Duke & the Drivers - Rollin' On

Name: Duke & the Drivers
Album: Rollin' On
Year:1976
Style: Southern Blues Rock, Blue-Eyed Soul
Similar Bands: Lynyrd Skynyrd, Allman Brothers, Brownsville Station, Foghat, J. Geils Band
"One-Word" Review: Soulful Party in a Bar Band.
Based Out Of: Boston Mass
Label: ABC Records

 Cover & Record

Record & Back

Rollin' On (1976)

1. I Need Your Love 3:45
2. I Ain't Particular 3:18
3. Love on My Hands 3:25
4. Check Yourself 2:52
5. That Kind of Love 2:33
6. Let Me Be your Handyman 4:08 /
7. I'll Take Care of You 3:58
8. People Sure Act Funny 2:41
9. Check Your Bucket 3:40
10. Rollin' On 8:45

Album Rating (1-10): 8.0

Members & Other Bands:

• Cadillac Jack (Henry Eaton) - Guitar, Vox (Thunderhand Joe & the Medicine Show)
• Rhinestone Mudflaps III (Ando Hixon) - Tenor Sax, Harp, Percussion, Vox
• Mad Mississippi Buffalo (Tom Swift) - Keys, Vox
• Bobby Blue Sky (Bobby Chouinard) - Drums, Vox (Orphan, Billy Squier, Alice Cooper)
• Koko Dee (John Smith) - Bass, Vox
• Sam Deluxe (Joe Lilly) - Guitar, Vox
• George Lilly - Engineer
• Steve Maslow - Engineer
• Earthquake (Greg) Morton - Engineer
• Butch Lynch - Engineer
• Deke Richards - Producer
• Peter Casperson - Personal Manager
• Mark Schremmer - Road Manager
• Dick Douglas - Road Crew
• Brad Berger - Road Crew
• Larry Weinles - Road Crew
• Tom Wilkes - Art Direction & Photography
• Joe Garnett - Illustrations
• Fred Valentine - Liner Portraits

Unknown-ness: Never heard of this band, but it looks like it will be a straight up country album. I like the jokey nature of the album title and the cover photo, where the band is really Rollin' On some poor dude under the truck.

Album Review: They have been around the Boston area since 73 or so, playing to huge supportive followers in the local bar scene. That turned to bigger shows and record deals, and they still play once in a while to this day (2020). They mix honky tonk with soulful blues in a fun, upbeat dancey way. All of their songs are full of a jovial energy that promises to be a great time live. Motown and J Geils band collide well on many of these tracks, and they have a sense of humor about themselves, with their gag stage names and word play of their cover art.

Stand Out Track: Check Yourself

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