Vintage band

Ruby & The Dukes

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About Ruby & The Dukes

Vintage 1950's Rock’n’Roll, Rhythm&Blues, Rockabilly & Retro Swing…a great party & dance band!
Vintage band
London
Public liability insurance of £1 million
Verified profile

Ruby & the Dukes have played audiences of 10,000 on the Twinwood Main Arena stage, plus Santapod Raceway and the Vintage Nostalgia festival — they are a musical force that transports audiences back to the golden era of the 1940s & 50s. Led by Ruby — the band features sax, rhythm guitar, double bass and drums. They deliver a powerful performance, lighting up the stage with authentic and soulful versions of classic hits, from Rock Around The Clock and These Boots Are Made For Walking, to Fever, King of the Swingers and Tainted Love. Ruby & the Dukes masterfully blend the classics of Etta James, Nina Simone and Ruth Brown, plus Elvis and Bill Haley and the Comets alongside vintage versions of contemporary hits by Imelda May, the Stray Cats, Imagine Dragons, Guns’n’Rose and Post Modern Jukebox. Their style, sound, and theme are genuine to the 1950s era, and every performance guarantees to get people dancing. Meet the Band: Ruby: Originally hailing from Florida, Ruby is the heart and soul of the band. With a profound love of vintage fashion and the music of the 40s and 50s, she delivers an electrifying performance that resonates with the audience. Double Bass — Jonny Gee has performed with a host of great artists including Madness, Brian May, Dame Cleo Laine and King Salsa. Saxophone - Lynne Walker: An incredibly talented session musician, and live performer Lynne has worked with an impressive array of artists. Drums - Graham Cuttill: East London-born Graham Cuttill has been a driving force on drums since 1979. His rhythmic expertise and diverse experience shine through in every beat, having recorded and performed with legendary names like Edwin Starr, Alexander O'Neal, and The Foundations. Guitar - Chris Thorn: Founder of Ruby & the Dukes, Chris Thorn's guitar-playing prowess has spanned three decades. With a rich history in the acid jazz scene of the '90s and various musical projects, his guitar skills lend an authentic touch to the band's vintage sound. The band's versatility allows them to cater to diverse events, from Vintage Festivals and Stylish Weddings to Themed Events and Jive and Rocknroll Clubs. Notably, they have also graced top hotels, including a memorable appearance at The Strand Palace Hotel. With full Public Liability Insurance, PAT testing, and various options for DJ, playlists, and lighting, Ruby and the Dukes ensure that every aspect of their performance is top-notch. Their brand new Mackie Reach 1500w PA system and vintage guitar amps and guitars contribute to their classic and captivating sound. If you're yearning to experience the nostalgia and energy of the 1940s and 1950s, Ruby and the Dukes are the band to see. Catch us live at various events and venues across London. For more information and performance details, simply send us a message.

Ruby & The Dukes
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5 out of 5
11 verified reviews
Satisfaction
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5.0
Professionalism
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5.0
Communication
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5.0
Punctuality
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5.0

Ruby & The Dukes' Reviews

From Encore customers:

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Nikki T
2 years ago
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5 out of 5

Great band. Played / sung the National Anthem as a special request for the Jubilee weekend. Everyone enjoyed the music very much.

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Lucy S
5 years ago
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5 out of 5

I wanted a smokey jazz club feel for my Peaky Blinders wedding and Ruby and the Dukes certainly delivered! Ruby’s vocals were epic and the musicians were on point. The dance floor was packed all evening with my guests asking for more more more at the end. I couldn’t have asked for a better band, I totally recommend them! And Macs communication with us from first booking to the wedding day was consistent and he reassured me throughout the process. One very happy Bride and Groom and guests as a result, perfect!

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Eliska S
5 years ago
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5 out of 5

The Band gave an outstanding performance at our charity fund raising event garden party. All the guests were really impressed with the rapport the band had with the crowd

EL
Elena L
5 years ago
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5 out of 5

Amazing band! All guests are talking about this band now and asking where we've found them. They've made our birthday celebration unforgettable and set the mood for the whole evening. Outstanding! Super band!

Read all 8 reviews

From other customers:

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Daniel A
6 years ago, for a Wedding in Dark Ln
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5 out of 5

"We hired Ruby & the Dukes to play at our wedding in September and they were amazing. They put on a great show, adding our first dance into their set list and contributed to a great evening atmosphere at the wedding. We know that our guests really enjoyed their performance and some have already recommended them to others."

