Buddy Guy

Hey Michael, I was planning to post on Buddy today, so thanks for starting a conversation on Mr Guy.

Firstly I'd like to thank all the members of the Joe Bonamassa forum who encouraged me to see Buddy after I posted this topic some time ago:
http://www.jbonamassa.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=5916

Until recently I've been pretty much unaware of Buddy's back catalogue, having only a CD of early material such as First Time I Met The Blues, Leave My Girl Alone and Let Me Love You. These did not blow me away as much as Buddy's reputation suggested, however having read how much established artists such as Clapton, Jeff Beck and the Rolling Stones rate Buddy and having recognised his influence on Stevie Ray Vaughan and of course Joe Bonamassa, Back Door Slam and other younger artists I thought I might regret not seeing Buddy when I heard he was playing nearby. So thanks to you all, his concert was a fantastic experience.

Buddy's band played for a few minutes before her appeared himself and did a short guitar solo to great cheers from the crowd. After the opening song he then played Muddy's Hoochie Coochie Man and Love Me With A Feeling. Later during an Albert King Track he thrilled the crowd by wandering amongst them even coming to the upper rafters where I was sitting.

Although he played for little more than one and a quarter hours he did manage to play some covers such as Fever, some of his more recent tracks such as Damn Right I Got the Blues and Feel Like Rain, and the title track of his new album Skin Deep. This song is an emotional ballad about race and refers to how as a young man his white boss would never call him by his name. This song I feel has the potential to be a hit single for Buddy, at the age of 71!

I'm not a religious man but after the concert I was thinking God bless Buddy Guy! Friday I bought his album Slipping In and I also watched him at Glastonbury. Interestingly his set from two days earlier was quite different and clearly he had chosen to play more commercial songs such as Mustang Sally and Slipping In before this large audience.

Thanks again for encouraging me to go, it feels good to have seen one of the last remaining greats of Chicago blues!

Here is a clip of Hoochie Coochie Man taking at Glasgow Academy by myself:

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=QBEe357p0cw

He'll be back in the USA to thrill you all shortly.

Cheers

Duncan

Buddy Guy, about whom I must confess that I know nothing, is appearing on the Saturday of the Dutch Bospop festival where Andre and I will be seeing Little Feat and ZZ Top on the Sunday - so I'm afraid that I'll miss him. :-(

Buddy Guy might just be the baddest blues guitarist on the planet.

oldschool
hardhead

Hi Guys

I just want to say that I was really knocked out by Buddy Guy, when I went to see him at Shepherd's Bush, recently.  I had been told by an acquaintance that he wasn't so hot, but I think he was wrong!

Buddy Guy is just an amazing performer and blues man.  He has lots of stage presence.  He loves to chat and joke with the audience, but he also played some amazing stuff like Hendrix.

He even managed to get down from the stage, whilst still singing and playing his guitar.  He walked all around the standing crowd of people, then he disappeared for a few moments and then re-appeared on the 1st floor balcony area, where I was.  He walked right down to the front and got someone to sing a little bit.  Buddy was just amazing!  You would never know that he was 71!

He sang a marvellous new song at the end.  I can't remember the name of it, but it's on a new album that is coming out soon.  Was any one else at that gig?  Do you know what that song was called?

Buddy Guy was certainly well received by the whole audience.  I will look forward to seeing him again, the next time he's in London.

Catfish Jane