Duke Tumatoe

Duke Tumatoe (b. Bill Fiorio in Chicago, 1947 - ) – Singer, songwriter, guitarist, and bandleader. Growing up on Chicago’s south side, Fiorio learned to play the electric blues from the masters (Muddy Waters, Buddy Guy, Bo Diddley, Willie Dixon and Albert King), who were very accessible to him. After starting on drums, he moved on to guitar in his teens and became active in Chicago in the 1960s. As a student at the University of Illinois, he was in a FIJI House band called Lothar and the Hand People, which was named by band member Bill Geist (CBS News Correspondent). Fiorio then played with REO Speedwagon from the time of its inception at U of I in 1967 until 1969. From there, he formed Duke Tumatoe and the All Star Frogs, a popular band throughout Midwest college campuses in the 1970s and early 1980s. In 1983, he founded the slightly less active Indianapolis-based Duke Tumatoe and the Power Trio, which plays around 200 shows a year, mainly in the Midwest. Known for mixing humor with hardcore blues, R & B, rock and funk, Duke has released nine albums since forming his power trio. His most critically acclaimed album is I Like My Job (1988), produced by John Fogerty on Warner Brothers. Currently, Duke gets national exposure through the Bob and Tom radio show, especially with his weekly “NFL Song,” which comically recaps the past week in football. Local listeners also get to hear his “Lord Help Our Colts.”