Ivan Duke

Music has been a part of me my whole life. My Father and Mother played professionally. When I was about 9 years old I got tired of stepping over guitars so, I started picking them up. My mother showed me a few chords and that was the beginning. My first guitar that was given to me on my 9th birthday was a Memphis Telle. I locked myself in my bedroom and started learning my first song, Rainy Day Woman, by Waylon. At the age of 14 my father and mother divorced. Since my mother was his bass player he not only lost a wife but a band member so, WOW, my first gig! We played at a place called Carusos on Stewert Ave. in Atlanta. A very upscale establishment, LOL. Soon after I started playing with my father, my brother Noel started playing drums with us. Looking back on it that was the hi-lite of my music career. We had a blast! My father bought a 69 school bus and painted it up with JOE DUKE AND THE SOUTHBOUND CIRCLE BAND across the side, we were stars! We would be playing every night of the week and sleeping on the bus on the way home from the gigs. My father would plug the bus in when we got home and Noel and I would sleep until my father would wake us playing his acoustic guitar and singing, Babys Got Her Blue Jeans On. That was how I started my mornings before school. Needless to say I didn't do so well in school. The stories can go on forever but I would not trade it them for anything. I have played with many people through the years and have developed many great friends. My cousin Trip Hendon, Jeff Blackwell, Randy Brown, Conley White, Chris Blackwell, Wesley Robinson, Lee Davis, and Chris Hilsman, to name a few have had a big influance on me. I am also happily married to my beautiful wife of twelve years, Wendy. We have 4 great kids from the age of 20 down to 6. I am currently working with Lee Davis and my oldest son, Trey's band, Austre Giltrap, on their up and coming CD. You can check them out on My Friends List.