Billy Dukes is a Senior Editor and Executive Producer at Taste of Country, where he has over 11,000 articles to his name. His media background includes jobs as music director at WQDR 94.7 in Raleigh, N.C.; writer for Recoil Magazine, a monthly out of Grand Rapids, Mich.; and writer for the Kalamazoo Gazette in Kalamazoo, Mich. The Western Michigan University graduate followed a girl to Raleigh in 2006 and wisely married her one year later. In 2014, they moved to Nashville, where they now live with their three sons. In his free time, Billy enjoys playing and watching baseball, cycling and home renovation.
Billy Dukes
Jimmy Page’s Acoustic Guitar Sells for $39,000
An acoustic guitar played by Jimmy Page sold for more than $39,000 at an auction recently. The instrument was among a handful of pieces of rock memorabilia sold at Bonhams last week.
Man Plays AC/DC on Flaming Bagpipes
For a funeral or Thanksgiving Day parade, bagpipes are great. But for a rock song? An Australian man will leave you thinking differently after watching his performance of AC/DC's 'Thunderstruck' on the instrument. Making the whole thing even more awesome: The bagpipes shoot fire.
Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert Blu-Ray to Include Previously Unavailable Performances
In 1992 the surviving members of Queen invited friends and fellow musicians to pay tribute to the late Freddie Mercury. The concert included performances from over a dozen top rock and pop artists of the day, from David Bowie to Guns N' Roses to Metallica and Def Leppard. Later this summer 34 different performances from that night will be available on 'The Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert: The Defi
David Bowie’s ‘The Next Day’ Video Criticized By the Catholic League
David Bowie's explicit new video for 'The Next Day' has angered the Catholic League. On their website, president Bill Donohue crucified the three-minute-long clip (embedded below) while referring to the singer as a "switch-hitting, bisexual, senior citizen from London."
Rod Stewart Shares Personal Details About His Life and Manhood
Rod Stewart spent an hour yesterday answering a wide variety of questions from fans on Twitter. Few had anything to do with his music or new album 'Time.' Most people wanted to know about his time with the Faces, his wife Penny and their sexual preferences and what he likes for breakfast. One guy even asked about his "little Rod," and the singer obliged him!
Axl Rose Planning to Buy a Tiger?
Only a man of some social significance knows where to buy a tiger, and it seems Axl Rose may qualify. The Guns N' Roses singer was heard discussing his plans to purchase a big cat during a wild Monday night that included Leonardo DiCaprio, Jonah Hill and a "harem of ladies."
Bob Weir ‘Unable to Perform in Any Capacity,’ Furthur Band Cancels Show
The two incidents may be unrelated, but five days after Bob Weir collapsed onstage during his band Furthur's set in Port Chester, N.Y., the group has canceled its headlining set at the BottleRock Napa Valley Festival in Napa, Calif. They were set to perform on May 9.
Meat Loaf on Drinking Urine: ‘It Was an Allergy Thing’
Meat Loaf says he's never drank his own urine, but he knows people -- famous people -- who have. The singer does cop to injecting a solution that included his urine however, but it's really not as strange as it seems.
Derek Watkins, Trumpet Player for the Beatles, Eric Clapton, James Bond + More, Dead at 68
If you've seen any of the 23 James Bond movies, you're familiar with British trumpet player Derek Watkins. The session player also sat in with Eric Clapton, the Beatles, Elton John and more during a nearly 50-year career. Watkins died on Friday (March 22) after a two year battle with cancer.
Steven Tyler on Taylor Swift: ‘She’s Hot’
Country star Taylor Swift has been known to date men her senior, but not senior citizens. Aerosmith singer Steven Tyler showed an interest in the hitmaker, in more ways than one. The famous ladies man split with fiancé Erin Brady in January.
Bad Company Announce All 40th Anniversary Summer 2013 Tour Dates
Bad Company has added nine tour stops to this year's previously announced co-headlining dates with Lynyrd Skynyrd. The 22 shows in the U.S. and Canada will round out the summer portion of their 40th Anniversary Tour.
Recently Discovered Freddie Mercury Cemetery Marker Missing
A plaque that until this year few knew existed has gone missing. The marker is believed to represent the the final resting place of Queen lead singer Freddie Mercury, who died in 1991. For over 20 years no one knew where Mercury's ashes were scattered, and now the plaque believed to represent just that spot has seemingly blown away in the wind.