Duarte was born in San Antonio, Texas, and was first inspired by music at age eight after seeing Fiddler On The Roof on television. Duarte first began playing on his brother's guitar and then obtained his own electric guitar, a Supro, at the age of 14. In 1979, Duarte moved to Austin, Texas, and purchased a 1963 Fender Stratocaster guitar for $500 and began exploring various genres including the jazz music of John Coltrane and Miles Davis. This guitar he primarily used to learn to play, was stolen in 1993. Duarte was inspired by blues legend Stevie Ray Vaughan, and credits John Coltrane as his number-one musical idol. Duarte won a recording contract with Silvertone Records and released Texas Sugar/Strat Magik in 1994, and was named "Best New Talent" in Guitar Player's 1995 Reader's Poll. He finished fourth in the magazine's "Best Blues Guitarist" category behind Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy and B.B. King. Duarte said once in an interview, "I always thought I was a better live performer anyway."

Though Duarte has played a limited number of US dates in recent years with the Japanese band Bluestone Company backing him, he performs primarily as a power trio billed as the Chris Duarte Group. Apart from his band, Duarte has performed with Julie Burrell, Diana Cantu, Bobby Mack, Tracy Conover, Indigenous, and Omar & the Howlers. Duarte's concert dates in Asheville, North Carolina; Charlotte, North Carolina; and Greenville, South Carolina; were filmed for the PBS television show, The PBS Project, and featured Steve Bailey on bass and Jeff Sipe on drums.

His thirteenth album, Lucky 13, is billed as a Chris Duarte Group release, featuring Dustin Sargent on the bass, and John McKnight on the drums, while Duarte plays the guitar and provides vocals. Following its release in 2014, it received positive reviews for its blend of slow, loping blues with psychedelic, rock and jazz overtones. Special Guests Local Blues Rockers, The Lucas Haneman Express will also be performing on this epic evening.