Duke Levine | Truetone Lounge | 2020 Quarantine Edition 

Duke is not only a great player but he is a true Gentleman.

Duke Levine is a national treasure; a musician's musician of the highest caliber. Thank you for featuring him!

You walk into a Duke gig and you go,.... "Holy Shit that Tone"..... he has the best tone live of any guitar player I've ever heard,..... and he's a great guy. Happy for him that he came outta the pandemic to tour with Bonnie Raitt.... go see him with whatever band he's playing with cause there's nobody else like him....

My childhood friend. His dad and my dad were best life-long friends. His Dad called him Duke in his wondrous stories & I was the Red-Headed Owl. lol Those were some of the happiness days of my life & remain priceless memories.

Fun fact: Zac you posted a video of Duke Levine playing Love & Peace in a NYC club on social media a few years back. And, I could not stop listening to this song. Played it over and over again. I was mad at myself for not knowing who this fine player was. Because of this song, I saved up some money and bought my first telecaster.

Duke is my favorite tele player. Close tie with Campilongo. When I was living in Boston I'd often go to his Wednesday night gig at the Lizard Lounge with Dennis Brennan. Amazing band, original music, some covers. Kevin Barry is also in the band. Talk about guitar heaven nirvana... Listening to Duke and Kevin. I haven't heard a bad note, that band sounds better than a record, and you could sit at a table right next to the guys and soak it all in. Some of my fondest musical memories. And again, Zac, you're an amazing interviewer, I just discovered your channel today after watching the Campilongo interview, subbed, and will watch more. I love that you ask the right questions and you let your guests speak - it's a lost art. Deepest gratitude for your work!

Duke is awesome, love his solo album(s)

So glad to hear about Buzzy and Lark Street - one of my favorite places of all time! Thanks Buzzy!

I'm late to the party, cuz the rock I was living under was kinda heavy. Holy shit, this guy's on my radar now, and I'm not even a country fan. Just wow; what an inspirational master.

Great interview - really happy to see you and Duke! Thank you for all the great content.

I first became aware of Duke Levine back in the 90's when I watched Mary Chapin Carpenter's Live at Wolf Trap concert. He's a great player and seems like a really nice, genuine guy. Thanks for this!

I love ❤️ his playing!

The late 70's to early 80's was a heady time for fusiony-music in Southern New England: I saw the Dregs, Metheny, Ponty, Jan Hammer, the McLaughlin DiMeola DeLucia Trio, and more ---- but there was also the New England Fiddle Fest, and a series of great *free* shows in Bushnell Park where I saw Doc Watson, Stephane Grapelli, Taj Mahal, Elizabeth Cotten, Sonny Terry and Brownie McGhee, Leon Redbone, and Maria Muldaur!

Don't know where I have been. Never heard of him. Setting here listening to some of his music. FANTASTIC !!!

YES!!!!! Clear my schedule - I have something I need to watch!

I don’t think I had ever heard of this guy before. Thank you so much for introducing us guitar geeks to these awesome musicians. The playing examples here show Duke to be tasteful, melodic, and very listenable. Great, great stuff!!!

I've gotta jump in here. One day I was listening to Pandora and I heard a beautiful Telecaster being played. It was Duke playing "I Think It's Going To Work Out Fine" from the Country Soul Guitar album. He showed me how beautiful and expressive a Telecaster can be. I've of course bought a few of his albums since, including Country Soul and The Fade out. I also really like "The Stars Looked Down" from Beneath The Blue. Duke is a true storyteller instrumentalist. So glad to finally meet you sir!

This is one of the ones I've been waiting for. Thank you, Zac!

Zak and crew, y'all hit a grand slam with this one. Just posted to the TDPRI!

So agree with the observations about tone and not notes. Attempting to replicate the steel sound seems to be a theme among the really great players. "Before You Knew" from "The Fade Out" is one of the most beautiful songs I have ever heard. And yeah, as Levine says, Kevin Barry is just an incredible player too. Saw him with Rosanne Cash in 2019, and he played a long solo on what I remember as "Everyone But Me". Everybody in the band was enthralled by it; there were fans in the audience with tears streaming down their faces. It was what a live music event can only be.

Wonderful. Thanks both.

Oh man! Why did you have to put this out now?! I’ve got editing to do on the next video. ;)

I have all his albums and they are wonderful. Truly great player. And playing a Tele. Howdy from Australia. Thanks Zac for interviewing Duke .

This is one that should go in the time capsule! Thank you both for doing this. It is a gift to all guitar players!

Finally made the time to sit thru this. Been hooked on Duke since the MySpace days. His read of Ellington’s “Caravan” is still my favorite read! As always THANKS for taking the time.

Just hunted this gentleman down after watching the Jim Campilongo interview. These shows keep getting better with each viewing. Thanks Zac

Buzzy is a vintage cat. Lark Street in Teaneck NJ is like going back a small mom & pop guitar store in the 1950’s. Buzzy only sells vintage most are consignment so player’s trades are cool

I've been waiting for you to interview Duke!!!!!!!!!!!

Duke is awesome, and so is this interview! Thank you!

Great watch once again!

Great Show Zak. There is a ton of great guitar shows on you tube, and yours right up there with the best. Thanks so much, they deliver on multiple levels. Like medicine for the soul. Aloha

This is great, Zac! Been waiting for this one. Thank you

Been waiting for this...nice one Zac!!

