Biography

Duke Robillard
Essential Recordings: Rockin’ Guitar Blues
Rounder Perfect 10 series

Duke Robillard is one of the great guitar masters of our time, adept at styles that range from rock to swing, but always with the blues at the heart of his music. After founding the band Roomful of Blues, Duke struck out on his own, and these are among the first recordings he made with his stripped-down trio that put the focus clearly on his guitar and songwriting. Included are three songs previously unavailable on compact disc.


1. Give Me All the Love You Got 3:55

2. Stop Knockin’ 3:26

3. Don’t Look at My Girl Like That 2:58

4. Too Hot to Handle 4:20

5. What That Means to Me* 2:48

6. You Ain’t the One (original CD says You Can’t Be the One For Me, which is wrong) 3:52

7. T-Bone Boogie* 5:20

8. Don’t Treat Me Like That 4:01

9. Oh Babe* 2:16

10. Give Me Your Attention 4:00

*Previously unreleased on CD

Original recordings produced by Duke Robillard, Scott Billington and Jean Paul Gauthier


Give Me All the Love You Got 3:55
(Duke Robillard/Blue Duchess Music, BMI)
From Rounder 11661-3082-1, Duke Robillard and the Pleasure Kings

Duke Robillard guitars and vocal
Thomas Enright bass
Tommy DeQuattro drums

Produced by Scott Billington and Duke Robillard
Recorded and mixed by Walter Turbitt, assisted by Roger Merritt, at Syncro Sound Recorders, Boston, 1983


Stop Knockin’ 3:26
(Al Basile/Kenoza Music, BMI)
From Rounder 11661-3100-2, You Got Me

Duke Robillard guitars and vocal
Thomas Enright bass
Tommy DeQuattro drums
Scott Billington harmony vocal

Produced by Scott Billington and Duke Robillard
Recorded by Rob Feaster at Aryln Sound, Austin, Texas, and at Newbury Sound, Boston, Massachusetts, 1988
Mixed by Rob Feaster, assisted by Ed Goodreau, at Blue Jay Studio, Carlisle, Massachusetts


Don’t Look at My Girl Like That 2:58
(Duke Robillard/Blue Duchess Music, BMI)
From Rounder 11661-3116-2, The Duke Robillard Band, Turn It Around

Duke Robillard guitars and vocal
Scott Appelrouth bass
Doug Hinman drums
The Pink Tuxedos backing vocals

Produced by Duke Robillard and Jean Peal Gauthier
Recorded by Jean Paul Gauthier at Lakewest Recording Studio, West Greenwich, Rhode Island, 1989-1990
Mixed by Nick Stevens at Allen-Martin Productions, Louisville, Kentucky


Too Hot to Handle 4:20
(Duke Robillard/Blue Duchess Music, BMI)
From Rounder 11661-3082-1, Duke Robillard and the Pleasure Kings, Too Hot to Handle

Duke Robillard guitars and vocal
Thomas Enright bass
Tommy DeQuattro drums

Produced by Scott Billington and Duke Robillard
Recorded by Phil Green at Normandy Sound, Warren, RI, and by Gragg Lunsford at Blue Jay Studio, Carlisle, Massachusetts, 1984.
Mixed by Gregg Lunsford, assisted by Ed Goodreau, at Blue Jay


What That Means to Me 2:48
(Duke Robillard/Happy Valley Music, BMI)
From Rounder 11661-3079-1, Duke Robillard and the Pleasure Kings

Produced by Scott Billington and Duke Robillard
Recorded and mixed by Walter Turbitt, assisted by Roger Merrit, at Syncro Sound Recorders, Boston, 1983

You Ain’t the One 3:52
(Ike Turner/EMI Unart Catalog, Inc., BMI)
From Rounder 11661-3100-2, You Got Me

Duke Robillard guitars and vocal
Mac Rebennack piano
Thomas Enright bass
Tommy DeQuattro drums

Produced by Scott Billington and Duke Robillard
Recorded by Rob Feaster at Aryln Sound, Austin, Texas, and at Newbury Sound, Boston, Massachusetts, 1988
Mixed by Rob Feaster, assisted by Ed Goodreau, at Blue Jay Studio, Carlisle, Massachusetts


T-Bone Boogie 5:20
(Aaron Walker-Marl Young/Lord and Walker Publishing, BMI)
From Rounder 11661-3082-1, Duke Robillard and the Pleasure Kings, Too Hot to Handle

Duke Robillard guitars and vocal
Thomas Enright bass
Tommy DeQuattro drums

Produced by Scott Billington and Duke Robillard
Recorded by Phil Green at Normandy Sound, Warren, RI, and by Gragg Lunsford at Blue Jay Studio, Carlisle, Massachusetts, 1984.
Mixed by Gregg Lunsford, assisted by Ed Goodreau, at Blue Jay


Don’t Treat Me Like That 4:01
(Duke Robillard/Blue Duchess Music, BMI)
From Rounder 11661-3100-2, You Got Me

Duke Robillard guitars and vocal
Jimmie Vaughan lead guitar
Mac Rebennack piano
Ron Levy Hammond B3 organ
Thomas Enright bass
Tommy DeQuattro drums

Produced by Scott Billington and Duke Robillard
Recorded by Rob Feaster at Aryln Sound, Austin, Texas, and at Newbury Sound, Boston, Massachusetts, 1988
Mixed by Rob Feaster, assisted by Ed Goodreau, at Blue Jay Studio, Carlisle, Massachusetts

Oh Babe* 2:16 D
(Big Al Downing-Vernon Sandusky-Bobby Poe/Kansoma Music, BMI)
From Rounder 11661-3079-1, Duke Robillard and the Pleasure Kings

Duke Robillard guitars and vocals
Thomas Enright bass
Tommy DeQuattro drums

Produced by Scott Billington and Duke Robillard
Recorded and mixed by Walter Turbitt, assisted by Roger Merritt, at Syncro Sound Recorders, Boston, 1983


Give Me Your Attention 4:00 E
(Duke Robillard/Blue Duchess Music, BMI)
From Rounder 11661-3082-1, Duke Robillard and the Pleasure Kings, Too Hot to Handle

Duke Robillard guitars and vocals
Thomas Enright bass
Tommy DeQuattro drums

Produced by Scott Billington and Duke Robillard
Recorded by Phil Green at Normandy Sound, Warren, RI, and by Gragg Lunsford at Blue Jay Studio, Carlisle, Massachusetts, 1984.
Mixed by Gregg Lunsford, assisted by Ed Goodreau, at Blue Jay


Compilation by Scott Billington
Remastered by Jonathan Wyner at M Works, Cambridge, Massachusetts
Photography © Jack Vartoogian/FrontRowPhotos
Series design by Scott Billington and Devon Guillery