William Thomas Dupree was born in July, 1910 in New Orleans. He was orphaned at the age of eight, when his parents lost their lives in a fire.(accidental or not it seems unclear) and was sent to an institution for orphaned or delinquent boys in New Orleans. Funnily enough, Louis Armstrong was also sent to the very same place. He taught himself how to play the piano while he was there, and later learnt from Tuts Washington and Willie (Drive ‘Em Down) Hall, the later whom he called his father and from whom he learnt much, including the song ‘Junker Blues’. All this led to him playing in the various barrelhouses and clubs in the area.
He traveled around some, working with Georgia Tom in Chicago, and then Scrapper Blackwell and Leroy Carr (How Long How Long Blues) in Indianapolis. In Detroit he was encouraged by Joe Louis himself to become a professional boxer, in which he was quite successful, fighting some 107 bouts, winning the Golden Gloves and other championships. It is obviously from this that he picked up his nickname ‘Champion Jack’ which he then used for the rest of his life.
Returning to Chicago he was introduced to a record producer Lester Melrose by Big Bill Broonzy and Tampa Red, who claimed publishing rights to much of Duprees work. Although this was interrupted by his service in the military during world War Two (as had happened to a great many of the pianists of this time). He served as a cook in the United States Navy and was later held by the Japanese for two years as a prisoner of war. After the war, returning to his music, he has his biggest success with ‘Walking The Blues’ recorded with Teddy McRae, which resulted in several tours including on in Europe. Champion Jack actually moved to Europe in 1960, first to Switzerland then Denamark, England, Sweden and then Germany (he certainly got about). He played the Montreux Jazz Festival in 1971, which was released in 1973.
Moving to England, where he lived in Halifax, England after Marrying an English woman, Shirley Ann Harrison, he continued to perform and record, and even returned to cooking, apparently specialising in New Orleans cuisine, until finally getting divorced and moving to Copenhagen. He past away from cancer on the 21st January, 1992 in Hanover.
| Champion Jack Dupree – Blues From The Gutter | 1958 |
| Strollin’ T.B. Blues Can’t Kick The Habit Evil Woman Nasty Boogie | Junker’s Blues Bad Blood Goin’ Down Slow Frankie & Johnny Stack-O-Lee |
| Champion Jack Dupree Champion Jack’s Natural & Soulful Blues | 1959 |
| Seafood Blues Death Of Big Bill Broonzy Don’t Leave Me Mary Rampart Street Special How Long Blues | Bad Life Mother-In-Law Blues Slow Drag Dennis Rag Bad Luck Bound To Change |
| Champion Jack Dupree – Champion of the Blues | 1961 |
| I Had A Dream Roll Me Over Roll Me Slow Reminiscin With Champion Jack That’s All Right Daybreak Stomp House Rent Party | Snaps Drink Woman One Sweet Letter From You New Vicksburg Blues When Things Go Wrong Johnson Street Boogie Woogie Misery Blues |
| Champion Jack Dupree The Women Blues of Champion Jack Dupree | 1961 |
| Ain’t That A Shame Talk To Me Baby Tell Me When Old Woman Blues Hard Feelings Blues Bus Station Blues | Rattlesnake Boogie Black Wolf Blues Jail House Come Back Baby On My Way To Moe Asch |
| Champion Jack Dupree – Trouble, Trouble | 1962 |
| You Can Make It If You Try Cryin’ Woman Blues Schoolday Blues Free And Equal Carolina Sunrise My Heart Beats For You | I Love To Be With You When A Young Girl Is 18 Broken Hearted Blues Trouble Trouble I Ain’t Goin’ To Be Your Low Down Dog |
