Duke Robillard

Michael John "Duke" Robillard (born October 4, 1948) is an American guitarist and singer. He founded the band Roomful of Blues and was a member of the Fabulous Thunderbirds. Although Robillard is known as a rock and blues guitarist, he also plays jazz and swing.

Duke Robillard
Robillard in 2006
Photograph by Louis Ramirez
Background information
Birth nameMichael John Robillard
Born (1948-10-04) October 4, 1948
Woonsocket, Rhode Island, U.S.
GenresBlues, blues rock, rockabilly, jump blues, swing
Occupation(s)Musician, singer, songwriter
InstrumentsGuitar
Years active1967–present
LabelsStony Plain, Rounder, Black Top, Point Blank, Flying Fish, Columbia
Associated actsRoomful of Blues, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, New Guitar Summit
Websitewww.dukerobillard.com

Career
Duke Robillard performing in May 2012

He played in bands as Mike "Honey Bear" Robillard and worked for the Guild Guitar Company. In 1967, he and Al Copley founded the band Roomful of Blues.[1][2]

He spent over ten years with Roomful of Blues before departing in 1979, becoming the guitarist for singer Robert Gordon and then a member of the Legendary Blues Band.[3] He started the Duke Robillard Band in 1981, eventually adopting the name Duke Robillard and the Pleasure Kings, with whom he toured throughout the 1980s and recorded for Rounder Records. He became a member of the Fabulous Thunderbirds in 1990 to replace Jimmie Vaughan.[2][3]

Although he was a member of bands, Robillard simultaneously pursued a solo career in which he toured and recorded solo albums in other genres, such as jazz and blues. He formed a duo with jazz guitarist Herb Ellis and the swing trio New Guitar Summit with Gerry Beaudoin and Jay Geils. He explored jump blues in A Swingin Session with Duke Robillard, returned to his rhythm and blues roots in Stomp! The Blues Tonight, and covered blues songs from the 1940s and '50s in Low Down and Tore Up. Briefly in 2013, he was the guitarist for Bob Dylan's tour.[3][4]

Awards and honors
  • Best Blues Guitarist, W. C. Handy Award, 2000, 2001[5]
  • Grammy nomination, Best Contemporary Blues Album, Guitar Groove-a-Rama, 2007
  • Grammy nomination, Best Traditional Blues Album, Stomp! The Blues Tonight, 2010

Discography

As leader/co-leader

  • Too Hot to Handle (1985) (Rounder)
  • Swing (1987) (Rounder)
  • You Got Me (1988) (Rounder)
  • Rockin' Blues (1988) (Rounder)
  • Duke Robillard & the Pleasure Kings (1990) (Rounder)
  • After Hours Swing Session (1992) (Rounder)
  • Turn it Around (1991) (Rounder)
  • Temptation (1994) (Point Blank)
  • Duke's Blues (1996) (Virgin)
  • Dangerous Place (1997) (Point Blank)
  • Stretchin' Out (1998) (Stony Plain)
  • New Blues for Modern Man (1999) (Shanachie)
  • Conversations in Swing Guitar (Stony Plain, 1999)
  • Explorer (2000) (Shanachie)
  • La Palette Bleu (2001)
  • Living with the Blues (2002) (Stony Plain)
  • Exalted Lover (2003) (Stony Plain)
  • More Conversations in Swing Guitar (2003) (Stony Plain)
  • Blue Mood..The Songs of T-Bone Walker (2004) (Stony Plain)
  • The Duke Meets the Earl (2005) (Stony Plain)
  • Guitar Groove-a-Rama (2006) (Stony Plain)
  • Duke Robillard's World of Blues (2007) (Stony Plain)
  • A Swingin' Session with Duke Robillard (Stony Plain, 2008)
  • Stomp! The Blues Tonight (2009) (Stony Plain)
  • Passport to the Blues (2010) (Stony Plain)
  • Wobble Walkin (Blue Duchess, 2011)
  • Low Down and Tore Up (2011) (Stony Plain)
  • Independently Blue (2013) (Stony Plain)
  • Calling All Blues (2014) (Stony Plain)
  • The Acoustic Blues & Roots of Duke Robillard (2015) (Stony Plain)
  • Blues Full Circle (2016) (Stony Plain)
  • Duke Robillard & His Dames of Rhythm (2017) (M.C.Records)

With Roomful of Blues

  • Roomful of Blues (1978)
  • Let's Have a Party (1979)
  • Swingin and Jumpin (1999)

With The Fabulous Thunderbirds

  • Powerful Stuff, (1989)
  • Walk That Walk, Talk That Talk (1991)
  • Wrap It Up (1993)

With New Guitar Summit

  • New Guitar Summit (Stony Plain, 2004)
  • Live at the Stoneheim Theater (2004)
  • Shivers (Stony Plain, 2009)

As sideman or guest

With Al Basile

  • Blue Ink (2004)
  • Down on Providence Plantation (2005)
  • Groovin' in the Mood (2006)
  • The Tinge (2008)
  • Soul Blue (2009)
  • The Goods (2010)
  • At Home Next Door (2012)

With Joe Beard

  • For Real (AudioQuest, 1998)
  • Dealin (AudioQuest, 2000)

With Gerry Beaudoin

  • Minor Swing (1994)
  • Swing Cafe (2005)

With Eddy Clearwater

  • Cool Blues (1998)
  • Reservation Blues (2000)

With Al Copley

  • Royal Blue (1991)
  • Good Understanding (1994)

With Ronnie Earl

  • Soul Searchin' (1988)
  • Test of Time(1992)

With Sax Gordon

  • Have Horn, Will Travel (1998)
  • You Knock Me Out (2000)

With Scott Hamilton

  • Blues Bop & Ballads (1999)
  • Across the Tracks (2008)

With Jay McShann

  • Hootie's Jumpin' Blues, (1997)
  • Still Jumpin' the Blues (1999)
  • Goin' to Kansas City (2003)

With Jerry Portnoy

  • Poison Kisses (1991)
  • Home Run Hitter (1995)
  • Down in the Mood Room (2002)

With Jimmy Witherspoon

  • Spoon's Blues (1995)
  • Jimmy Witherspoon with the Duke Robillard Band (2000)

With others

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References
  1. Russell, Tony (1997). The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. [Great Britain]: Carlton. p. 159. ISBN 1-85868-255-X.
  2. Yanow, Scott (2013). The Great Jazz Guitarists. San Francisco: Backbeat. p. 166. ISBN 978-1-61713-023-6.
  3. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "Duke Robillard". AllMusic. Retrieved 19 October 2017.
  4. "Bob Dylan changes guitarist mid-tour". Uncut. July 3, 2013. Retrieved May 28, 2019.
  5. Brian D. Holland (2007-11-09). "A Bluesy World: An Interview with Duke Robillard". Premierguitar.com. Retrieved 2015-10-06.
  6. "Duke Robillard | Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 22 April 2017.
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