Buddy Guy's History

Buddy Guy has prooved over and over again that he is the best blues guitarist in the world. A title he very much deserves. Hendrix (considered the best guitarist ever) cancelled concerts so he could here Buddy play and learn guitar licks. Playing a mean frenzied, powerful, (and best of all) loud guitar Buddy Guy has prooven that he is a class above the rest.

Born in Louisina Buddy started off his blues career playing in and around Baton Rouge in the early 50's. not really having much luck he decided to head up to Chicago in 1957 where he would start to build his career, working himself into the local seen. 1n 1958 the 'new kid on the block' beat both Magic Slim and Otis Rush in a 'battle of the Blues' competition at a local club. This lead to him being signed quickly onto Cobra records for which he recorded the two singles "Sit and Cry" and "This is the end". Unfortuantly his stint at Cobra records was short lived as they soon fell bankrupt. The success of his recordings with Cobra paid off as he was quickly signed by the large Blues label - Chess in 1960.

Buddy worked for Chess maily as a session guitarist in the early 60's recording albums with Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Wille Dixon, Koko Taylor and many others. In 1962 he released his first album "Stone Crazy" which reached number 12 in the R&B charts. In 1967 Buddy left Chess and moved to the Vangaurd Label where he released several of his early albums. It was at vanguard where he formed his powerful alliance with harp player Junior Wells (R.I.P.).

The Buddy Guy - Junior Wells alliance was unbeatable with Juniors powerful vocals and harp playing perfectly complimented by Buddy's amzing, intricate guitar work the duo were unstopable producing hit after hit. Buddy held this alliance untill the late 1980's when he opened his own club "Legends" in Chicago and went solo.

Shortly after "Legends" opening Buddy was asked by Eric Clapton (who can be quoted as saying "Buddy Guy is the greatist guitarist alive") to perform with him in a Royal Albert Hall show in London. The impressive performance by Buddy got him signed onto Silvertone Records with which he has released a series of hit albums over the past few years including Damn right I got the Blues, Feels Like Rain and Slippin' In.

Buddy now does what he does best and tours regualy bringin' the blues everwhere all around the world.

Simon Brooks
brookssj@yahoo.com
www.oocities.org