Louisiana Voice

Duke Bardwell, the renowned bassist known for his work with Elvis Presley, passed away on October 20, 2024. His musical legacy and contributions to the industry have left a lasting impact on fans and fellow musicians alike. He was a native of Baton Rouge.

1Q08_ECL_Rubb_Jus-E_Unca_Duke.pdf

Duke Bardwell’s Legacy was marked by several significant achievements:

• Musical Career — Bardwell was a prominent bassist who performed 181 shows with Elvis Presley, showcasing his talent on a grand stage. He also was a singer-songwriter for Jose Feliciano and performed on shows with James Taylor, Gordon Lightfoot, Jackson Browne, Loggins and Messina, Tom Rush, and Jerry Jeff Walker. TCB Band – Duke Bardwell – (Bass Guitar)
• Retirement — After a long career, Bardwell retired from live performances but continued to influence music through documentaries and recordings. Elvis Presley Bassist Duke Bardwell Retires From Live Performance as Duke & The King Finds New Audiences on Prime Video – The Enterprise
• Cultural Impact — His journey from a childhood Elvis fan to a professional musician highlights the deep connections within the music community.

Duke Bardwell and you-know-who performing in concert

The following chapter on Bardwell is excerpted from my 2010 book, Louisiana Rocks: The True Origins of Rock & Roll:

Duke Bardwell, like his siblings, was named for a major university. A brother, Stanford Bardwell, Jr., once served as U.S. Attorney for Louisiana’s Middle District in Baton Rouge. Other siblings included Harvard, Princeton, Auburn, Cornell, and Duke’s twin sister, Tulane. Even his parents, Stanford, Sr., and Loyola, got in on the act.

Duke’s interests were in music and by age thirteen, he had his first garage band, Duke and the Losers. That was 1957, the same time Elvis Presley was emerging as cultural icon. Duke, born in of Baton Rouge on August 19, 1943, got his first road experience in 1960 playing guitar, bass, and trumpet for Lenny Capello and the Dots.

He enrolled at LSU in 1961 and began playing in a pickup band at frat houses. Then the English Invasion hit and overnight, none of the big horn bands could find work – with one exception. Bardwell and friends got together at a local club and did a mix of covers from the Beatles, the Stones, the Animals, and other British bands. People turned out to hear the band, which became the Greek Fountains. Several regional hits ensued, and the Greek Fountains worked the college and club circuit for the next five years.

In 1971, Bardwell signed on as a singer-songwriter for Jose Feliciano and played bass during recording sessions for Feliciano and played behind him on The Tonight Show, The Dinah Shore Show, and Soundstage in Chicago. In 1974, he toured and performed in 181 shows with Elvis Presley and played bass on Elvis’ album recorded live at the Mid-South Coliseum in Memphis on March 20, 1974.

Greek Fountains co-founder Casey Kelly moved to New York and got Duke a job playing bass with folk artist Tom Rush. This gave Duke a close look at the life of a troubadour singer-songwriter. He performed on shows with James Taylor, Gordon Lightfoot, Jackson Browne, and Jerry Jeff Walker. After Rush, Duke returned to Baton Rouge and formed another band. Duke and his cousin, Luther Kent, were front singers for Cold Gritz and the Blackeyed Peas. The band signed with Lou Adler’s Ode Records in Los Angeles, but the band broke up before its first album was released. Kelly, meanwhile, had his own record deal and was touring with Loggins and Messina, so Duke moved to L. A. and joined Kelly as a duo opening for Loggins and Messina for two years.

The Basement Wall began in Baton Rouge in 1963 as a garage band that played Beatles and Rolling Stones covers. Content with local nightclub and frat gigs, the band was thrust onto the national stage with the addition of guitarist and lead vocalist George Ratzlaff. Performing as far away as Los Angeles, the band soon was the highest-paid cover band in the southern U.S., according to the Louisiana Entertainment Association.

The Basement Wall’s only official release was Never Existed, on the Senate label, in 1968. Additional material was recorded but not released until the compilation The Incredible Sound of the Basement Wall was released by Cicadelic in 1985.

Founding member Terry Bourdier left the band in 1968 and was replaced by Bardwell but the band broke up and Bardwell went on to tour with Elvis Presley.