Artist Profile: Rich “The Duke” Ward

By Ellen Samsell Salas

When guitarist, songwriter, and producer Rich “The Duke” Ward talks about music, he describes it as “magic.” He recalls the excitement he felt as a teen making his own playlists on his cassette recorder, flipping through albums in record stores, or dropping quarters in a jukebox then waiting for his selections to play.

The genres that attracted him most were punk and heavy metal.

“It seemed dangerous,” said Ward, who calls Canton home. “It seemed like something your parents would hate. So, we all did it. It was pushing the boundaries of the culture.”

Now 53, Ward continues to push boundaries. Beginning with the rap/metal band Stuck Mojo, formed in 1989, Ward has toured the world. In 1999, he formed the metal group Fozzy with Chris Jericho. Still going strong, Fozzy has released eight albums and earned its first gold record in 2021 for Judas, the album and song of the same name.

While Ward says Fozzy’s longevity is due to hard work and commitment, one has only to watch him perform to see that passion is also key.

Passion and chemistry — chemistry between band members and chemistry between the audience and the band.

“It’s about having a conversation,” Ward said. “That’s the goal every night. It’s not just to get the notes right. It’s casting that spell, communicating without talking.”

Ward’s most recent venture, Guardians of the Jukebox, departs from the heavy metal genre that established him. Created during the pandemic when Fozzy wasn’t touring, Guardians captures the sounds and emotions of a less divisive time, appealing to teens through septuagenarians by playing hits from the 1980s.

“I assembled a bunch of incredible musicians, lifelong friends that I grew up with, and together, we put together something that is magic,” Ward said. “It makes me tremendously happy to play these fantastic songs, the hits of an era most people remember as a good time. The music wasn’t necessarily a sophisticated meal, but it was something everyone, every race, many generations enjoyed.”

That joy is seen at Guardians’ concerts including three local concerts this past summer where audience members danced and sang along.

For decades, Ward dedicated himself to the metal rock that enthralled him as a teen. Along the way, he has met his heroes and become a recognized artist. In 2018, Fozzy opened for Iron Maiden, his favorite band as a teen. Then came the gold record in 2021. Now, still touring with Fozzy and Guardians of the Jukebox, he has no plans to stop doing what gives him “purpose.”

“The goal,” he said, “was not to be the biggest rock star on the planet; it was just to be the best show that night, to communicate that love of playing, to build that relationship with the audience.”

For more information about Ward or any of his bands, please visit Facebook.com/thedukeofmetal, Instagram.com/officialrichward, GuardiansOfTheJukebox.com, or TheDukeOfMetal.com.