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.
Jumpin' Rockin' Rhythm
Duke Robillard Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
When I was six years old, I knew what I was goin'a do.
I got'a chill down my spine the first time I heard the Rhythm and Blues.
The sounds of Lou-zee-ana and Memphis on my ray-dee-o.
The sounds of Lou-zee-ana and Memphis on my ray-dee-o.
They grabbed a hold of me early and they still haven't let me go.
Jumpin' rockin' rhythm, swingin' an' shufflin' the blues.
They grabbed a hold of my soul an' they still haven't let me go.
I don't have a lot of money, but I'm rich as a man can be.
I don't have a lot of money, but I'm rich as a man can be.
I got my woman and my music and they mean so much to me.
Now, jumpin' rockin' rhythm, swingin' an' shufflin' the blues.
Yeah, Jumpin' rockin' rhythm, swingin' an' shufflin' the blues.
They grabbed a hold of my soul an' they still haven't let me go.
Now, jumpin' rockin' rhythm, jumpin' rockin' rhythm.
jumpin' rockin' rhythm, jumpin' rockin' rhythm.
They grabbed a hold of my soul an' they still haven't let me go.
You know that jumpin' rockin' rhythm, jumpin' rockin' rhythm.
Jumpin' rockin' rhythm, jumpin' rockin' rhythm.
They grabbed a hold of my soul an' they still haven't let me go.
Whoa no!
In Duke Robillard's "Jumpin' Rockin' Rhythm," the singer reflects on how he discovered his love for Rhythm and Blues at a young age. At six years old, he realizes that he knows what he wants to do – he wants to capture the spirit of the music and make it his own. He goes on to explain that the sounds of Louisiana and Memphis, which he first heard on his radio, were the ones that touched him most deeply. The power of these sounds has stayed with him throughout his life and continues to influence him in his music-making. The magic of the "jumpin' rockin' rhythm" of these blues tunes has not let him go, and he remains passionate about the music and its ability to touch him.
Despite not having a large amount of money, the singer feels rich because of the woman that he loves and the music that inspires him. He believes that these are the most valuable things in his life, and they are what have sustained him through difficult times. The song's chorus is simple but powerful, emphasizing how the "jumpin' rockin' rhythm" has held onto the singer's soul and has not let go. This rhythm is a symbol of the passion he has for the music and the impact it has had on his life.
Line by Line Meaning
When I was six years old, I knew what I was goin'a do.
At six years old, I already had a clear understanding of what I wanted to do in life.
I got'a chill down my spine the first time I heard the Rhythm and Blues.
The first time I heard Rhythm and Blues, it was such a powerful and moving experience that it gave me goosebumps.
The sounds of Lou-zee-ana and Memphis on my ray-dee-o.
The radio stations in Louisiana and Memphis played music that had a profound impact on me.
They grabbed a hold of me early and they still haven't let me go.
Even from a young age, the music had a strong grip on me, and that passion continues to this day.
I don't have a lot of money, but I'm rich as a man can be.
While I may not be wealthy in terms of money, I feel incredibly fortunate to have my music and my significant other in my life.
I got my woman and my music and they mean so much to me.
My partner and my music are the two most important things in my life, and I cherish them more than anything else.
Now, jumpin' rockin' rhythm, swingin' an' shufflin' the blues.
The type of music that speaks to me most is that which has an upbeat and lively rhythm, and a strong focus on the blues genre.
They grabbed a hold of my soul an' they still haven't let me go.
Even today, the music that means the most to me continues to have a profound impact on my life, and I can't imagine ever letting it go.
jumpin' rockin' rhythm, jumpin' rockin' rhythm.
The high-energy, rhythmic nature of the music that speaks to me most is a key element of why I love it so much.
Whoa no!
An expression of excitement and enthusiasm for the music that has brought so much joy to my life.
Contributed by Cole K. Suggest a correction in the comments below.