One of the two lead guitarists of the psychedelic-era San Francisco band Quicksilver Messenger Service, Gary Duncan, died June 29, 2019. Duncan, who also served as one of the group’s three primary singers, died in Woodland, Calif., after suffering a seizure and falling into a coma. He was 72.
Born Gary Grubb on Sept. 4, 1946, in San Diego, Duncan joined a band called the Brogues in Merced, Calif., in 1965. The group, which also included drummer Greg Elmore, split that same year and the two musicians accepted an invitation to team with guitarist John Cipollina and singer-songwriter Dino Valenti, who had been working as a traveling folkie. Along with bassist and vocalist David Freiberg and a third guitarist, Jim Murray, they formed the band that would become the San Francisco-based Quicksilver Messenger, but they were immediately reduced to a quintet when Valenti was arrested and jailed for marijuana possession.
Taking their name from the fact that four of the members shared the Virgo astrological sign, ruled by the planet Mercury (a.k.a. quicksilver), the group quickly gained recognition among the first wave of Bay Area psychedelic bands, alongside groups like the Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane and Big Brother and the Holding Company. They performed often at the city’s ballrooms, the Fillmore and the Avalon, and at the Monterey Pop Festival in 1967.
Watch a live clip of Quicksilver Messenger Service performing Bo Diddley’s “Who Do You Love,” a regular part of their repertoire, in 1975
Duncan and Cipollina often engaged in fiery, extended jams that showcased their complementary styles, but, as our writer said in a retrospective review, QMS was “a rock ’n’ roll band that’s not only conversant with jazz but also at ease with—and adept at—pop music.”
Related: Our Album Rewind of the band’s debut album
Quicksilver held out longer than the other major Bay Area bands in signing a recording deal, but finally signed with Capitol Records in late 1967, by which time Murray had left the band. Duncan told an interviewer, “We had no ambition toward making records. We just wanted to have fun, play music and make enough money to be able to afford to smoke pot.”
The remaining quartet released their self-titled debut on the label the following year, followed by the live Happy Trails by the same lineup in early 1969. Duncan temporarily dropped out of the band that same year and did not appear on the third album, Shady Grove, which featured the newly added British pianist Nicky Hopkins. By 1970, not only had Duncan returned, but so too did Valenti, who took over the band’s lead vocal spot for the albums Just for Love, What About Me (both 1970), Quicksilver (1971, with Freiberg, Cipollina and Hopkins now out) and Comin’ Thru (1972). The group split that year, then reunited for Solid Silver in 1975, with Duncan, Cipollina, Freiberg, Elmore and Valenti on board.
Duncan later formed new lineups of Quicksilver (no longer using Messenger Service in the name and sometimes calling it Gary Duncan’s Quicksilver), with which he released several albums beginning in the late ’80s.
Related: Our story on Duncan’s later years
Duncan is survived by his wife, Dara Love Duncan, their three sons and one grandchild, as well as his son and daughter from a previous marriage.
Duncan’s death follows those of bandmates Cipollina, Valenti and Murray. Freiberg tours with the current lineup of Jefferson Starship.
Listen to the instrumental “Gold and Silver,” which began life as a jam on Dave Brubeck’s “Take Five”
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22 Comments
Quicksilver’s Happy Trails album was one of those timeless records that I can still play over and over and never tire of. The guitar playing was some of the best rock and roll ever played imho. It is not possible to play the album too loud. Thats probably one of the reasons I can’t hear much anymore. Oh,well. RIP Gary.
Truth. It saddens me that QMS did not receive the recognition that the other founders of the SF sound did as they were truly talented and original. Gary Duncan’s more recent works are excellent as well.
Yes, the louder, the better!
Duncan was probably the nicest, most down to earth, humble musician that I have ever met.. He would stand against the backstage door at concerts in Miami and let many people in backstage. He was the just the nicest-guy and the most-under-rated-guitarist of the entire S.F. Psychedelic 60’s and 70’s music-scene. He told me that he didn’t practice that much and that he was very spontaneous and never ever played the same notes twice..He tried to sound like a horn-player instead of a guitarist. He was heavily-influenced by horn-players like Miles, Trane, Chet Baker, Yusef Lateef, Roland Kirk, even though his favorite guitarist was: the late Freddie King. He told me that he thought that he was a better guitarist than Eric Clapton. He once shared the stage in Texas at a Festival with his heroes: Freddie, Albert and B.B. King, with Leon Russell and Quicksilver all together at one festival…back in the mid-1970’s… He told me that he thought that Michael Bloomfield was better than anyone,including that of Jimi Hendrix! He also told me once: “I’m not Jimi Hendrix”! He was the coolest Native American Indian cat this side or that side of the Mississippi!
