Matt Duke Hits the Road + Free mp3 + Honors John Updike

Matt is hitting the road with Atlantic Records recording artist Serena Ryder to promote his Rykodisc debut album, Kingdom Underground.

TOUR DATES:
02/04/09 Seattle, WA @ Triple Door w/Serena Ryder

02/05/09 Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge w/Serena Ryder

02/07/09 San Francisco, CA @ Hotel Utah w/Serena Ryder

02/10/09 Los Angeles, CA @ Hotel Café w/Serena Ryder

02/14/09 Tucson, AZ @ Plush w/Serena Ryder

02/15/09 Nashville, TN @ 3rd & Linsley w/Serena Ryder

02/18/09 Decatur, GA @ Eddie's Attic w/Serena Ryder

02/20/09 Philadelphia, PA @ World Café Live w/Serena Ryder

02/24/09 New York, NY @ Joe's Pub w/Serena Ryder

02/25/09 Cambridge, MA @ Club Passim w/Serena Ryder



Matt Duke is hugely influenced by the works of John Updike. In honor of Updike's recent passing, Matt is offering a free download of his song, "Rabbit," inspired by Updike's Rabbit Run: http://blog.rykodisc.com/blog/mattduke/rabbit.mp3

You can check out a video clip of Matt Duke performing "Rabbit" live, here: http://www.youtube.com/mattduke223


Here is a note Matt has shared with us reflecting on the beloved novelist, John Updike. Full quote up at Rykodisc.com


The Rabbit series, Rabbit Run imparticular, served as inspiration for the gentle, acoustic track that breaks up my record Kingdom Underground.  When it comes to songwriting, it's a rare and wonderful thing when a song takes on a spirit of its own and evolves somewhat effortlessly.  As I sat down at my desk with a guitar in hand, I looked to the right at my bookcase and caught a glimpse of the Rabbit Run title on the spine of the book - that was the beginning and end of it for me.  It was as if memories of myself from the past coupled with the ones I could clearly remember of Harry Angstrom's took hold of my subconscious and, like something divine in the artistic sense, wrote the song that would become "Rabbit".  John Updike is one of only a few writers that have ever had such a profound impact on my life, let alone my career in songwriting.  For all of his contributions and what he has meant to the world of arts and literature he will be sorely missed; for how well he captured the essence of human nature and restless spirit of man, there are many that strive to be like him and even fewer that get anywhere close; for what his writing has meant to me personally, he is irreplacable.

-Matt Duke