He fell in love with the guitar at an early age and by his late teens, was performing with local bands. In the mid-1950’s he made the move to Chicago for the fame and fortune of a Blues career.
I’d say things worked out pretty well – because he’s still going strong, some 60 years later.
Photo by Michael, CC BY-NC 2.0
Buddy Guy Facts
- First “guitar” was made of baling wire stretched between two nails across a piece of wood.
- Needed to work “day jobs” for several years during the start of his musical career in Chicago, all the way into the 1960’s.
- Known for his showmanship on stage and his flamboyant performances that keep the audience’s attention on him.
- Had a long-running performing relationship with the Chicago singer and harmonica player, Junior Wells.
- Inspired a generation of guitar players (e.g. Hendrix, Clapton, etc.) with his free, go-with-the-flow playing style.
- Has won too many awards to count, including 8 Grammys and a Kennedy Center Honor in 2012.
- Still an active “road warrior” into his 80’s; he still wow’s his fans by performing over 100 shows at year.
“When I went to Chicago, I’ll put it like this: I was looking for a dime and I found a quarter.” ~ Buddy Guy
My Favorite Buddy Guy Songs
- “Stone Crazy” Here he is at his best on this slow Blues. His guitar’s wailing, his voice is wailing, and Buddy’s completely in the moment.
- “She’s Nineteen Years Old” A more mature Buddy (some 20 years later), singing one of Muddy Water’s hits.
- “Mustang Sally” Every Blues band plays this tune but I think Buddy owns it. (I dare you to sit still when this comes on.)
If I Could Only Have One Album
My choice would be his 1993 album, ‘Feels Like Rain’.
At this point in Buddy’s career he was really cooking.
This album gave him his second Grammy win and it was well deserved. It’s filled with tasty collaborations from a ton of great musicians, including Bonnie Raitt, John Mayall, and even Travis Tritt. And Buddy’s voice and guitar work are locked in throughout.
The album is an easy listen with Buddy at the top of his game.
Preview ‘Feels Like Rain’
A Small Taste
Here’s a video of Buddy Guy performing “Mary Had A Little Lamb” back in 2014.
This is the laid back, mature, not yet 80-year-old Buddy.
Contrast this with another video of Buddy performing the same tune in 1969. You’ll see that the miles may have slowed him down a bit, but he’s still got it!
Thanks for reading!
Jon Beres
I’m one part Blues Fan and one part Digital Native (with a dash of Curmudgeon.) I’m also the publisher of AlltheWayBlue.com. If you love the Blues, I have a feeling we’ll get along just fine - cheers!
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