Blues guitarist. Swing and jump blues in the T-Bone Walker style. 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 and again this year of 2008.
In 2007 Duke received a Grammy nomination for his "Guitar Groove-a-rama" CD and 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 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, still playing as many as 250 dates a year. And still proving, night after night, that his true talent is bringing people out to hear the music, appreciate the show, and dance to the blues.
Duke had his first band in high school — he was born in Woonsocket, Rhode Island — and he was fascinated from the beginning by the ways in which jazz, swing, and the blues were linked. In 1967, he formed Roomful of Blues, and the band was tight enough and tough enough to accompany two of its heroes, Big Joe Turner and Eddie "Cleanhead" Vinson on record and in live appearances.
Always ahead of his time, Duke’s first band pre-dated the renewed interest in jump blues by more than a decade — and almost 20 years later, in 1986, when he recorded with jazz sax master Scott Hamilton, he recorded a collection of classic big band tunes from the ’30s and ’40s, thus skillfully pre-dating the neo-Swing craze of the mid ’90s.
Roomful of Blues — which still continues, forty years later — gave Duke his first exposure to a wide public, and when he left after a dozen years, he played briefly with rockabilly king Robert Gordon, then cut two albums with the Legendary Blues Band (a sterling collection of former members of Muddy Waters’ band). He led his own band until 1990, and then replaced Jimmy Vaughan in the Fabulous Thunderbirds.
In 1993, as he was about to sign a world-wide recording deal with Virgin/Pointblank, he met Holger Petersen, head of the Canadian independent label Stony Plain, at a folk festival in Winnipeg. In conversation, he mentioned he wanted to record a complete album of blues, without the r & b and jazz influences of his work to date.
Petersen was interested; Virgin gave the go-ahead, and the resulting album, Duke’s Blues, earned rave reviews. It was so successful, in fact, that Virgin soon licensed the record from Stony Plain and released it around the world (except in Canada, where it continues in the Canadian company’s catalogue.
In the years since his relationship with the Canadian label has been astonishingly fruitful. As a soloist , he has released eleven CDs, plus one with label mate Ronnie Earl and one with The New Guitar Summit. Duke's next release will be in May/June of 2008
Just as remarkable have been the projects he has produced (and played on) for Stony Plain, including two albums with the late Jimmy Witherspoon, two with Kansas City piano king Jay McShann, comeback CDs for Billy Boy Arnold and Rosco Gordon, a swinging confection with the Canadian band The Rockin’ Highliners, and a superb album of guitar duets with the jazz legend Herb Ellis.
As if this growing catalogue was not enough, he has found time to share studio gigs with Bob Dylan (the Daniel Lanois-produced Time Out of Mind sessions), Ruth Brown, the late Johnny Adams, John Hammond, Pinetop Perkins, and Ronnie Earl, among many others. He now has his own 24-track studio in his home, and he has become deeply involved in graphic design and photography as well as record production.
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.
Don't Fool With My Love
Duke Robillard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
I hope people change
I need time to replace what I gave away
And my hopes, they are high, I must keep them small
Though I try to resist I still want it all
I see swimming pools and living rooms and aeroplanes
I see a little house on the hill and children's names
I see quiet nights poured over ice and Tanqueray
Only fools fall for you, only fools
Only fools do what I do, only fools fall
Only fools fall for you, only fools
Only fools do what I do, only fools fall
Oh, our lives don't collide, I'm aware of this
The differences and impulses and your obsession with
The little things, you like stick, and I like aerosol
I don't give a fuck, I'm not giving up, I still want it all
Only fools fall for you, only fools
Only fools do what I do, only fools fall
Only fools fall for you, only fools
Only fools do what I do, only fools fall
I see swimming pools and living rooms and aeroplanes
I see a little house on the hill and children's names
I see quiet nights poured over ice and Tanqueray
But everything is shattering and it's my mistake
Only fools fall for you, only fools fall
Only fools do what I do, only fools fall
Only fools fall for you, only fools fall
Only fools do what I do, only fools fall
Only fools fall for you (only fools)
Only fools do what I do (only fools)
Only fools fall for you (only fools)
Only fools do what I do, only fools fall
(Only fools)
(Only fools)
(Only fools)
(Only fools)
The lyrics of Duke Robillard’s song Don’t Fool With My Love speak of a contradictory and volatile relationship that the singer is involved in. The opening lines express the singer’s weariness with his current situation, hoping for change, and the need to replace the love that he previously gave away. He acknowledges that his hopes for the future may be too high, but he still desires everything that the future could hold. The next lyrics reveal the differences between the singer and his partner. They have different tastes and interests, but he admits that he still wants everything, despite their incompatibilities.
The chorus, “Only fools fall for you, only fools. Only fools do what I do, only fools fall,” is repeated throughout the song, highlighting the singer's inner battle between his head and his heart. He knows that he may be a fool for continuing to pursue this relationship, but he also can't help how he feels. The final verse is a repetition of the opening verse, expressing his desire for a fulfilling life, but also acknowledging that everything is falling apart due to his mistake.
Overall, the song portrays the internal conflict of a passionate but volatile relationship. It explores the psychology of a person who is aware of their mistakes and the potential consequences but is still drawn to the allure of love and its various forms.
Line by Line Meaning
I am tired of this place
I am exhausted of being in this situation
I hope people change
I wish the people involved will transform
I need time to replace what I gave away
I require some time to get back what I lost
And my hopes, they are high, I must keep them small
Though I have great expectations, I can't set them too high
Though I try to resist I still want it all
Despite attempting not to, I still desire everything
I see swimming pools and living rooms and aeroplanes
I envision lavish pools, luxurious rooms and elite jets
I see a little house on the hill and children's names
I dream about a small house on a hill with my kids' names inscribed
I see quiet nights poured over ice and Tanqueray
I see peaceful evenings with chilled Tanqueray drinks on the rocks
But everything is shattering and it's my mistake
However, everything is breaking down, and it's my fault only
Only fools fall for you, only fools
Sensible people wouldn't fall for you.
Only fools do what I do, only fools fall
Intelligent people wouldn't do what I'm doing.
Oh, our lives don't collide, I'm aware of this
Our lives don't intersect, and I'm conscious of that
The differences and impulses and your obsession with
There are variations and urges, and you are fixated on them
The little things, you like stick, and I like aerosol
You adore small items, and I prefer aerosols
I don't give a fuck, I'm not giving up, I still want it all
I'm determined to achieve everything, and I don't care about anything else
Only fools fall for you (only fools)
Just the stupid ones would fall in love with you.
Only fools do what I do (only fools)
Only foolish people act like me.
Only fools fall for you (only fools)
No one but the unintelligent would have a crush on you.
Only fools do what I do, only fools fall
Only the foolish acts like me, resulting in falling in love with the wrong people.
(Only fools)
Stupid people make such mistakes.
(Only fools)
Not everyone would act like this.
(Only fools)
Only certain people can be this foolish.
(Only fools)
Only the unintelligent individuals fall to such traps.
Contributed by Alaina K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.