Dale Spalding grew up in Downey, California, in a family of four children. As a teenager, he became interested in harmonica after listening to an album by Paul Butterfield. He also started playing the guitar. He is fascinated by rhythm and blues from New Orleans, Big Band Swing and British Invasion. He is also interested in blues legends like Muddy Waters, BB King, Little Walter, John Lee Hooker, and Canned Heat. Spalding also followed several musicians playing in Los Angeles, such as the Ashgrove and the Golden Bear.
In 1969, Spalding moved to San Francisco, where he played in clubs and studied harmonica with bluesman Sonny Terry. Terry introduced Spalding to his friends, among them Brownie McGhee, Willie Dixon, Johnny Shines, Lafayette Leake and Big Walter "Shakey" Horton.
Spalding later formed a duet with Duke Burrell, the pianist of Louis Jordan. Duke discovered Spalding's talent as a vocalist and encouraged him to sing more. The duet played together for ten years, during which Duke taught him a variety of jazz classics and ballads.

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