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Current Dukes

Eric "Roscoe" Ambel

guitar -- originally from Batavia, IL -- recorded with Steve on Jerusalem, the Townes Tribute, NRBQ tribute, appears in the Trancendental Blues video the Just An American Boy DVD and The Revolution Starts....Now. Ambel and soundman Matt Svbodny recorded the Steve Earle and the Dukes shows for the Just An American Boy: Audio Documentary. Eric has toured with Steve in 2000-2005 since joining the Dukes in May of 2000, Eric is very busy when not on the road with Steve producing records at his Williamsburg, Brooklyn recording studio, Cowboy Technical Services Recording Rig. Some of the artists he has produced records for: the Bottle Rockets, Nils Lofgren, Mary Lee's Corvette, the Blood Oranges, Cheri Knight, Tammy Fay Starlite, Chris Harford, Joe Flood and Kasey Anderson and Blue Mountain.

 

Eric was a founding member of Joan Jett and the Blackhearts and the New York band The Del Lords. He released a solo record titled Roscoe's Gang (named after his own band) in '88 on Enigma and another solo record titled Loud and Lonesome in '95 on East Side Digital. Both of these records were reissued in deluxe remastered versions by Lakeside Lounge Records www.ericambel.com

 

Eric has just released his third solo record titled Knucklehead on his own Lakeside Lounge Records label. Knucklehead has a new Steve Earle song The Usual Time. Steve also sings with Ambel on the new version of the Del-Lords near hit Judas Kiss.

 

Eric has a band with Dan Baird, Keith Christopher, and Terry Anderson called the Yayhoos. The Yayhoos released their first full release Fear Not The Obvious on Bloodshot Records in August 2001. The Yayhoos  followup titled Put The Hammer Down will be released in spring of '06 on Ambel's Lakeside Lounge Records.

 

Roscoe also co-owns a popular East Village nightspot with writer/DJ Jim "The Hound" Marshall called The Lakeside Lounge. Lots of great bands have played the Lakeside including the Bottle Rockets, Backsliders, Freedy Johnston, Star City, Tandy, Royal City, The Prissteens, Dee Dee Ramone, Andre Williams, Ryan Adams, Steve Wynn, the Hugh Pool Duo, and one time, Steve Earle and the Dukes.

 

More information on Eric and his recording / producing / songwriting can be found at www.ericambel.com.

 

Also see Eric's recording studio

Kelly Looney
bass — a native Nashvillian — recorded with Steve on Copperhead Road, The Hard Way, Shut Up And Die Like An Aviator, and rejoined Steve for the recordings of I Feel Alright, El Corazón, Transcendental Blues, and Jerusalem — has been touring as a Duke since 1996 — has also recorded and toured with Billy Joe Shaver,Webb Wilder and toured with Deana Carter.
Will Rigby
drums — born and raised in Winston-Salem, North Carolina — Will's first gig as a Duke was FarmAid '99, he recorded with Steve on Transcendental Blues, Jerusalem, Open Your Window (included on Sidetracks), and several tribute album cuts — touring with Steve in 2000-2003.

In 1976, Will's band Sneakers released one of the first indie-rock records.  Will is a founding member of The dB's (from 1978-88) and is the proprietor of The dB's Online.  Since then he has played live and/or recorded with Matthew Sweet, Kelly Willis, Cheri Knight (including The Northeast Kingdom on E-Squared), Laura Cantrell, Freedy Johnston, Jill Sobule, Tommy Womack, Eric Ambel & Roscoe's Gang, Wanda Jackson, Panther Burns, Mojo Nixon, Murray Attaway, and many others.  Will moved to Nashville in 2000 after 22 years as a New Yorker.  Will also has his own band, Will Rigby's Unmentionables, that plays around NYC and Nashville occasionally.  His 2002 album Paradoxaholic is available on Diesel Only; previous solo releases are an eponymous EP (Hello CD, 1995); two 45s (Ricky Skaggs Tonite / Red Bra & Panties / Long Torso, Short Stubby Legs on Diesel Only, 1993; Dave / The Room's Still Spinnin' on SOL, 1992); and an LP (Sidekick Phenomenon on Egon, 1985).  Will has a song on the 2003 v/a compilation, Hit The Hay Volume 6 (on Sweden's Soundasleep Records), The Question (first time on CD).

