solo albums such as Teasin', Cornell Dupree's Saturday Night Fever, Shadow Dancing, Coast to Coast, Can't Get Through, Child's Play, Bop 'n' Blues, and Uncle Funky.
In the late 1970s, Dupree formed the new jazz fusion group Stuff with Eric Gale, Richard Tee, Steve Gadd, Chris Parker, and Gordon Edwards. Dupree and Tee recorded together on many occasions.
In 1989, Cornell recorded a video for guitar teacher Arlen Roth called Mastering R&B Guitar, which documented his style, technique, and influences.
In 2002, Yamaha produced a signature guitar called the Cornell Dupree Model. Dupree appeared in the 2009 documentary entitled Still Bill, about the life of soul legend Bill Withers. He appeared in the film on stage playing a guitar-led version of Withers' single "Grandma's Hands"; Withers, at first sitting in the audience, ultimately joins Dupree on stage to sing the song. The scene also shows Dupree playing guitar on a stool while breathing with an oxygen tank, foreshadowing his battles with emphysema.
Dupree died on May 8, 2011 at his home in Fort Worth, Texas, where his wife Erma, daughter Celestine, and granddaughter Bernice were by his side. He had been waiting for a lung transplant as a result of emphysema.

Discography

As leader

Teasin Cornell Dupree's Saturday Night Fever Shadow Dancing Coast to Coast Can't Get Through Child's Play Guitar Riffs for DJs Vol. 1 Guitar Riffs for DJs Vol. 2 Bop 'n' Blues Uncle Funky Double Clutch I'm Alright Doin' Alright
With Gadd GangThe Gadd Gang Here & Now Live at the Bottom Line
With RainbowCrystal Green Over Crystal Green Harmony
With Stuff'Stuff More Stuff Live Stuff Stuff It Live in New York Made in America Now

As sideman

With Joe CockerI Can Stand a Little Rain Jamaica Say You Will Stingray Luxury You Can Afford
With Hank CrawfordIt's a Funky Thing to Do Help Me Make it Through the Night We Got a Good Thing Going Crunch Time
With Aretha FranklinSpirit in the Dark Young, Gifted and Black Amazing Grace Let Me in Your Life With Everything I Feel in Me La Diva Aretha
With Donny HathawayDonny Hathaway Extension of a Man
With The JonesesKeepin' Up with the Joneses Our Love Song Come Back to Me
With Margie JosephMargie Joseph Sweet Surrender Margie
With King CurtisLive at Small's Paradise Get Ready Live at Fillmore West Everybody's Talkin' Blues at Montreux
With Roland KirkBlacknuss The Case of the 3 Sided Dream in Audio Color Kirkatron
With Van McCoyAnd His Magnificent Movie Machine My Favorite Lonely Dancer
With Geoff MuldaurIs Having a Wonderful Time
With David "Fathead" NewmanLonely Avenue The Weapon Scratch My Back Return to the Wide Open Spaces
With Esther PhillipsBurnin From a Whisper to a Scream Alone Again Naturally
With Wilson PickettIn the Midnight Hour
With Lou RawlsShades of Blue At Last It's Supposed to Be Fun Portrait of the Blues
With Archie SheppAttica Blues The Cry of My People The Impulse Story
With Stanley TurrentineCherry The Man with the Sad Face Nightwings West Side Highway
With ZulemaZulema R.S.V.P. Z-licious
With others'