October 31, 2010

Buddy Guy stalked among the tables at Birchmere Music Hall recently sending concertgoers into a frenzy as he unleashed a torrent of notes from his guitar while singing Albert King's Drowning on Dry Land.

The Chicago blues legend has been stirring up audiences like that for nearly a half century and he leaves no doubt he speaks the truth on his new album, Living Proof, when he says he's "74 years young" in the song by that name.

He's as charismatic as ever, brimming with energy and still capable of the technical wizardry on his ax that inspired such young guitarists as Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Stevie Ray Vaughn and a generation of others.

For Living Proof, he once again teams with producer/songwriter Tom Hambridge, who worked with him on 2008's acclaimed Skin Deep. Together they co-penned the album's dozen songs which reflect on Guy's life, career and spirituality, and also include several of his signature swaggering,, bawdy tunes.

"The songs came from conversations we would have," says Guy. "I would say 90% of blues songs come from things you heard somebody say. For years, a lot of people didn't pay attention to what was being said, but with the economy the way it is now, I think a few more people are listening to the stories we've been singing about for some time."

Hambridge says Guy told him that, for years, he had no emotional investment in most of the songs he was singing. Hambridge wanted to do songs that meant something to Guy, and many of the songs were written as he rode the singer's tour bus. Guy's recollection of driving his family nuts as a child while teaching himself to play a two-string wood guitar became Thank Me Someday, while the 2008 death of Guy's brother, blues guitarist Phil Guy, inspired Everybody's Got to Go. The title track is Guy's testament to the power of faith. Hambridge says he'd pen the lyrics and leave it to Guy to bring them to life.

"When he delivers it in the studio, he closes his eyes and makes a song his own." Hambridge says. "All of a sudden it becomes the truth."

The album's centerpiece, a poignant duet with B.B. King called Stay Around a Little Longer, was sparked by a joint concert in Nashville. At the beginning of his set, the 85-year-old King thanked the audience for coming and thanked God for letting him continue to play. From that, Hambridge — who has also worked with King — wrote the song for the two of them that expressed their love for the blues and admiration for each other. A video was recorded in Las Vegas and premiered Oct. 18.

"The good Lord blessed me to be around, and I guess that's why me and B.B. put that song together," says Guy, who cites King as one of his influences.

"It was so good to record again with the great Buddy Guy, who I am also proud to call my friend," says King, who recorded I Pity the Fool with Guy on King's 1993 album, Blues Summit. "We had such a wonderful time doing this project."

Stay Around a Little Longer talks about what a great career ride they've had, and for Guy, it's one that started on Sept. 25, 1957, when he arrived in Chicago from Louisiana. Muddy Waters took the young guitarist under his wing, and Guy was soon signed to Chess Records playing with such musicians as Howlin' Wolf, Little Walter, Koko Taylor and Sonny Boy Williamson.

Though his flamboyant style electrified live audiences, Guy wasn't fully appreciated by the executives at Chess until years later when rock stars began singing his praises and copping his licks. Eric Clapton, who along with King inducted Guy into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005, has often said, "Buddy Guy was to me what Elvis was for others."

"A lot of the British guys give me credit for that, but I didn't know what I was doing," Guy says. "I was just copying people like the late Guitar Slim, T-Bone Walker, Muddy Waters and Lightnin' Hopkins.When the Hendrixes and Erics and all of the great guitar players who were selling a lot of record started mentioning my name, I had to say, 'Wait a minute. There are some people I need to let ya'll know about, like Fred McDowell and Son House— who taught Muddy how to play."

Guy, who grew up on a sharecroppers' farm outside tiny Lettsworth, La., remains humble despite accolades that include five Grammy Awards, a record 23 W.C. Handy Blues Awards and the National Medal of Arts.

"Every award I've ever received, it's been in honor of the many people who should have gotten it long before me," says Guy, who owns the popular Chicago blues club Buddy Guy's Legends. "The first person with an electric guitar I ever saw was Lightnin' Slim, who came out in that country where I was in Louisiana, where you only had one light pole. I don't forget that."

Guy hopes that Living Proof will bring a little more attention to the blues, which he laments is woefully neglected by mainstream radio even though its impact on rock, R&B and other genres is readily acknowledged. He says he used to think it was because of the risqué lyrics, but contemporary music (his 27-year-old daughter is rapper Shawnna, who has worked with Ludacris and uses explicit lyrics) is much more blatant than blues songs.

"We used to have to beat around the bush a lot," he says about the double entendres and innuendos in blues songs. "When B.B. would sing Sweet Little Angel and say 'I love the way she spreads her wings,' we had to figure out what B.B. meant. Now the hip-hoppers got it and you don't have to figure it out. They will tell you exactly what they mean."

The road still beckons Guy, who never tires of touring and maintains a steady string of concert dates. He says he is still learning and is always open to trying something new.

"I haven't miss a gig yet," he says proudly. "I'm supposed to go to India for the first time in February. People ask me if I'm afraid to go there. I'm not afraid to go nowhere to play this music. I've dedicated my life to the blues and if I'm invited to the moon, you can check that date when I blast off."

http://www.usatoday.com/l...-guy_N.htm

Thanks for posting. Buddy is one of the best guitarists I have ever seen.

With each viewing, this live rendition of "Hoochie Coochie Man" gives me goose bumps. Feel it!

[Edited 11/1/10 8:54am]