A rotating selection of his songs is available for listening and downloading at artists.mp3s.com/artists/197/will_rigby.html.


Past & Occasional Dukes
Bucky (William) Baxter
steel guitar — originally from New Jersey — recorded with Steve for Guitar Town, Exit 0, Copperhead Road, The Hard Way, Shut Up And Die Like An Aviator, and BBC Radio 1 Live In Concer, co-produced and played on In The Jailhouse Now, from 1997, which was recorded by Steve and the V-roys for The Songs Of Jimmie Rodgers – A Tribute — played and toured with Bob Dylan for seven years (Bucky played with Dylan on his MTV Unplugged appearance).
 
see  Bucky's website
write to buckybax@yahoo.com to join an info mailing list
"Bucky has a 2000 release of an instrumental recording called Most Likely, No Problem.  This album was done in 1993 and is just now being released.  Some things take time.  Bucky plays most of the instruments himself (who wouldn't if you could play like him).  It's a dizzying array of folk, county, jazz, reggae and more.  Not a weak sister to be found on this one."   — Bill Laverly (http://villagerecords.com)
Richard Bennett
guitars, bass — recorded with Steve on Guitar Town (as well as being associate producer) and Exit 0 (and co-producer), rejoined Steve for a Guitar Town special live show in Nashville in February 2002.
Brady Blade
drums — recorded with Steve on El Corazón and was part of the 1997 and 1998 tours, recorded with Buddy Miller, has also toured with Emmylou Harris and appears on Emmylou Harris' Spyboy album, and appears on the Vigilantes Of Love 1999 release.
Norman Blake
guitar — recorded with Steve on and toured with Steve in support of Train A Comin'.
Pat Carter
acoustic guitar — an early Duke from the LSI sessions — recorded with Steve on the Pink & Black EP and Early Tracks LP.
Kurt Custer
drums — from Carson, California — recorded with Steve on Copperhead Road, rejoined Steve for the recording of I Feel Alright, and was part of the 1996 tour — has also toured with Lynyrd Skynyrd — was part of the bands Little America and Daisie Rifles — recorded two albums with The Max Band in Nashville before moving back to Los Angeles in 1999 to concentrate on a solo project.  His 2002 release, Peaceful Lunatic, is available at cdbaby.com/cd/kurtcuster.
Justin Earle
guitar — originally from Tennesse — has toured with Steve as part of the crew and band since 2002.
Patrick Earle
drums and percussion — originally from Texas — has toured with Steve as part of the crew since forever and as part of the band since 2002, and recorded with Steve on the sountrack songs  All Of My Life (from the remake of Psycho and also included on Transcendental Blues) and Time Has Come Today (from Steal This Movie), as well as on Jerusalem.
Stacey Earle
harmony and background vocals — originally from Texas (born in Louisiana) — toured with Steve in 1990 and recorded with Steve on The Hard Way, nd Shut Up And Die Like An Aviator and Transcendental Blues— married to former Duke Mark Stuart — has her own CDs, Simple Gearle and Dancin' With Them That Brung Me, out — wrote the song For Years recorded by Sammy Kershaw on his Politics, Religion and Her album.
Dwayne "Zip" Gibson
guitar — originally from Pasadena, Texas — an early Duke (from 1983) — rejoined Steve in 1990 for The Hard Way, currently working and recording in Nashville.
 
see www.abacusrecords.com/bios/thezgb/zgbbio.htm
Emory Gordy, Jr.
bass, mandolin — recorded with Steve on Guitar Town and Exit 0 (as well as co-producing both) — the original bass player in Emmylou Harris' Hot Band from 1974 until around 1980, also was a member of the Cherry Bombs (Rodney Crowell's band) — has produced Patty Loveless, Vince Gill, and Jimmie Dale Gilmore.
Jack Bullett Harris
drums — originally from Ft. Worth, Texas — an early Duke (1983) and toured with Steve in support of LSI's Pink And Black EP and the Epic singles.  After leaving the Dukes, Bullett toured and recorded with a variety of artists working out of the Nashville area.  He left Nashville in May of 1993 to join the Night Owls, a Texas based  band.

