Duke Robillard

Duke Robillard Guitarist, Bandleader, Songwriter, Singer, Producer, Session musician, and a one-man cheering section for the blues, in all its forms and permutations. And every one of those names has shared recording studio space or stage time with a man who is a legend in the blues community. The Blues Music Awards (formerly W.C.Handy Awards) have named Duke Robillard "Best Blues Guitarist" four years out of five (2000,2001,2003,2004) making him the second most honored guitarist for that award! He was also nominated in that category in 2005, 2007, 2008, 2010, 2011 and again this year of 2012. He was also awarded the “Best Traditional Male Blues Artist” in 2010 by the BMAs. Duke’s Blues Music Award nominations now number over 20 since 1989!

In 2007 and again in 2010, Duke received a Grammy nomination for his "Guitar Groove-a-rama" CD and “Stomp the Blues Tonight” respectively. In 2007 Duke was also honored with the prestigious Rhode Island Pell Award for "excellence in the arts" along with actress Olympia Dukakis, actor Bob Colonna, and R.I. Choreographer/Festival Ballet director Mihailo "Misha" Djuric.The Pell award is named for Senator Claiborne Pell who help establish The National Endowment for the Arts and Humanities in 1965.Other awards over the last decade include three Canadian Maple Blues Awards in 2001, 2002, and 2003 for "Best International Blues Artist," The Blues Foundation's "Producer of the Year" award in 2004, The French Blues Association "Album of the Year" award in 2002 (Living with the Blues) and "Guitarist of the Year" awards in 1999 and 2002.

BB King himself has called Duke "One of the great players," The Houston Post called him "one of God's guitarists.” And the New York Times says "Robillard is a soloist of stunning force and originality.” None of that goes to Robillard’s head. He’s still on the road constantly touring worldwide bringing his unique blend of all styles of blues, early R&B, Swing, Jazz and sometimes even dash of roots rock and roll to appreciative audiences with his incredible rhythm section of Bruce Bears on keys, Brad Hallen on bass and Mark Teixeira on drums.

Roomful of Blues, which Duke conceived in 1967 and served as their leader, vocalist, guitarist and songwriter until 1979, recorded two major label albums along the way with them. After a short stint with Robert Gordon, Duke recorded two albums with The Legendary Blues Band, a group consisting of some of Muddy Water’s revered sidemen including Pinetop Perkins, Fuzz Jones, Willie Big Eyes Smith and Jerry Portnoy. Robillard then formed Duke Robillard and The Pleasure Kings recording several well-received blues oriented albums for Rounder Records in addition to a pair of swing era style classic recordings.

With a number of solo albums nearing 20 on Stony Plain alone, starting with the highly acclaimed Duke’s Blues, just as impressive have been the projects he has produced (and played on) for Stony Plain, including two albums with the late Jimmy Witherspoon, three with Kansas City piano king Jay McShann, comeback CDs for Billy Boy Arnold and Roscoe Gordon and a superb pair of albums of guitar duets with the jazz legend Herb Ellis. As if this catalogue was not enough, he has found time to share studio gigs with Bob Dylan (the Daniel Lenois-produced Time Out of Mind sessions), Ruth Brown, the late Johnny Adams, John Hammond, Pinetop Perkins, and Ronnie Earl, among many others.

As he enters the world of record company executive with partner Jesse A. Finkelstein, Duke Robillard is a man in command of a full range of creative talents — unique in the blues, and rare in the music industry as a whole. He is, in fact, a complete artist at the height of his power.


For More Information and tour dates on Duke Robillard go to: www.dukerobillard.com

For more information Blue Duchess/Shining Stone Records go to: www.blueduchessrecords.com