Guy performing at the Bonnaroo Music Festival in 2006
George “Buddy” Guy born July 30, 1936 is an American blues guitarist and singer. Critically acclaimed, he is a pioneer of the Chicago blues sound and has served as an influence to some of the most notable musicians of his generation.
Born and raised in Lettsworth, Louisiana, Guy began learning guitar on a two string diddley bow he made. Later he was given a Harmony acoustic guitar, which, decades later in Guy’s lengthy career was donated to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
In the early ’50s he began performing with bands in Baton Rouge. After arriving in Chicago in 1957 Guy fell under the influence of Muddy Waters. In 1958, a competition with West Side guitarists Magic Sam and Otis Rush solidified a recording contract for Guy
Chess Records, Guy’s label from 1959 to 1968, refused to record Buddy Guy’s novel style that was similar to his live shows and used Guy mainly as a session guitarist to back Muddy Waters, Howlin’ Wolf, Little Walter, Sonny Boy Williamson, Koko Taylor and others.
“A key influence on Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan, Buddy Guy put the Louisiana hurricane in 1960s electric Chicago blues.
Guy’s career finally took off during the blues revival period of the late 1980s and early 1990s. It was sparked by Clapton’s request that Guy be part of the ’24 Nights’ all-star blues guitar lineup at London’s Royal Albert Hall
Ranked thirtieth in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time”, Guy is known for his showmanship on stage: playing his guitar with drumsticks or strolling into the audience while playing solos.
The magazine also ranked his song “Stone Crazy” seventy-eighth in a list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time.
For almost 50 years, Guy performed flamboyant live concerts of energetic blues and blues rock, predating the 1960s blues rockers. As a musician’s musician, he had a fundamental impact on the blues and on rock and roll, influencing a new generation of artists.
Buddy Guy has been called the bridge between the blues and rock and roll.
Guy has won six Grammy Awards both for his work on his electric and acoustic guitars, and for contemporary and traditional forms of blues music.
In 2003, he was awarded the National Medal of Arts. This medal is awarded by the President of the United States of America to those who have made extraordinary contributions to the creation, growth and support in the arts in the United States.
By 2004, Guy had also earned 23 W.C. Handy Awards (more than any other artist has received), Billboard magazine’s The Century Award (Guy was its second recipient) for distinguished artistic achievement, and the title of Greatest Living Electric Blues Guitarist.
Guy was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on March 14, 2005 by Eric Clapton and B.B. King
Buddy Guy’s discography is compiled over 70 album and CD releases.
Source: Wikipedia
