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David Dee (David Eckford), a singer/guitarist who came up in the East St. Louis music scene in the early 1960s, died Wednesday according to his daughter Leslie Withers.
Born in Greenwood Mississippi in March 1938 his mother moved the family north to East St. Louis in the early1940ss. At the age of twelve Dee began singing gospel at the local Baptist church. The blues and R&Bwere scenefrownedduponby church elders, but, Dee became hooked. By 16 he bought his first guitar and with his remarkable voice began employment with local vocal groups.
After a stint in the army, he returned home to a 1960s East St. Louis scene that was exploding with clubs and talent. As blues historian, Bruce Olson notes: “The Cosmopolitan Club alone was supporting five or six full-scale revues complete with Supreme-type female singers, full horn sections, and deep-throated blues stars.” Vocals and bass were Dee’s entre to the scene.
He formed his vocal group, David and the Temptations, and would be recruited to play bass for Howlin’ Wolf and later Albert King. He eventually settled on the guitar as his instrument of choice. Like King, Dee played left-handed and a flying V would become his trademark too. He too played with Jimmy Reed and performed and recorded with Oliver Sain who, as a performer, producer, and studio owner (Archway), was the hub of St. Louis Soul and R&B with ties to Chess and Stax.
One day Sain provided Dee with a music track needing lyrics. It would become Dee’s biggest hit, 1982’s “Goin Fishin.” David Dee and the Hot Tracks Band would become the last remaining R&B revue from the East St. Louis heyday. Dee released six albums between 1985-2001.
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