Rocco DeLuca (born December 27, 1974) is a California-based indie rock musician who came to prominence as the lead singer of the four-piece band Rocco DeLuca and the Burden. Since 2009, DeLuca has toured and recorded as a solo artist. Early life DeLuca, half Italian and half German, was born in Torrance, California and grew up in Lake Elsinore and Long Beach. His early years were spent studying the music of Billie Holiday, Nina Simone, and Delta blues musicians of the 1920s. By the age of seven, DeLuca had taught himself to play listening to these records and, by the time he was a teenager, he had developed his skills and confidence to perform for others. Initially only playing instrumentally, he later began singing as well. Since, he has performed around the world. Career DeLuca is known for his use of the Dobro, a particular design of resonator guitar. He began his career as a solo artist, opening for acts including Taj Mahal, John Mayer and John Lee Hooker, and has had the opportunity to play with Johnny Cash. From 2003 to 2006, he regularly played at Gypsy Lounge in Lake Forest, California. Starting in 2005, when DeLuca was signed by the independent record label Ironworks, he led the band Rocco DeLuca and the Burden until 2009. After the band's last performances, DeLuca continued as a solo artist as well as working on projects with Slash and Robbie Robertson. During his career, he has played with various legends such as Hooker, Cash, June Carter, and Daniel Lanois. Upon meeting DeLuca, Lanois described him as follows: "My initial meeting with Rocco [...] was pure and centered and seemed to have a sense of purpose, and I felt that there was something burning in his heart that I could be helpful to. It had that kind of truth in it that I decided to run with. I like the street corner aspect of working with Rocco, it woke up a certain part of my renegade ways I'm trying to keep alive these days. I fully believe in DeLuca. I think that he's got the power to be a contemporary troubadour, as I see it, and I hope I can be his friend for a long time, whether I am operating in the same limelight, ahead of him, behind him, in his shadow, whatever it takes, I'll be there. The one thing that