Bullett is currently teaching and playing drums in the Fort Worth-Dallas area.  His favorite gig is at the Freedom Christian Fellowship near DFW airport where he performs every Sunday with a Christian R&B group for the Praise and Worship Services.

Eric Horn, D.C. -
bass played with The Dukes from 85-86 Eric is now a Chiropractor in Ft Worth, Texas. He's currently playing with Sumter Bruton in a Blues, Country-Rock band, The Hank Hankshaw Band based in Ft. Worth Texas. He can be emailed at ehorn@parkercc.edu
Roy Huskey, Jr.
acoustic bass, bass — recorded with Steve on and toured with Steve in support of Train A Comin', also recorded on El Corazón — passed away in 1997 from cancer — had also recorded and performed with George Jones and Johnny Cash.
John Jarvis
piano — joined Steve for a Guitar Town special live show in Nashville in February 2002 and recorded with Steve on Jerusalem.
Ron "Reno" Kling
bass — originally from St. Louis, Missouri — an early Duke from the LSI sessions — recorded with Steve as "Ron Kling" for the Pink & Black EP and Early Tracks LP, and as "Reno" on Exit 0 — currently a vice president for Warner Western (a record label) in Nashville — also was a member of the group Billy Hill.
Doug Lancio
guitar — toured with Steve in December 1999 — recorded with Steve on Transcendental Blues.
Mike McAdam
guitar — originally from Richmond, Virginia — recorded with Steve on Exit 0, BBC Radio One Live In Concert, and the Planes Trains and Automobiles soundtrack — toured with him 1986 through 1989, rejoined Steve for a Guitar Town special live show in Nashville in February 2002 as well as a 2002 Grand Ole Opry appearance — before becoming a Duke, was one of the founding members of the Good Humor Band (which, incidentally, backed up Steve at the Danny Gatton benefit at the Birchmere in 1998) — has recorded and toured with Foster & Lloyd, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Greg Trooper, Radney Foster, Jack Ingram, Charlie Robison, Bruce Robison, Matraca Berg, David Wilcox, Charlie Major, Jim Lauderdale and others — has toured with Deana Carter, Lee Roy Parnell, Jeff Black, Bill Lloyd, Amy Rigby, and others

Mike is now a partner in the Silvertone Recording Studio" in Nashville, produces records there (including L.A. country rockers High or Hellwater, Susan Greenbaum and Carson Huggins).

Mike released his debut solo disc, A Million Miles, in 2002.  More information on Mike and his recording / producing / songwriting can be found at www.michaelmcadam.com.

Buddy (Steven) Miller
guitar — part of the 1997 and 1998 tours — Steve calls Buddy's 1995 release Your Love And Other Lies "the country album of the decade" — Buddy's recent album is Poison Love and includes a duet with Steve on the title song, Buddy co-produced and performed on the Julie Miller (Buddy's wife) album Blue Pony, produced Greg Trooper's Popular Demons, appears on Emmylou Harris' Spyboy, and sings on Chris Knight's eponymous album.
 
