Lincoln Chafee called in a quandary. Who, he desperately wanted to know, should he appoint the Official Guitar Player of the Great State of Rhode Island?

"There are a couple of immediate thoughts, Link," I responded. "Sonny Landreth or Andy Timmons."

"Excellent! I knew I could count on you!" The Governor paused, thinking. "Er, they are both from Rhody, right?"

"Nope. Sonny lives in Louisiana and Andy's in Texas. I just thought, you know, that y'all needed a truly excellent guitarist - that you'd just make Sonny or Andy, like, an honorary citizen or something."

"Well, we sorta need someone really from here."

A thought popped into my head. "Wait! It's obvious!" I exclaimed. "It's Duke Robillard. He's the man you want!"

I could sense Chafee beaming over the phone. "Duke it is!" he cried.

None of that really happened. But if there WERE to be an official state guitarist for Rhode Island, it would have to be Robillard. He's already state royalty. As such, what better way to bring in 2015 than to see The Duke Robillard Band on New Year's Eve in Westerly's Knickerbocker Cafe? They're touring behind the "Calling All Blues" album, plus, back in the '70s, Robillard, with Roomful of Blues, helped establish the Knick as one of the greatest live music clubs in the country.

- RICK KOSTER

Duke Robillard Band, 8:30 p.m. Wednesday, Knickerbocker Cfe, 35 Railroad Ave., Westerly, $20; (401) 315-5070.