Hittin’ the road again

With the release of his dual “Legacy” projects, 75-year-old Ridgeland guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and storyteller J. Howard Duff has his eyes back on “the road,” while never having taken them off “the road home.”

“This was an auspicious project,” said Duff, who played his first gig in 1964 and didn’t stop until early 2025. “I wanted to leave my kids, my family and my supporters a legacy. Since I am not a wealthy man, I realized that I could leave them a musical legacy. From that moment, this project was hatched.”

Duff describes himself as a “5th-tier rock star,” having played with major artists such as Bruce Springsteen, Twisted Sister, Canned Heat and the J. Geils Band.

“I’m sort of like the fifth ring of Saturn,” he said. “You know I’m out there, but you can’t see me from the planet.”

Along with Dawn Gaye, his wife of 47 years, he recorded the underground disc “No Big Deal” in the 1980s. The record reached the top 10 in foreign markets and became a staple of college and indie radio stations.

After moving from New Jersey to South Carolina in 1998, Duff began playing at local venues, which eventually led to a 10-year stint with the Chilly Willy Band.

In early 2025, he lost the desire that had driven him since his first gig.
“I had gotten bored, and with arthritis starting to make it difficult to play up to my standards, I thought it was time to stop changing strings, as it were,” Duff said.

However, he continued his weekly role as worship leader at the Church of the Cross in Bluffton, where he still serves.
“When I look back, I realize that God was not done with me,” he said. “He gave me my musical ability to be used, not retired and put on a shelf.”

His new releases, titled the “Legacy” series, reflect that renewed sense of purpose.

The first, “Legacy: The Road,” features 22 handpicked songs from his studio and live releases from 2005 to the present, including his current single, “This Misery.”

The second, “Legacy: The Road Home,” is a 22-track compilation of spiritually based songs, spanning genres from gospel to rock and blues.
Duff’s live performances draw heavily from music of the 1960s, along with selections from the 1950s and 1970s and a strong influence of blues.

He and Gaye have three children. Their son Shaun lives in Cambodia and works as a journalist and graphic designer. Their son Michael is a musician based in Charleston and operates a production company. Their daughter, Desirée, is a vocalist who performs in New York City.

Duff credits Gaye as a constant presence throughout his career.
“My talented wife, artist, vocalist and writer, amazingly remains with me, as I didn’t deserve her when we met, and still don’t some 50 years later,” he said.

For more information on Duff’s releases or booking, visit jhowardduffmusic.com.