He paid tons of dues playing music his whole life and said that he would not be well-known until after he died… He called himself a “Crazy-Indian” many times…He told me that I was one of a kind! There will never ever be another person as cool as Gary Duncan…
I agree, Gary was great guitarist and a really nice guy. I have fond memories of attending a concert in Miami (July 28, 1972) and him seeing me playing along (on harp) with the band down in front of the stage and having me pulled up on stage to play with the band. That gave me the confidence to keep playing, and I’m still at it today.
Loved Quicksilver music . RIP Gary !
I totally remember this growing up in the 60s
I want to be the first here to say “Happy Trails Gary!”
Yeah they were one of my favorite acid rockers from the bay area. Mona,Who do you love, timeless R&R.Its sad when we lose the people that made music so timeless, love to all you heads out there love Sid Norwood
By far QMS was one of the best of the SF Bands during the sixties/seventies, it saddens me the Gary has passed, but not forgotten, I still listen to their music, which brings back many memories. Gary, QMS, thank you for sharing your wonderful talent, and Gary, you will be sorely missed.
Rest now Gary, you gave us much joy say hello to Dino and Nicky.Thank you.
RIP and Happy Trails, Gary. Thanks for the memories, the shows, the hangouts at the Power Lounge, and all the rest. AB.
HAPPY TRAILS 1 des meilleurs live .RIP Gary
Quicksilver Messenger Service is my all time favorite band. QMS and Happy Trails are the best albums. Gold and Silver and Calvary, composed by Gary Duncan, are my favorites. Gary and Quicksilver were the pathway to my interest in Jazz. Now you and John can trade lead back and forth again. Thanks for all the great music. Rest in peace Gary.
Hi, I’m Dara, Gary’s wife, saw your comment and didn’t know who you might be, but you were obviously at the studio which was a very special place for us. Hit back if you wish. Thank you for your sentiments!
Hi Dara. Sad to say I have only recently started listening to QMS. Gary has become one of my all time greatest guitar players. I’m 66 years old based in the UK. I’m sad I never got to see the band in the 70s, did they ever play in the uk or Europe?
I haven’t heard any band repeat the full spectrum of sounds from 3 string instruments and a drum kit. I can’t stop listening to their stuff. Thank You Mr. Duncan for wanting to have fun ..
I was first introduced to QMS when they played at my college – SUNY, Stony Brook, NY in the fall of 1972. That concert was dynamite – Dino, David, Greg and Gary were superb! At that time they had two drummers.I went on to see them 14 times live in NY, CA. I liked the other psychedelic bands too, but in my opinion QMS was the best. Gary was an extraordinary guitarist… He had stage presence and one could tell the dude is the best. Having seen over 200 concerts I must say his stuff sounds so pleasing to the ears, nobody even comes close. RIP Gary
QMS was a tie for close runner up of best all time SF band with Moby Grape but the Sons of Champlin squeezed out the top spot. What great memories of them live at the first LA Pop Festival and at the Family Dog. Gary was such a smooth player. Just found out about the sad news here a couple years later. I’ll play some of their records now.
Yeah Mac, I felt that way about ‘Electric Mudd’,Muddy, But 1 Tune brought to my attention as a 15 yr. young Bassist was ” ‘PRIDE OF MAN’. My 1st Biblical reference to exactly that ! OH GOD, PRIDE OF MAN , BROKEN IN THE DUST AGAIN !’. WOW, What stimulation for an air head to PONDER ! THANKS for sharing dude. Yeah, & I Pray We both recall the 2 options the Silver dudes hit on.#1 Slaves are free while the Pround are doomed to bondage.. See Ya on the Adoration of Happy Trails
QMS was my companion all thru college in Stockton CA for 2 years. Great hazy memories…
QMS was my favorite band back in the day.They were better than the Grateful Dead, and the Jefferson Airplane. Gary and John were the best. RIP Gary!❤️