Live Music at Deschain featuring Chant Duplantier | Gainesville TX

Louisiana Funk with Texas Soul + Uniquely Arranged R&B Covers

Live Music in Gainesville, TX | Walk-ins welcome!

Louisiana native Chant Duplantier has been surrounded by Rhythm & Blues and Soul music as far back as he can remember. His grandparents introduced him to the sounds of the greats: Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, Elmore James, Blind Lemon Jefferson, Willie Dixon, Howlin’ Wolf, the ‘Kings’ (BB, Freddy, & Albert), etc. He got his first guitar at a pawn shop and played that guitar almost every day growing up. After high school, he went to college at Baylor University but was consumed with school and sports (baseball), so he lost touch with playing but spent every spare dime on used cassettes or CDs. Robert Cray, Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Prince, Buddy Guy, Albert Collins, Michael Jackson, Stevie Ray Vaughn…the list is endless.

After college, he picked up his guitar again and became completely consumed with jazz. Django Reinhardt, Charlie Christian, George Benson, Pat Metheny, Joe Pass, Wes Montgomery, Norman Brown, Mark Whitfield, and countless others. In the mid-90’s, he got a job and made friends with some local Dallas musicians who convinced him to audition for a popular blues band called ‘Shame, Shame’. They were kind enough to hire him even though he completely blew the audition. Combined, the other members had over 70 years of playing experience. He had none. The lessons they taught him, he still uses today. They allowed him to do things creatively he never thought possible. After a couple of great years, he thought it was time to try his own thing. Sadly, he left them to start his own band, but as the saying goes, “be careful what you wish for!” The next few years taught him some hard lessons, and he eventually had to put his own plans on hold. He spent a few years working, writing songs with friends, and touring as a backup musician for multiple acts.

Chant had known bass player Jerry Smith, Jr. for several years when he asked him to cover a jazz guitar gig with his group, Daddy’s Chair, in 2005. They knew immediately that they heard things the same way. With a solid bass player at his side, he decided to try his hand at starting another group. That journey took Chant and Jerry from coast-to-coast for over 10 years but road life has its own challenges, so they decided to take a break from full-time touring in 2014.

After that, Chant went back to his acoustic roots, which led him to an amazing experience in Las Vegas playing on ‘The Strip’ for a couple of years. It was something that he enjoyed, and he learned a lot but Las Vegas wasn’t for him in the long run. He returned to Dallas and began playing with Jerry Smith, Jr. who, sadly, passed sway in 2020.

As a solo artist, Duplantier’s smooth voice and crazy guitar work bring a unique flair to R&B standards from Otis Redding and Stevie Wonder to Hall and Oates and Steve Ray Vaughn.

Preview his performance here: http://chantmusic.com/

RESERVE A TABLE: https://deschaincellars.com/reservations/