Blues guitar slinger Duke Robillard has played with everyone from Pinetop Perkins and Bob Dylan to Muddy Waters and Robert Gordon. He was awarded the W.C. Handy Award for top blues guitar player a remarkable four times. He also co-founded Roomful of Blues and played with The Fabulous Thunderbirds, but it’s his career leading his own bands that continues to cross musical boundaries and thrill audiences. His 37th album A Smooth One was released this fall and is yet another curveball, a wonderful organ trio record that really swings.
WBGO’s Dave Popkin sat down with the Rhode Island native for an extended interview (LISTEN ABOVE), covering some of his recent albums, his extensive vinyl collection, the Roomful origin story, Chuck Berry, Jay Geils, Les Paul, his painting hobby, and more. The Duke Robillard Band will be appearing at The Iridium in New York on November 30th.
“‘Deed I Do” from the 2023 organ trio album A Smooth One by Duke Robillard
Chuck Berry’s “It’s My Own Business” as released on Duke’s Mood – Duke Robillard and The Pleasure Kings Live in Bremen 1985
“Love Slipped In” by The Duke Robillard Band. Live performance from 1994.
“Lonely Boy Blues” by New Guitar Summit (Jay Geils, Duke Robillard, Gerry Beaudoin). Live at Stoneham Theater in 2011.
