Hugo Duarte has been making music for most of his life. He grew up in Tigerville, a small town in the foothills of SC, then spent his teenage years in NC. He also lived in Key West, Florida and in Nashville, Tennessee. Since then he has traveled and performed all over the US. Hugo’s music is his own. The closest accepted genre would probably be Americana, although he exhibits many varied musical influences. A friend once described it as being “quite distinctly southern, distinctly associated with hot days, warm nights, and the water (the kind of music you listen to when you are on the water, or on your way to or from the water”. Others describe it simply as that which excites curiosity, wonder, etc. but is impossible or difficult to explain. Hugo has performed as a solo artist and as a member of his own Full Sail Band for many years. He and the band have been staples at the Hog’s Breath Saloon in Key West since it opened back in 1988. Today, he and the band still return to the Hog’s Breath for weeklong engagements five or six times a year. He performs in venues all over the US, from music rooms to house concerts. Hugo has shared the stage with the likes of Charlie Daniels, Billy Dean, Jimmy Buffett, The Dirt Band, and others.

Larry Michael Lee (of Ozark Mountain Daredevils fame) produced both of Hugo’s CDs in Nashville. (Larry Lee was also producer on several Alabama CDs). All songs on both of Hugo’s CDs, except for “Havana Flamingo” on “Places Along the Road” are either written or co-written by Hugo. This CD contains several country-flavored up-beat songs (“I’ll Be Gone”,” Willie’s Country Store”, “Reckless Lovin’”), some R&B style tunes like “You Ain’t Helpin’ Me Much” and “Between You & Me” as well as ballads like “End Of The Road”, “Legend” and “Let ‘Em Roll”. “The End of the Road” is a poignant song about the realizations that many of us discover as we enter mid-life. The three remaining songs tell of historical events - “Song of the Sea” was written after Hugo was allowed to dive on the wreck of the Atocha days after it was discovered in July 1985. “Legend” is a left-handed tribute to Frank & Jesse James and “Havana Flamingo” tells of the Mariel Boat Lift in Cuba. The CD “Another Day in Paradise” contains several songs that harken to Hugo’s earlier days in Key West. “Back to the Islands”, “Cutie”, “ Another Day in Paradise”, “Key West Heart”, “Modern Day Buccaneers” and “Somewhere Headed South” all have a “Keys” flavor. To hear a little bit of his “hillbilly” side, take a listen to “Danged Old Truck” and “Hillbilly Beach”, “You Are the One I Love” and “Paradise Tonight”. All are upbeat tunes, with the exception of “Somewhere Headed South”. “Ring the Bells” has a nautical flavor and a quite haunting Celtic penny whistle background. 

Hugo Duarte is an accomplished one-of–a-kind artist who defies being pigeonholed with each and every song he brings forth from his guitar.

Discography:

• Places Along the Road - Catalog # HDPATR01

• Another Day in Paradise - Catalog # HDADIP02

• Don’t Be Fooled By The Hat - Catalog # HDADIP03

www.hillbillybeach.com     A sample of Hugo's music

(Click on any of the photos above for a larger view)

Hugo Duarte's
“Don’t be Fooled by the Hat”

“Don’t be fooled by the hat”, “don’t judge a book by its cover”, as well as other equally solid adages is age old advice being made new again in the title song of Hugo Duarte’s newest CD, “Don’t Be Fooled By The Hat”. This collection of songs written and performed by singer/songwriter Hugo Duarte and his band was released in Key West in early November 2005. Read the complete Press Release  (requires MS Word®)