The History of the Duke's Men
In The Beginning
The year was 1952. The crime -- theft and betrayal. One Basil Duke Henning, Master of Saybrook College and former Whiffenpoof, stole a Whiff arrangement and presented it to four of his eager freshmen. Thus, the Duke's Men were born.
The Evolution
Over the past 57 years, "Da Doox" have grown from a young quartet into a rowdy family of more than 350 singers. In the process, we've become one of the most respected singing groups in the country. We tour internationally, record albums, and charm presidents and preschoolers alike. We were also featured on a CBS Sunday Morning special! Two years ago, the Duke's Men competed in the International Competition of Collegiate A Cappella (ICCA) and made it to the final round in Lincoln Center in New York, where we placed 4th.
Today
Today we sing much more than our first arrangement. Our repertoire is diverse, a mix of old favorites and modern gems that includes our own arrangements of jazz, pop, soul, classical, showtunes, and one Gaelic song about seaweed. But don't take our word for it--listen to us online!
Touring
Of course the Duke's Men are more than happy to spread our cheer around the globe. On previous tours we've performed at Westminster in London, the American Ambassador's residence in Paris, venues on the Hawaiian Islands, and at a Miami Heat game. Our audiences have included such notables as Vanna White, Sam Waterston, and Bill and Hillary Clinton (twice!). This past spring we traveled to the wonderful island of Puerto Rico where we sang on the mountaintops of El Yunque, kayaked through the bioluminescent mangrove forests of Fajardo, and relaxed on the beautiful beaches of Aguadilla.