Cuff the Duke’s debut Life Stories for Minimum Wage was released on Toronto-indie Three Gut Records on October 15, 2002 to rave reviews. Critics heralded their efforts as “intense” and “timeless.” Emphasis was placed on the mature aspect of the album…a surprise considering the members (all originally from Oshawa) were only 21.

July 26/2005 saw the sophomore release of the self-titled Cuff the Duke on Hayden’s Hardwood imprint (a first besides Hayden himself), distributed by Universal. A favourite of the fans, college radio (#2 national) and critics alike,

they wowed audiences with their live show wherever they played! “Saturday – and all of the Hillside Festival, for my money, was stolen by Cuff the Duke” Ben Rayner Toronto Star

Early in 2006, Halifax’s Dale Murray (The Guthries) joined Cuff the Duke to play electric and steel guitar. With founding members Wayne Petti and Paul Lowman, the band embarked on additional extensive North American touring.

AND, somewhere amongst all of that, several van breakdowns included, Cuff the Duke managed to be part of an exciting, primarily instrumental band called The Hylozoists, led by producer/musician Paul Aucoin, who’s La Fin Du Monde came out spring ’06 on Boompa/EMI.

2007 saw the re-release of Cuff the Duke’s 2002 debut Life Stories for Minimum Wage, Wayne Petti’s solo debut City Lights Align, as well as the band's their third full-length album, Sidelines of the City.