This band of acoustic brothers kicks off each weekend at the barbecue restaurant and live music venue
By Anna-Rhesa Versola | Photography by John Michael Simpson
The Duke Street Dogs’ band members deliver decades of combined musical experience, drawing devoted fans to a neighborhood restaurant known for its barbecue and live shows.
“It’s become a thing on Friday night for these guys, and that’s kind of an understatement,” says Bill Whittington, owner of The Blue Note Grill, which is located on Washington Street near the Historic Durham Athletic Park. “It changed our Friday nights because they bring a crowd. … We get a lot of people that come just to see them. We get parents with kids, the kids get up there and dance, and the adults are dancing, so it’s a good thing.”
Duke Street Dogs have played every Friday from 6-8 p.m. at the popular barbecue restaurant for the past 10 years, except during the pandemic shutdown. Before that, they played weekly at Parker and Otis. And further back in time, they performed for Fowler’s and Piedmont restaurants. The band plays original music and covers many songs across a range of genres, including Tin Pan Alley songs, bluegrass, country, rock, blues and jazz.
Bill says The Blue Note Grill is the only venue in Durham that features live music five nights a week, with blues on Tuesdays; soul, R&B or Motown on Wednesdays and Thursdays; the Duke Street Dogs plus a second spotlight band on Fridays; and Saturday nights that could include rock, boogie or album release parties.
‘WE ALL GO WAY BACK’
The musicians have played together since the disco era, and different members have been part of bands like Rebecca and the Hi-Tones, The Boomers, Big Blues Quartet and The Flying Pigs. Saxophonist Bill Newton has known songwriter and guitarist Michael Borstelmann for more than half a century. “He and I grew up together,” says Bill, a retired science editor from RTI International. “We had a treehouse when we were kids.” Michael runs the soundboard at The Blue Note Grill when he’s not on stage performing.
Bill first befriended upright bassist Robert Truesdale when they shared some of the same classes at Hillside High School back in the early ’70s. In 1982, Bill met guitarist Keith Guile, who retired five years ago from the Duke Street Dogs. The current guitar player, Willie Painter, is another longtime musician friend who retired from teaching at the North Carolina School of Science and Mathematics.
Bill says Durham is definitely changing, “but there’s something about staying in the same town. When I go to the grocery store, and I see people I’ve known for [years], maybe even went to school with, I do love that,” he adds. “Sometimes I think, ‘Well, gosh, maybe I should have gone out, done something somewhere else, but I actually love it here. I mean, I grew up here, and Michael did, and Willie’s been here since high school, and Robbie’s been here. Knowing some of the faces [of fans] that come in with us is definitely part of the vibe, and I just love it. … It feels like home.”