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Sue H
6 years ago, for a Wedding in Dark Ln
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5 out of 5

We just loved this band at Home Farm . The dance floor was full and they created a great atmosphere for a wedding in the country . Hopefully they will come this way again - Sue Harrison, Home Farm Events - https://www.homefarmevents.co.uk/

Read all 6 reviews
Encore badges
10 gigs
Experienced: 10 bookings through Encore
Saved the day!
Booked for an Encore gig with less than 24 hours’ notice
7th Anniversary
This act has been working with Encore for over 7 years

Ruby & The Dukes' Song list

Song Artist
1 My Baby Just Cares For Me Nina Simone
2 Love Me Right LaVern Baker
3 Praise You Fatboy Slim - Jam
4 My Babe Little Walter
5 Fever Little Willie John/Peggy Lee
6 I Don't Know Ruth Brown
7 Easy Easy Baby Ann Cole
8 Mama, He Treats Your Daughter Mean Ruth Brown
9 Feelin' Good Nina Simone
10 Shakin’ All Over Johnny Kidd & The Pirates
11 Ain’t Misbehavin’ Fats Waller
12 Trouble Jackie de Shannon
13 Please Mr Jailer Wynona Carr
14 Voodoo Woman Koko Taylor
15 Hound Dog Big Mama Thornton
16 Nosey Joe Bull Moose Jackson
17 Funnel of Love Wanda Jackson
18 Sweet Child of Mine Guns ’n’ Roses
19 I’m Shakin’ Little Willie John
20 Tainted Love Gloria Jones
21 Shakin' All Over Johnny Kidd & The Pirates
22 Miserlou Dick Dale
23 As Long As I’m Movin’ Ruth Brown
24 I Just Wanna Make Love To You Etta James/Willie Dixon
25 Whipper Snapper LaVern Baker
26 Fujiyama Mama Wanda Jackson
27 Put On My Shoes Mary Ann Fisher
28 Dance With Me Henry Etta James
29 Tiny Tim LaVern Baker
30 Rip It Up Little Richard
31 Shake, Rattle & Roll  Big Joe Turner
32 Rock This Town Stray Cats
33 King Of The Swingers Louis Jordan
34 I Just Wanna Make Love To You Etta James
35 Scorched Varetta Dillard
36 These Boots Are Made For Walkin’ Nancy Sinatra
37 Blue Suede Shoes Carl Perkins
38 When I'm 64 The Beatles
39 In My Life The Beatles
40 Bang Bang Cher
41 I'll Go Crazy James Brown
42 Rock Around The Clock Bill Haley
43 See You Later Alligator Bill Haley
44 Slippin' & Slidin' Little Richard
45 Rip It Up Little Richard
46 Blue Suede Shoes Elvis Presley
47 Hit The Road, Jack Ray Charles
48 Tequila The Champs
49 What A Difference A Day Makes Dinah Washington
50 Cry Me A River Julie London
51 C'mon Everybody Eddie Cochrane
52 I Hear You Knockn' Smiley Lewis
53 Susie Q Dale Hawkins
54 Rumble Link Wray
55 I've Got You Under My Skin Frank Sinatra
56 I Put A Spell On You Screamin' Jay Hawkins
57 Please, Please, Please James Brown
58 What'd I Say? Ray Charles
59 I Only Have Eyes For You The Flamingoes
60 Who Do You Love? Bo Diddley
61 Blueberry Hill Fats Domino
62 16 Tons Tenessee Ernie For
63 I Get A Kick Out Of You Frank Sinatra
64 Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You Frankie Valli
65 Breakfast at tiffanys
66 Bad Guy Billie Eilish
67 Apache Shadows
68 Jingle Bell Rock
69 Jackson Johnny Cash
70 Put your head on my sholder Paul Anka
Customer questions

Do you have different line-up options?

We have two different lineups… The full band is a 5 piece Great for dancing, parties, festivals, etc The Trio is a great little band, perfect for your front room, in a bar, or a short after dinner music set. But if it’s dancing after the full band is what you will be wanting…

What if my timings change after I've booked you?

No problem to change timings. If we need to get there significantly earlier/leave later, we may need to amend the price depending on the realities of travel and distance.

Can you provide an iPod/DJ service before and between your sets?

We can provide a DJ service for an extra £250 or you can simply plug into our PA system with your own iPod. NB if you want DJ lighting there will be an extra charge.

How much time do you need to set up?

The trio takes 20 minutes to set up. The full band with Drums takes 45 to 60 minutes. We like to arrive an hour ahead of time with trio, and two hours ahead of time with the full band.

Can you roam around while you perform?

The trio can do a semi roaming set. This means we can play a song or two directly to one table, then move to another table elsewhere in the room for another couple of songs, and do this for up to an hour (using just a handheld mic for the singer into a tiny battery amp the size of a shoebox)

Can I pick the songs you play from the set list?

We are happy to guarntee to do one or two Songs of your choosing from us that list, but there’s a certain flow to the evening which we like to get right by drawing up a great set list taking into account one or two requests.

Is all of the equipment (e.g. PA & lighting) included in your quote?

We include a small PA suitable for 60 to 120 guests in our quote. We can supply floor lights and a slightly larger PA for up to 200 people as a small extra cost (£150) or we can book in a professional sound engineer and full lighting PA rig… price on enquiry.

Can you learn song requests before the event?

Yes! If they will fit into our set in future we’re very happy to do this, and would ask for an extra 50 quid per player for the rehearsal (250 quid total)
Musicianship
Genres:
Swing, Postmodern jukebox jazz, 1950s era music, Jazz, Blues, R&B, Vintage, Rock 'n' Roll, 1940s era music
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Event types:
Private event, Wedding, Hotel / Restaurant event, Bar / Club / Venue event, Corporate event, Charity event, Concert, Birthday party, Christmas party
See all event types