One of the most respected session musicians in the business, Dunn worked with the likes of Rod, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Otis Redding, playing on classic songs like Sitting On The Dock Of The Bay.
Dunn also starred as himself in the 1980 film Blues Brothers alongside John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd.
He died on Sunday while on tour in Tokyo with friend and fellow musician Steve Cropper.
Writing on his Facebook page, Cropper said: “Today I lost my best friend, the world has lost the best guy and bass player to ever live.”
The guitarist said Dunn died in his sleep after finishing two shows at the Blue Note Night Club.
Dunn once remarked that he and Cropper were “like married people”.
He said: “I can look at him and know what he’ll order for dinner.
“When we play music together we both know where we’re going.”
The pair were childhood friends and went on to play together in Booker T And The MGs – the house band at Stax Records which helped shape the gritty Memphis soul sound of the 1960s.
The band was one of the most respected and prolific of its era with groups on both sides of the Atlantic emulating their sound.
As well as playing for Stax artists such as Redding, Albert King, Sam & Dave and Wilson Pickett, they also had their own hits including Hang ‘Em High, Soul Limbo and, prior to Dunn joining the band in 1965, the instrumental track Green Onions.
The band was inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame in 1992.
Born in Memphis in 1941, Dunn was a self-taught guitarist.
It was Dunn’s father who gave him the nickname ‘Duck’ after watching Disney cartoons with him one day.
The musician received a lifetime achievement Grammy in 2007.
He is survived by his wife, June, a son, Jeff, and a grandchild, Michael.
SMILER members will remember the fantastic work he did with Rod when Rod first moved to America on the albums Atlantic Crossing and A Night on The Town.
Steve Cropper talked to SMILER about his memories of those days recently in an interview
https://www.rodstewartfanclub.com/about_smiler/magazine/EFpAZEyZlEpJMAPwjS.php
