Michael Fuqua

Deondre Charelle, known as the artist Duke Charelle, is a collective of musicians

that toured from the group Parliament-Funkadelic.

Deondre grew up in a musical family and started playing classical music beginning

with the clarinet at an early age of 8. He was fond of a variety of music, mostly

R&B until he heard Eric Clapton and Parliament Funkadelic and then knew that he

wanted to fuse genres and transition into rock music. While in middle school, he

joined the Jazz band playing bass and after moving to Michigan to live with his

father, he had a literal dream at age 16 of being on stage playing guitar that

inspired him to teach himself f to play the guitar, to read music and go after his

dream. He would practice for hours for perfection. It was also in high school that

Deondre became interested in poetry slams and writing music. And, with great a

zest to perform, he took a song he wrote for history class at Ann Harbor to the

infamous folk music venue the Ark. By Senior year at the teen club The Natural

Zone he took fourth place in a solo guitar battle.

Deondre transferred to Eastern Michigan University after being accepted to

Berkley college to be closer to his family. There he began to play around the

college scenes, performing at various charities. However, it was not until senior

year and running into Parliament-Funkadelic, Deondre learned secrets of his

mother’s side of the family and that she used to perform with them. He in-turn later

began performing with them at events. He was more inspired and kept pushing the

limits of learning and performing music.

In 2018, Deondre began to produce his first album. He wrote all the lyrics and

many of the bass lines. While, at the same time, he was producing, performing, and

working with Yorg Kerasotis, and T Money Green (a producer who has worked

with The Dramatics, Snoop Dogg, and Dr. Dre) with the production of their act

Lin-Say. Duke Charelle, on his first album Beyond the Magic Mirror also teamed

up with Prince ex-drummer Dean Ragland who has played with everyone from

George Clinton to Monica Notaro. The first album can be described as psychedelic

pushing the envelope and capturing the material and spiritual essence of life’s ups

and downs.

Duke Charelle has won numerous awards for his music and performances. Apart

from being a part of the NME Online Music Awards live performances for a

consecutive five years he has taken home the Akedemia Music Awards in 2016 for

Best Funk Song, Tantric Dance. Duke Charelle writes from personal experiences

with expansive psychedelic thought to transcend beyond the self. His work has

inspired many and he sees the future of much more music that inspires to come.