Singer/songwriter/guitarist Duane Jarvis, known to music fans as a sideman for artists like Lucinda Williams and John Prine, as well as for his own critically acclaimed album releases, died of colon cancer this morning in his Los Angeles apartment. He was 51. Jarvis, who was a well-known and much-loved figure on the Nashville music scene for many years, recorded five solo albums, and lived in Nashville until recently. During the ‘80s, he was a key player in the vibrant LA country scene that also included artists like Dwight Yoakam, Williams, Buddy Miller, Rosie Flores, The Blasters and Jim Lauderdale. He released his first solo album, Front Porch, in 1994, the same year he moved to Nashville. Jarvis played guitar on recordings by Flores, Williams, Prine, Yoakam, Frank Black, Amy Rigby, Giant Sand, Peter Case and many others. He toured with artists including Prine, Black and The Divinyls, and his songs were featured in movies including The Horse Whisperer and The Rookie. In 2007, Jarvis, a native Oregonian, was inducted into the Oregon Music Hall of Fame.
