Pearl Jam Bassist Pays Tribute to Duck Dunn

We’re still getting more tributes to Booker T. and the MGs bassist Donald “Duck” Dunn, who passed away Sunday morning at the age of 70. The latest one comes from Pearl Jam bassist Jeff Ament, who, in 2007, put Dunn’s name into the neck of one of his basses. On the band’s website, Ament shared a picture of the bass as well as his rememberances of seeing Dunn up close every night while opening up for Neil Young in 1993.

Five years ago, I made a list of my favorite and most influential bassists, and after much editing, decided to put their names on the back of my new favorite bass at the time and the first name on the neck is Duck Dunn.  In 1993, the band was lucky enough to open a bunch of shows in the US and Europe for Neil and his band of Booker T., Steve Cropper,  Jim Keltner and Duck.  Our band watched every minute of this all-star band and lessons were delivered nightly.  I learned more about how to “play songs” in a band than my previous 12 years of playing. Duck played deeper and with more economy than most and profoundly effected how I play with PJ.

Thanks for the education, I’ll miss you, DD.

Love, Jeff

Other names on the bass include Dee Dee Ramone (the Ramones), John Entwistle (the Who), John Paul Jones (Led Zeppelin) and Mike Watt of the 80s punk band the Minutemen.