Happy Birthday, Buddy Guy

Published on July 30, 2005 By Ionolast In Misc

The blues singer/guitarist whom Eric Clapton called "The best guitarist in the world" is 69 today. May he have many more.

Buddy Guy is the greatest living exponent of classic Chicago electric blues. He is a thrillingly inventive guitarist, a passionately soulful singer, and a peerless showman. In the course of a 45-year professional career, he has sold over two million albums; earned four Grammy Awards; and won nineteen W.C. Handy Blues Awards — more than any other single artist.

George "Buddy" Guy was born July 30, 1936 in Lettsworth, Louisiana. "I was so far out in the country, man. We didn’t have running water, no electric lights, no radio, and I didn’t know nothing about no electric guitar. We used to get the catalogs, like from Sears, and that’s how our mother would order our clothes. Didn’t have no stores there to buy clothes from."

Today, Buddy Guy is an internationally celebrated symbol of the living blues. The owner of the Chicago club Buddy Guy’s Legends, he continues to tour the world with his dynamic live show. On February 7, 2003 at New York’s Radio City Music Hall, Buddy Guy broke up the house in a gala "Salute to the Blues." This all-star show included B.B. King, Macy Gray, Alison Krauss, the Neville Brothers, and Aerosmith, among other artists—but "the evening seemed to belong to Buddy Guy," according to Billboard. "The night's leading figure was Buddy Guy," wrote The New York Daily News while The New York Post proclaimed "it was Buddy Guy who stole the show."
"It's the blues that keeps you young," Buddy once told Guitar Player magazine. "When you stretch that string, you're stretchin' your life."

Comments (Page 1)

mada_ecks

on Jul 30, 2005

Buddy Guy is an awesome guitarist

Did you see the it when Buddy Guy was inducted into the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame and he performed on stage with Clapton and B.B. King? That was amazing. Watching that gave me motivation to play every day so I could be even half as good as he is.

Ionolast

on Jul 30, 2005

Did you see the it when Buddy Guy was inducted into the Rock-n-Roll Hall of Fame and he performed on stage with Clapton and B.B. King?

No, but I saw him on the Apollo Theatre Hall of Fame with Clapton, King, Jeff Beck and Stevie Ray Vaughn. And I saw him on a PBS show "Live at the Woodlands."

ParaTed2k

on Jul 30, 2005

Happy Birthday Buddy Guy!! All of us who play for fun owe a lot to what you showed us could be done with a hunk of wood, six strings and an amp!

thatoneguyinslc

on Jul 30, 2005

Last summer i spent about six weeks working at the Chicago Hilton, which is right across the street from Buddy Guy's Legends on Wabash. I spent almost every free moment hanging out, eating kick ass BBQ, and grooving to the local blues bands. One Saturday night Buddy showed up and jammed with the house band for two hours. Simply amazing!

God bless, and happy B-day Buddy. I hope you have many more!

And to quote the man himself... "You damn right i got the blues!"

Ionolast

on Jul 30, 2005

Last summer i spent about six weeks working at the Chicago Hilton

Did you see Paris? lol

What's the name of the house band?

thatoneguyinslc

on Jul 30, 2005

I can't remember what they call themselves. But they're pretty good

As far as Paris goes. I did see her at the Waldorf in NYC. She looks like a crackhead scarecrow

Dr Guy

on Jul 30, 2005

For the record, I am not related to him. Even tho we both have our roots in Louisianna. But that is my loss, not his! Wish I was.

kingbee

on Jul 30, 2005

altho by now i should know better, there are a still a couple occupied pedestals in my hall of heroes and heroines (in my defense, i gotta point out most stand empty amidst rubble & shards).

one belongs to buddy.

i cant tell yall how much i appreciate iconoclast's celebration of buddy's birthday (altho i gotta confess to being nearly unable to believe he's almost 70).

for those of you who aren't familiar with him--as well as those who are--here's a taste of the great man hisself.
Link

kingbee

on Jul 31, 2005

buddy singin to his guitar sometime (i'd guess) in the 60s.

kingbee

on Jul 31, 2005

btw...the tune at the end of the link in comment #8 is 'i suffer with the blues' from the album 'i left my blues in san francisco'.

kingbee

on Jul 31, 2005

is it safe to say buddy's next birthday is scheduled for july 30, 2006?

Ionolast

on Jul 31, 2005

is it safe to say buddy's next birthday is scheduled for july 30, 2006?

Are you asking if I'll do another article next year?

kingbee

on Aug 01, 2005

Are you asking if I'll do another article next year?

can't ever get enuff tributes to buddy. i'd be cool with ya doin a couple each week.

kingbee

on Aug 01, 2005

what day will his birthday fall on next year btw?

Ionolast

on Aug 01, 2005

can't ever get enuff tributes to buddy. i'd be cool with ya doin a couple each week.

Why not just say everything there is to say in one article? I might just resurrect this one next year.

what day will his birthday fall on next year btw?

Sunday

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