Paulie Bluenote and The Dukes

Paulie Bluenote (Guitar/Vocals):

Not a real special man, but a man nonetheless. I started my musical life on the trumpet very early. I took lessons for many years. During the course of the lessons and playing in school bands I picked up other instruments as well. Mostly horns. I took some violin lessons and some piano lessons, but not of them stuck. Except for the trumpet that is. My brother got a guitar. I thought it was the coolest thing. But I was a trumpet player and had no business playing a guitar. I was playing the trumpet, my sister was playing the piano, and my brother was playing the guitar. That's the way it was. I had always had a knack for picking up an instrument and within a short time being able to play it. I don't know how. I still do it today. So I was infatuated with this guitar of my brother's. It was a cheesy Les Paul knock-off. I played a little on his guitar here and there and I found it very easy. I begged my parents for a guitar, but they said that I was a trumpet player. For my eighth grade graduation (I was in Texas at the time) my mother bought me a $50.00 Harmony archtop from a pawn shop in Cleburne. I cherished that guitar and played it all the time. My parents got me lessons at a music store in Cleburne, but that didn't last long at all. All they wanted me to learn was the stupid things found in modern country. I could not abide by this. I quit the lessons right away. I took it upon myself to learn what I wanted to learn. I started out learning from Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, and basically anything good I could absorb. As my tastes matured and my playing got a little better I started imitating the likes of Merle Travis and Chet Atkins. I enjoy finger picking immensely. When I'm not playing my guitar I like to listen to good music, i.e. blues, jazz, country & western, and of course Rockabilly. I believe that life's too short to waste my time on bad music. I joined the US Navy in 1999 and after training, went abroad. I had the opportunity to play at a wide array of venues and was exposed to a whole world of good music I had never known existed. I traveled extensively throughout Europe and other countries around the world. I had met a girl named Kimberley in Kansas City and after I was honorably discharged from the US Navy, I ended up with her there. She enjoys the same music as I and harbors the same feelings of contempt for the average Joe. I enjoy this area and hope to have a future here. I continued to play alone, but not publicly. I didn't think the area would have much to offer an old fashioned picker. I was told about a store called Mountain Music Shoppe and decided to drop by. I was playing a 1951 Gibson ES-175 when the owner came over and was watching me. He brought out his upright bass and played a little with me. A little while later we were in a band together. Greg had been a friend of Jim's for a while and was enthusiastic about starting a new band. Jim is schooled in good old country music, but possesses a wealth of knowledge about all good music. Both of my accomplices are outstanding musicians. I am fortunate to have talented band members sharing a goal with me.

My main guitar is a 2004 Gretsch 6120DSW. I play through a Fender Blues Deville 4X10. My other guitars I play are here.

You can contact me at hillbillycityslicker@yahoo.com

Jim Curley (Bass):

Greetings from Jim Curley!

Who in the heck is Jim Curley? I’m going to tell you a little about myself as pertains to my current involvement with Paulie Bluenote and the Dukes. For starters, I am a Duke. Paul, Greg and I have been playing together for several months and it’s been a refreshing experience for me to be playing with such incredible musicians and also, to be playing the roots style of “rockabilly”. We are having a blast doing what we all do best and we hope you will come out to see us and enjoy some of the joy of many yesterdays.

By the time I was four years old, I was getting on the nerves of everyone around me by trying to make music on anything and everything imaginable. Pots and pans, a paper cup with a straw in it, phone books, spoons, and even the “belly” bongos were all instruments to me. I was under the impression that everyone had these same musical juices flowing through their veins and could not understand why I was constantly being told to “go some place else to do that”.

I remember wanting to play the banjo in the worst way when I was about eight. The local music instructor told my mom I did not have the strength in my hands yet to tackle that instrument, but he recommended learning the piano. I can’t tell you how disappointed I was. So, I practiced the piano begrudgingly for about six months and played “The Indian Drum Song” at a recital. I did ok, but got a lot of laughs when I approached the piano, stopped mid stage, spotted my mom in the audience, made a fist and shook it at