It is with sadness that we announce the passing of Niagara musician Dave Curry on December 30, 2023. He was a founding member of the Mighty Mighty Duck Blues Band and played with many other musicians in the area. Our condolences to his family, friends and fans.
Social Media Reaction
His wife Denise
My life is forever changed. Yesterday I lost my Best Friend & The Love of My Life to a heart attack. This year we celebrated 50 Years Together. Dave was getting ready to due what he loved to do on a Saturday afternoon: play music with The Mighty Duck Blues Band Gary, Jimmy, Lorraine & Frank on sound. He suddenly had severe chest pains I immediately called 911 for an ambulance & within an hour or so he was gone. Music was Dave's life he was a kind & amazing man, husband, friend & musician who loved playing his tele. I will always remember his kind smile & loving heart. I never said goodbye Dave because you will always be by my side. Your loving wife, Denise.
Gary Kendall (Mighty Duck Blues Band, Downchild)
Today we lost Dave Curry, the leader and founder of The Mighty Duck Blues Band. I met Dave over 20 years ago playing with Mojo Willie & Bluesafire at Arizona's in Thorold ON. At first he was the guy who sat in with the band every week. Before long he was the lead guitar player and on the payroll.
When that band fizzled Dave and his wife/life partner Denise accepted an offer from The Golden Pheasant (The Duck) in St. Catharines ON to set up a Saturday afternoon blues series. The plan was to feature a house band with special guests. Dave got the first gig, named the band and along with Denise made sure we always had a venue to play in. Eventually that led us to Jo Blos Rock & Wok, the current home base. He didn`t care about touring or even playing other gigs, his passion was The Mighty Duck Blues Band, the special guests and a good house gig.
Dave Curry was a really good musician, a really good guitar player and a good friend. Being a good friend was one of his many talents. When the band first started half the audience was made up of personal friends of Denise and Dave. We never had to build a crowd, they brought it.
Jim, Lorraine, Francis and I are going to miss him terribly. We`re in a state of shock and will do what we can to rally around Denise, from day one, she`s been the band`s guiding light. When the time is right we`ll organize a musical tribute to Dave Curry. For now we`ll have to get used to him not taking his seat stage right, strapping on the Tele, flashing the smile and letting us know he was ready to play. Sail on brother, see you on the other side..
Jim Casson (Mighty Duck Blues Band, Downchild)
Today we lost one of the best people I know. An amazing musician, a great friend, a kind and generous soul and a loving husband to Denise. The Mighty Ducks are gutted. I will long for those sly looks that we would share when someone else on stage made a mistake and we both knew it, those pregnant pauses before counting off the opening song while he was wiping his guitar neck or sticking his pick on his finger, the starting the solo in the third bar because his head was down and didn’t realize it was his turn, the candies at the end of the gig. But most of all, his joy when we played together. I think it’s been more than 20 years that we’ve been playing together on Saturday afternoons.
I will always see you when I look to my right.
Sleep well, Dave. We love you.
Below is the final song he played with the Mighty Duck Blues Band
Links: The Mighty Duck Blues Band, More MDBB Stories, Dawn Tyler Watson, More DTW Stories, Video above courtesy of Jim Meyers
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