Just discovered the music of Duke Levine thanks to you. Great interview and discussion. Couldn't stop listening to Beneath the Blue and other songs/jams I found on RU-vid. What a fantastic and sensitive player.

Mason Daring (Daring Music) was the music producer for the John Sayles movies; the audio kind of hiccuped when Duke said it and perhaps people couldnt catch the name. Sayles' "Matewan" is one of my favorite movies, and "Lonestar" is very good as well.

Awesome!! THANK YOU. Duke's album "The Fade Out" is amazing - as always with Duke, Tasty as you can get!

So I clicked on You Tube this morning and found this! I have been a Duke Levine fan forever. I can remember driving to work one morning and heard this guitar instrumental on our local college radio station (KEXP, great internet station!). I missed the song announcement, so when I got to work I called the station to find out what the song was. Turned out to be "Attack of the Mutant Guitars" by Duke Levine. I've got every Duke Levine record to date (Beneath the Blue, in addition to The Fade Out, is another great album) I've also got most of Duke's soundtrack recordings. I've long thought that Duke is the best guitar player that most people have never heard or seen. It always seems that Duke is flying under the radar. Never seen him in person though. Guess I'll have to plan a trip to Boston to see him in person, as he never seems to come to the west coast. So, thanks for this long overdue and well deserved interview!

The only video I ever 'liked' before viewing. Duke is the king.

Duke gets some lovely B-Bender sounds on the intro ---- without using a B-Bender! 😉 . Saw him play with Mary Chapin Carpenter at Newport some years ago. Duke's record "Nobody's Home" is a favorite of mine, although I never warmed up to "Country Soul Guitar" which many others dig so heavily. (PS, I see a Magnatone amp in the background 👍)

Zac you got lit up on that Strat! What a Great Guitar!

Just tremendous..those steel bends man!

Great interview. Thank you. 👍🏼👍🏼

Lol I didn’t know that he talked! I was in love with Duke. I’d listen to him play, every week, at Atwood’s Tavern. Aw. Maybe he didn’t talk, for a reason. 😔

Great player! Cool interview as usual Zac. Did not know Duke was Buzzy's brother! I lived near Albany for many years and would always go to Lark St Music and look at the great guitars he always had. I was in a self discipline mode and did not buy but regret not buying 62 jazz bass for $600 that had been in a fire or something. Anyway thanks to you both.

Thx ...i love duke...we have alot in common....damn...thank you sir

Let’s not forget Duke Levine‘s stellar turn with the Wall of Grass! And Duke, you’re looking very svelte and healthy and I like what you’re doing with your hair!. And isn’t it true that all of your brothers have nicknames that refer to some kind of royalty?

Still love Jonatha Brookes 10 cent wings...love Dukes playing on that. Great interview Zac!

Just great...really great thanks Zak..

one of the best out there!

What a great video, thank you.

Another excellent quarantine hang, Zac! Duke is a class act - and, what a touch. I did not know his “real” name is Robert😉. Thanks Zac ... and, best to you both👍!

I just recently discovered Duke while listening the Guthrie Trap on Spotify mega player love his music!

I have your instrumental CD and U have been a big fan of your guitar playing. I only wish I had this kind of talent. I can play guitar, but nit in your league. Fantastic stuff Duke.

Guessing those are Antiquity II in his 60s tele. You could tell Zac was trying to get details :)

Phenomenal player!!!

Duke is a master. He's got taste and chops. One correction: Fretted Instrument Workshop in Amherst Mass is still open. I just bought a banjo there. An excellent shop with some primo instruments, and Tony is a good host.

Duke is one of my favorite guitar players in the world and yes the Fretted Instrument Workshop is still there.

Somehow I forgot to finish this one! Thanks to Jim Campilongo for the reminder =)

FINALLY!!!!!!!

Like smashed after the first bend.

Great stuff and what brilliant string bending! I just put a Duncan Antiquity 55 in a Tele,they have the raised d and g they are awesome..

THIS IS AWESOME. So glad we have similar influences Zack. Also - where's the Spotify Playlist? lol

Duke has a new fan. That would be me. Love players that can do that country twang pedal steel sound so well. Marty Stuart is another.

Hey Duke: look into stainless steel wire for your refret. I had my Blackguard done with them last Fall and it was the best decision I ever made. Zak, thanks again for another killer episode.

Give me a guitar tuned to Open G when I was a kid and, "Yeah...I can play this!" Great story! That Me when I was a kid.

I've been grooving on Duke"s playing for a while now. Love it. Zac, have you listened to his live "Love and Peace"? I'm struggling to get those great gospel like chord voicings in the intro nailed. Maybe you can break it down for us in a future video on your channel?

Good gravy

wow

I've heard Uncle Larry mention Duke on the Homeskoolin podcast

stanley was such a good man.

Remington Ride!

I don't want to say that everything he plays is so musical because well people overuse that term so much, but, everything he plays is so musical! :-)

Zac... Dude,you are either lacking major sleep or have severe allergies (like I do right now), take care man. Great interview by the way!

One of my faves

45:50 Yeah... get another Tele. 🥰

It's indy movie writer/director/producer John Sayles (not sales)

Finally people who speak my language 😂

The RexTrailers.