Special Thanks goes to the President of Mississippi Valley State University, Dr. Lester C. Newman, for his support in keeping the blues alive in the Mississippi Delta through encouraging the efforts of Dr. Alphonso Sanders and the staff of the University. The results of all of this effort were realized in Lucerne, Switzerland with the outstanding performance of The True Blues Band and Dr. Alphonso Sanders introduction of the importance of this music to the world and its continuation in the performances of the Mississippi Blues Musicians. |
DAVID LEE DURHAM David Lee Durham played many of the local and regional blues festivals, private parties and clubs. In June of 2006 he played in festivals in Italy and Switzerland. David Lee a member of the Mississippi Arts Commission Artists Roster. He was also named the 2004 Mississippi Delta Blues Musician of the Year by the Mississippi Delta Blues Society of Indianola. Comments about David Lee from Roger Stolle in his article in Blues Revue states: “Durham has flown under the radar for years and is ready to break out. He’s played on shows with Bobby “Blue” Bland, Clarence Carter and Mavis Staples. He toured with harmonica player Willie Foster and always opens for B.B. King during King’s annual homecoming performance at Club Ebony.” Blind Lee, and Shirley Brown. He opened for B. B. King and Bobby Bland, and played on the same show as Bobby Rush and Ray Charles. He toured with Willie Foster. He He opened over 20 times for B.B. King in Indianola, MS He played and sang his original blues songs as well as the standard blues favorites. CD: Struggling and Straining was released June 28, 2006. This CD has several of David Lee’s original songs and two blues/flute pieces by Levan Lortkipanidze, and includes a few cover songs. The song Struggling and Straining is based on David Lee’s life story. This is what David Lee would tell you about his music: “I got a style all my own. I’m twixt between Albert King and B.B. I sort of mix it, but I know it.” |
| Video with David Lee in Italy and Tony Negri on stage. |
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David Lee Durham May 1, 1943 - January 24, 2008 May His Memory Be Eternal LISTEN TO THE AUDIO OF DAVID TELLING YOU ABOUT WHEN HE DECIDED HE WANTED TO PLAY THE BLUES! |
| David Lee Durham attended Mississippi Delta Community College and received his GED this pass year. David grew up without the opportunity to attend school. Although David Lee was a very wise, smart and intelligent man, he never learned to read until this last year. This was a dream of his, and one he accomplished. He told all children to stay in school and get an education. David Lee worked for 32 years as Modern Line in Indianola, MS. This is a company that manufactured lawn mowers. While he worked there he invented a process for the assembly line that was used to speed up the assembly process. David was an hunter and he loved to fish. He loved to cook and made world renown potato pies. He would always cook a meal for visiting journalists and guests. David Lee owned his own home, and he had two cats and one dog. He loved animals and was prone to rescue any stray. He had a family of raccoons that lived in the pond behind his house that he fed cat food to each day |
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| David Lee Durham and the True Blues Band was the house band for Club Ebony prior to David's passing in January. They opened over 20 times for B.B. King when B.B. King came home each year for his annual B.B. King homecoming festival and to play at Club Ebony. |
| CLUB EBONY BRINGING YOU 60 YEARS OF BLUES |
| *Where the Blues Legends Play* |