| Champion Jack Dupree – The Best of the Blues | 1963 |
| Cabbage Greens No. 3 Sporting Life Blues Mean Mistreater In The Dark You’ve Been Drunk Careless Love | Tomorrow Night Fisherman’s Blues Bring Me Flowers While I’m Living Everything I Do Is Wrong See See Rider Diggin’ My Potatoes |
| Champion Jack Dupree Champion Jack Dupree Of New Orleans | 1965 |
| Everyday I Had The Blues Three O’Clock In The Morning Oh Lawdy Whiskey Head Woman Young Girl Blues | Fine And Mellow Holiday Blues People Talk Shirley May Federal Man Blues |
| Champion Jack Dupree From New Orleans to Chicago | 1966 |
| Third Degree T.V. Mama He Knows The Rules Ain’t It A Shame Ohh-la-la (Going Down To) Big Leg Emma’s Won’t Be Fooled No More | Take It Slow And Easy She’s All In My Life Poor Poor Me Pigfoot And A Bottle Of Beer Down The Valley Too Early In The Morning Shim-Sham-Shimmy |
| Champion Jack Dupree When You Feel the Feeling You Was Feeling | 1968 |
| See My Milk Cow Mr. Dupree Blues Yellow Pocahontas Gutbucket Blues – Ugly Woman Street Walking Woman | Income Tax Roll On I’ve Been Mistreated A Racehorse Called Mae My Home’s In Hell |
| Champion Jack Dupree – Scoobydoobydoo | 1969 |
| I Want To Be A Hippy Grandma (You’re A Bit Too Slow) Puff Puff Blues Before Sunrise I’ll Try Going Back To Louisiana | Ain’t That A Shame Stumbling Block Old And Grey Who Threw The Whiskey In The Well Postman Blues Lawdy, Lawdy |
| Champion Jack Dupree The Heart of the Blues Is Sound | 1969 |
| My Baby’s Coming Home You Rascal You No To Morrow The Heart Of The Blues Is Sound | The Japanese Special Hard Feeling Blues From 1921 Don’t Mistreat Your Woman |
| Champion Jack Dupree Champion Jack Dupree (1972) | 1972 |
| How Long Blues Blues Before Sunrise Rocky Mountain Blues Deep Sea Diver Automobile Blues | Midnight Hour Blues You Got To Do As I Tell You Truckin’ On Down It’s Too Late Doctor Dupree Blues |
| Champion Jack Dupree – The Hamburg Session | 1974 |
| Woodpecker Jumping In The Wood Big Birtha`s House Cold Cold Winter Creole Kids Dance | Who Threw The Gin In The World? Kick Allee (Living In The South) Florida Diary I`m Going Home I`m Gonna Hang Up My Dancing Shoes |
| Champion Jack Dupree – Champion Jack Dupree 74 | 1974 |
| Lord I Wonder Where Do I Live Watergate Blues Who Made The World? People Like To Walk On Me I’m Going To Walk The World Over | Cotton Town Blues I’ll Get By Let’s Get Drunk In The Wintertime When The Moon Was Rising |
| Champion Jack Dupree – Hamhark & Liner Beans (also released as “1977”) | 1977 |
| Hamhark & Limer Beans Let Me In I Am Drunk Somebody Don’t Change The Lock My Real Combination For Love | Walkin’ The Road Phone Call (Tell Me) Who Do You Love Let’s Try Over Again |
| Champion Jack Dupree – Alive, “Live” And Well – Oh Lord, What Have I Done … | 1976 |
| Wine, Wine, Wine (Drinkin’ Wine, Spodie-Odie) You Can Make It, You Can Make It Reminiscing Fats W. Oh Lord, What Have I Done I Ain’t Good Lookin’ |
| Champion Jack Dupree – The Jubilee Album-75 Years Of Champion Jack Dupree 1984 |
