Hall of Fame Will Induct Blues Legend Duke Robillard at The Kate

The New England Music Hall of Fame will be inducting Duke Robillard on June 30, 2022 at The Katharine Hepburn Cultural Arts Center here. He will be joining such greats as blues legends Muddy Waters, James Cotton, James Montgomery, Emmy Award Winning Brian Keane, Rock n Roll hall of Fame inductee Gene Pitney, Grammy Award Winning Paula Cole, Grammy nominated Joseph Firecrow, music pioneers The Runaways, June Millington and many others.

Born Michael John Robillard on October 4, 1948, in Woonsocket, R.I., Duke has carved out one of blues' most illustrious legacies. Duke founded the legendary band "Roomful Of Blues" with pianist Al Copley in Westerly, R.I., in 1967. By adding horns, Roomful announced itself emphatically as the prototypical jump blues band, and became a New England legend and a fixture beyond, as did Duke himself.

His unsurpassed mastery of the guitar style of T-Bone Walker (later crystallized memorably in his 2004 release "Blue Mood") was deservedly heralded, but his breadth was also head-turning - from swing, standards and ballads to rockers, gutbucket Chicago blues and rockabilly.

The Duke Robillard Band debuted in 1981, re-emerging as The Pleasure Kings with their eponymous 1984 album on Rounder. Continuing his solo career, Duke replaced Jimmie Vaughan with The Fabulous Thunderbirds in 1990. Duke's resume is decorated with Grammy nominations, Handy Awards and Blues Music Awards, and other honors for his artistry, recordings and productions within the United States and internationally. The great BB King once said "Duke is one of the great players" BB King

New England Music Hall of Fame inductee and blues legend Paul Gabriel will be inducting Duke, and former Miss Golden Globe and NEMHOF Ambassador Kat Kramer will be hosting the televised induction which will air NEMHOF News. Kramer is the Godchild of Katharine Hepburn.