Little Arthur Duncan

{{Infobox musical artist

| name = Little Arthur Duncan

| image =

| caption =

| image_size =

| birth_name = Arthur Duncan{{cite web |url=http://blues.about.com/b/2008/08/25/blues-artist-little-arthur-duncan-rip.htm |title=Blues Artist Little Arthur Duncan, R.I.P. |author=Gordon, Keith A. |date=August 25, 2008 |publisher=Blues.about.com |access-date=December 16, 2011 |archive-date=April 19, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120419122241/http://blues.about.com/b/2008/08/25/blues-artist-little-arthur-duncan-rip.htm |url-status=dead }}

| alias =

| birth_date = {{birth date|1934|2|5}}

| birth_place = Indianola, Mississippi, United States

| death_date = {{death date and age|2008|8|20|1934|2|5}}

| death_place = Northlake, Illinois, United States

| origin =

| instrument = Harmonica, vocals

| genre = Chicago blues, electric blues

| occupation = Harmonicist, singer, songwriter

| years_active = 1950–2008

| label = Blues King, Delmark, Random Chance

| associated_acts =

| website =

}}

Little Arthur Duncan (February 5, 1934 – August 20, 2008) was an American Chicago blues and electric blues harmonica player, singer, and songwriter. He was a member of the Backscratchers and over his career was associated with Earl Hooker, Twist Turner, Illinois Slim and Rick Kreher.{{cite web|author=Doc Rock |url=http://thedeadrockstarsclub.com/2008b.html |title=2008 July to December |publisher=The Dead Rock Stars Club |date= |access-date=2015-10-06}}

Life

Duncan was born in Indianola, Mississippi. His first instrument was the drums.{{cite book

| first= Karen

| last= Hanson

| year= 2007

| title= Today's Chicago Blues

| edition=

| publisher= Lake Claremont Press

| location= Chicago

| page= 146

| isbn= 978-1-893121-19-5}} In 1950, aged 16, he moved to Chicago, Illinois, and became acquainted with Little Walter, who helped him to learn the rudiments of harmonica playing, and Jimmy Reed. He found work playing the harmonica accompanying Earl Hooker, John Brim and Floyd Jones. Billed and henceforth commonly known as Little Arthur Duncan, he played primarily in and around Chicago and built up a local reputation over the years. He performed with his own band in the Backscratcher's Social Club, which he owned.{{cite web |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/little-arthur-duncan-mn0000257063/biography|title=Little Arthur Duncan |author=Ankeny, Jason |publisher=Allmusic.com |access-date=August 16, 2015}} He worked in construction during the 1960s and 1970s, so was limited to playing and singing in the evenings.

In 1989, Duncan recorded the album Bad Reputation, which was released on the Blues King label. He later appeared on a compilation album, Blues Across America: The Chicago Scene, with Emery Williams Jr. and Robert Plunkett. In 1999, Duncan recorded for Delmark Records, which released the album Singin' with the Sun that year. On the album he was accompanied by the guitar players Billy Flynn and Eddie Taylor Jr.{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/singin-with-the-sun-mw0000259509/credits|title=Little Arthur Duncan, Singin' with the Sun: Credits |access-date=December 16, 2011 |publisher=Allmusic.com}} Live in Chicago followed in 2000.

His final recording was Live at Rosa's Blues Lounge, a live album recorded in Chicago in August 2007. One music journalist noted that "spirited, gritty performances of Reed's "Pretty Thing," Wolf's "No Place to Go," and two Dixon favorites ("Young Fashioned Ways" and "Little Red Rooster") leave no doubt that Duncan lives and breathes electric Chicago blues."{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/live-at-rosas-blues-lounge-mw0000490963|title=Little Arthur Duncan, Live at Rosa's Blues Lounge: Review |access-date=December 16, 2011|publisher=AllMusic.com}} However, a subsequent lengthy illness and hospitalization prevented Duncan from building on this success.

Duncan died in Northlake, Illinois, in August 2008, of complications following brain surgery, at the age of 74.

Discography

=Albums=

Year \|\| Title \|\| Record label
class="wikitable sortable"
1989	Bad Reputation	style="text-align:center;"\|Blues King Records
1999	Singin' with the Sun	style="text-align:center;"\|Delmark Records
2000	Live in Chicago	style="text-align:center;"\|Random Chance Records
2007	Live at Rosa's Blues Lounge	style="text-align:center;"\|Delmark Records

{{cite web|author= |url=http://www.allmusic.com/artist/little-arthur-duncan-mn0000257063/discography |title=Little Arthur Duncan | Album Discography |publisher=AllMusic |date=2008-08-20 |access-date=2015-10-06}}

=Compilation albums=

Year \|\| Title \|\| Record label \|\| Notes
class="wikitable sortable"
1998	Blues Across America: The Chicago Scene	style="text-align:Center;"\|Cannonball Records	with Duncan, Detroit Junior, Mark Hummel, and Robert Plunkett
2002	Harmonica Blues Orgy	style="text-align:center;"\|Delmark Records	with Duncan, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Martin Lang, and Easy Baby

{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/blues-across-america-the-chicago-scene-mw0000617385|title=Blues Across America: The Chicago Scene > Overview |access-date=December 16, 2011 |publisher=AllMusic}}{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/harmonica-blues-orgy-mw0000658699|title=Harmonica Blues Orgy > Overview |access-date=December 16, 2011 |publisher=AllMusic}}