AMERICAN Blues legend Kent Duchaine takes to the stage at Alexander's Jazz Theatre in Chester next month.

The Minnesota-born guitarist and singer - coming to Chester on February 19 - has listened to, hung out with, opened up for, travelled and played with most of the great Blues men and women his whole adult life.

Among them are Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, John Lee Hooker, Big Mama Thornton, Koko Taylor, BB, Albert and Freddie King, Willie Dixon, Bukka White, Johnny Shines, Robert JR Lockwood, Mississippi Fred McDowell, Furry Lewis and Son House.

Kent's early days with the Blues involved him both living and learning the Blues life.

The 73-year-old has played in most of the major Blues festivals in the United States and Europe and was part of a Grammy-nominated album recorded at the prestigious Smithsonian Institute Festival of Folk Life in Washington DC.

The theme of the festival was "The roots of Rhythm & Blues, The Robert Johnson Era" and was recorded and released by Sony Music.

"It featured Robert Johnson's old buddies, Johnny Shines, Robert JR Lockwood, Honeyboy Edwards, and Henry Townsend."

Kent attended two of the early "Ann Arbor Blues Festivals" in the 70s. It united together virtually every important Blues man and woman in the world who performed for the three days and nights in August.

His dedication and talent for the blues earned him the honor of opening two shows for Bukka White, spending time with Mississippi Fred McDowell and befriending his hometown Bluesmen, Lazy Bill Lucas and Mojo Buford in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

He has even hung out with Muddy Waters who he later paid his last respects to at Muddys' funeral in Chicago.

The Blues were happening all around Kent at this time and he ended up playing alongside Kim Wilson in a band called "Aces, Straights & Shuffles".

Willie Dixon heard the band and complimented Kent on his slide playing sounding like a young Muddy Waters. Willie arranged a recording contract for the boys to help them launch their career by putting them on stage with Howlin' Wolf, John Lee Hooker, Albert Collins and Margie Evans.

Kent spent time in Austin, Texas in the mid 70s, soaking up the blues at "Antone's", who where beginning to bring in alot of the old Blues men. He met Stevie Ray Vaughn and learned that there where others who shared the same passion and respect for the real Blues.

Around this time the most incredible thing happened: after searching for ten years, Kent found his beloved 1934 National Steel guitar, Leadbessie.

After some time, Kent could see that the solo Blues life was where he wanted to go. Traveling the roads alone allowed him the opportunities he was seeking.

Following the Blues trails unhindered gave him the freedom to play where and when he wanted, for what ever he could get, even if it was just a meal and a drink. The solo life built his following, reputation and talent for the real Blues.

By the late 80's he was doing 300+ shows a year all over N. America. He was blessed by the Blues in 1989 by coming across the great Johnny Shines who was living in Alabama.

He has spent most of the last 20 years traveling back and forth to Europe and has done close to 100 European tours of 4-6 weeks each. He has logged millions of miles and many 1000s of shows.

Tickets for his show at Alexander's Jazz Theatre in Rufus Court, Northgate Street, Chester, which starts at 8pm, are available from www.alexnderslive.com, by calling 01244 340 005, or on the door.