| Champion Jack – Freedom Champion Jack Dupree & Axel Zwingenberger – Ramblin’ Boogie Axel Zwingenberger – Jump For Jack Champion Jack Dupree & Kenn Lending – Nobody Loves Me Champion Jack Dupree & Kenn Lending – Blues Band Blues For Champ Champion Jack Dupree & Kenn Lending – Blues Band Married Man Champion Jack Dupree & Kenn Lending – Blues Band I Hate To Be Alone Louisiana Red – When Victoriy Spivey Was Living Louisiana Red & Champion Jack Dupree – Rocky Mountain Louisiana Red – New York City Louisiana Red & Kenn Lending Blues Band – Move Me, Baby Monty Sunshine’s Jazz Band & Axel Zwingenberger – Shineberger Boogie Monty Sunshine’s Jazz Band & Axel Zwingenberger – Thank You, God Monty Sunshine’s Jazz Band & Axel Zwingenberger – Happy Birthday Memphis Slim & Kenn Lending Blues Band – Rockin’ The House Memphis Slim & Kenn Lending Blues Band – One More Time Memphis Slim & Kenn Lending Blues Band – The Blues Ad Lib Memphis Slim & Kenn Lending Blues Band – Bye Bye Blues Mickey Baker & Champion Jack Dupree – Mother In Law Mickey Baker & Champion Jack Dupree – Georgiana Champion Jack Dupree & Kenn Lending Blues Band – One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer |
| Champion Jack Dupree With The Big Town Playboys* – Live At Burnley | 1989 |
| In The Evenin’ I Used To Love You Sweet Little Baby Freedom Blues Wine, Wine, Wine Lawdy Lawdy | Junkers Blues One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer Rock The Boogie Woogie Bring Me Flowers When I’m Living Now Or Never |
| Champion Jack Dupree – Back Home in New Orleans | 1990 |
| When I’m Drinkin’ Lonesome Bedroom I Don’t Know Calcutta Freedom | My Woman Left Me Broken Hearted Way Down The Blind Man No Future |
| Champion Jack Dupree – Forever and Ever | 1991 |
| They Gave Me Away Hometown New Orleans Skit Skat Poor Boy Forever And Ever | Yella Pocahontas Third Degree Dupree Special Let’s Talk It Over |
| Champion Jack Dupree – One Last Time | 1993 |
| Bad Blood She’s Jail Bait Somebody Done Changed The Lock On My Door Bring Me Flowers Hey Mary | Drinkin’ Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee You Can Make It Big Leg Emma Early In The Morning Schooldays |
| Champion Jack Dupree – Junker Blues | 1993 |
| Morning Tea Chain Gang Blues Big Time Mama Warehouse Man Blues Jackie P. Blues Black Woman Swing Dupree Shake Dance Junker’s Blues All Alone Blues | Angola Blues Bad Health Blues Weed Head Woman Heavy Heart Blues Cabbage Greens How Long Blues Mean Ole’ ‘Frisco Bad Whiskey And Bad Women Bus Station Blues |
| Champion Jack Dupree – Rum Cola Blues | 2000 |
| Rum Cola Blues She Makes Good Jelly Johnson Street Boogie Woogie I’m Going Down With You F.D.R. Blues God Bless Our New President County Jail Special Fisherman’s Blues Lover’s Lane Black Wolf | Walkin’ By Myself Outside Man Forget It Mama You’ve Been Drunk Santa Claus Blues Gin Mill Sal Love Strike Blues Wet Deck Mama Big Legged Mama I’m A Doctor For Women |
| Champion Jack Dupree – Jivin’ With Jack (Live in Manchester, May 1966) | 2012 |
| Going Down To The Bottom Champion Jack Talks Don’t Mistreat Your Woman Gimme A Pigfoot And A Bottle Of Beer Champion Jack Talks The Sheik Of Araby Champion Jack Talks Income Tax Champion Jack Talks Drinkin’ Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee Champion Jack Talks | Please Send Me Someone To Love Walking The Blues How Long Blues Alberta Big Legged Mama Champion Jack Talks Going Down Slow We’re Gonna Rock ‘n’ Roll / HeyLaBas Stack-O-Lee Champion Jack Talks Until We Meet Again |
| Champion Jack Dupree – Live At Rockpalast (CD & DVD. Recorded 1980) | 2012 |
| Intro I Don’t Know One Scotch, One Bourbon, One Beer Schooldays Ain’t That A Shame / Swanee River / Blueberry Hill Drinkin’ Wine Spo-Dee-O-Dee Marriage (Talk) Bring Me Flowers (While I’m Living) Jack’s Pinetop Boogie You Can Make It If You Try | Baby, Don’t Go Bad Luck Rockin’ The Boogie Salt Pork, West Virginia Down By The Riverside The Saints Mean Old Frisco It’s Now Or Never |