Duarte was born in San Antonio, Texas, where at age 8, after seeing Fiddler On The Roof, he became inspired by music. Duarte first began playing on his brother’s guitar and then obtained his own electric guitar at the age of 14. In 1979, Duarte moved to Austin, purchased a 1963 Fender guitar for $500 and began exploring various genres, including the jazz music of John Coltrane and Miles Davis. This guitar, a 1963 Stratocaster on which he primarily learned to play, was stolen in 1993. Duarte was also inspired by blues legend Stevie Ray Vaughan, and credits Coltrane as his number-one musical idol.

Duarte won a record contract with Silvertone Records and released Texas Sugar/Strat Magik in 1994, and was named “Best New Talent” in Guitar Player Magazine’s 1995 Reader’s Poll. He finished fourth in the magazine’s “Best Blues Guitarist” category behind Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, and the late B.B. King.