So Buddy Guy’s latest album Rhythm and Blues has been on various music charts for about a month now, but the official release date of the album was set for today to coincide with Buddy’s 77 birthday! Yes on this date in 1936, Buddy Guy was born. For those of you non-blues fans here some background on Buddy from Wikipedia:
George “Buddy” Guy (born July 30, 1936[1]) 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, including Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Jimi Hendrix and Stevie Ray Vaughan. In the 1960s Guy was a member of Muddy Waters’ band and was a house guitarist at Chess Records. He can be heard on Howlin’ Wolf’s “Killing Floor” and Koko Taylor’s “Wang Dang Doodle” as well as on his own Chess sides and the series of records he made with harmonica player Junior Wells.
Ranked 30th in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time”,[2] Guy is known for his showmanship on stage: playing his guitar with drumsticks or strolling into the audience while playing solos. His song “Stone Crazy” was ranked 78th in Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time.[3]
I just listened to part of the album today, but it is amazing! It will definitely be on my best of the year list!! Man at 77 the man still hasn’t and can flat-out play those blues!! Couple this on with James Cotton’s Cottonmouth Man and you may have albums 1 and 2 on my list this year!! Yeah, for the old guys!!
I also listened briefly to some young guys today too! Moreland & Arbuckle’s latest 7 Cities was also released today and the first listen to that album places IT pretty high on my best blues list, too!
But on his birthday, let’s go “Into the Night” with the first track of Rhythm and Blues “Best in Town” and all say at once “Happy Birthday, Buddy!”