see  a Buddy Miller website
Ken Moore
keyboards — originally from Raleigh, North Carolina — learning to play the pipe organ and writing music — recorded with Steve for Guitar Town, Exit 0, Copperhead Road, The Hard Way, Shut Up And Die Like An Aviator, and the bootleg The Road And The Sky — Ken rejoined Steve for the recording of I Feel Alright, and is currently in California teaching music.
Gary Morse
pedal steel — joined Steve for a Guitar Town special live show in Nashville in February 2002.
Martin Parker
drums — an early Duke from the LSI sessions — recorded with Steve on the Pink & Black EP and Early Tracks LP — also was a member of the group Billy Hill, and has toured with Vince Gill.
Donny Roberts
guitar — recorded with Steve on BBC Radio One Live In Concert and toured with him in 1988 —  has also toured with Webb Wilder.
Peter Rowan
mandolin, mandola — recorded with Steve on and toured with Steve in support of Train A Comin' — has released several solo bluegrass albums — has also performed and recorded with Bill Monroe.
David Steele
guitar — from Bloomington, Indiana — studied at the Berklee school of music in Boston — a Duke for the 1996 and part of the 1998 tours and recorded with Steve on El Corazón and Transcendental Blues — has also toured and/or recorded with John Hiatt, John Prine, Larry Crane, Pam Tillis, John Prine, and Deana Carter.
Harry Stinson
drums — originally from Nashville, Tennessee — recorded with Steve on Guitar Town, Exit 0, Steve's contribution to the Skynyrd Frynds album What's Your Name, and rejoined Steve for a Guitar Town special live show in Nashville in February 2002 — co-principal in the Dead Reckoning record label — performs and records with Dead Reckoning artists Kieran Kane, Tammy Rogers & Don Heffington, Kevin Welch, and Mike Henderson.
Mark Stuart
keyboards, guitar — from Ashland City, Tennessee — recorded with Steve on El Corazón — toured with Steve 1996-1998 (keyboards, guitar, and mandolin, and "anything he can get his hands on" says Steve) — married to Steve's sister Stacey Earle (who is also a former Duke) — front man of the roots band Long Gone Daddies... has out his own CD Songs From The Corner Stage.
Glenn Worf
bass — joined Steve for a Guitar Town special live show in Nashville in February 2002.
Craig Wright
drums — recorded with Steve on The Hard Way, Shut Up And Die Like An Aviator, and the bootleg The Road And The Sky — toured with Steve on The Hard Way tour and the summer 1998 tour — has also played with Shaver (Billy Joe Shaver's band).

The Del McCoury Band
recorded with Steve on The Mountain and toured with Steve in the first half of 1999
Del McCoury guitar, vocal
Ronnie McCoury mandolin, vocal
Rob McCoury banjo
Jason Carter fiddle
Mike Bub bass

Bluegrass Dukes
toured with Steve in the latter half of 1999
Tim O'Brien mandolin, vocals
from Wheeling, WV — recorded with Steve on Transcendental Blues — multi-instrumentalist (mandolin, fiddle, banjo, guitar), member of Hot Rize (1970s-1990), has performed with O'Boys, and with his sister as Tim and Mollie O'Brien — some of Tim's albums are Away Out On A Mountain, Rock In My Shoe, Red On Blonde (an album of Bob Dylan covers), When No One's Around, and The CrossingSongs From The Mountain album (accompanying the book Cold Mountain) is also basically a Tim album
Darrell Scott banjo, dobro, vocals
multi-instrumentalist (banjo, bass, dobro, pedal steel guitar, guitar, autoharp) — recorded with Steve on Transcendental Blues — Often performs with Tim O'Brien, Sam Bush, Verlon Thompson, and Suzi Ragsdale — some of Darrell's albums are Aloha from Nashville and Family Tree — he plays guitar on Sam Bush's Glamour & Grits; is featured on several Guy Clark albums, including Keepers and Dublin Blues; is on many Tim O'Brien albums, including When No One's Around; and played on Garth Brooks' Seven.
Casey Driessen fiddle
From the south suburbs of Chicago —  recorded with Steve on Transcendental Blues — graduated in 2000 from the Berklee College of Music with a major in Music Production and Engineering — has recorded with Robbie Fulks on Country Love Songs, Darol Anger's latest album, many demos, and radio and TV commercials — has played with Lonesome River Band, Judith Edelman Band, Darol Anger, Chris Jones and the Night Drivers, Special Consensus, Wayfaring Strangers (with Matt Glaser), Bobby Lee Rodgers and the Herd (a Boston area rock band)
Dennis Crouch bass
Recorded with Steve on Transcendental Blues — has recorded with Aubrey Hayne on Doin My Time and plays with many bluegrass groups

Los Gringos
a band that Steve was a member of in his early days in Nashville
Jimmy Graybass
Richard Marz steel guitar
Jimmy "Jimbeau" Walshdrums
George Turnerguitar

© 2003-2005   Clint Harris  (clint@steveearle.net) – All Rights Reserved
© 1995-2003  Lisa Kemper  – All Rights Reserved

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