Duke Belaire

The son of Ray Belaire, a swing band leader and owner of the Arcadia Ballroom, Duke Belaire has been a professional musician and card-carrying member of the union since the age of sixteen. Among other local clubs, he played drums at the Celebrity Club, the first integrated club in Providence. The club, located in the predominantly black neighborhood of Randall Square, quickly became one of the most famous jazz clubs on the East coast during its existence from 1949 to 1960. Belaire continues playing with his Duke Belaire Big Band at a wide variety of gigs.