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Buddy Guy music biography continued...

up learning guitar on a two string diddley bow he made himself. In the early '50s he began performing with bands in Baton Rouge. After moving to Chicago in 1957, Guy fell under the influence of Muddy Waters. In 1958 he won a record contract with Artistic Records after beating West Side guitarists Magic Sam and Otis Rush in a competition at the Blue Flame Club. Soon afterwards he recorded for the Cobra label. Two singles later, Cobra folded and Guy started his association with Chess Records, where from 1960 to 1967, Guy played bass guitar for a number of top blues acts. Upon leaving Chess in 1967, Guy went to Vanguard. His first LP for the firm, A Man and the Blues, was considered equal to his Chess recordings, particularly the hard rocking single "Mary Had a Little Lamb." Subsequent albums proved less successful, and Guy next recorded and performed as part of Buddy and the Juniors. Guy and harpist Junior Wells toured together throughout the '70s, their playful repartee immortalized on Drinkin' TNT 'n' Smokin' Dynamite, a live set cut at the 1974 Montreux Jazz Festival that demonstrated Guy's irrepressible talent as a blues guitarist.



In 1991, after a ten year break from recording, Guy issued Damn Right, I've Got the Blues, which earned him a Grammy award and newfound recognition as one of the preeminent blues guitarists of his day. Suddenly, guy started selling out concerts and appearing as a guest on late night television. More records followed, including 1994's Slippin In, 1998's Last Time Around: Live at Legends, an acoustic outing with longtime partner Junior Wells, and 2001's Sweet Tea, arguably one of his finest. He followed that up with Blues Singer in 2003, another completely acoustic effort, which earned him another Grammy. For 2005's Bring 'Em In, it was back to the same template as his first albums for Silvertone, with polished production and a handful of guest stars. Skin Deep appeared in 2008 and featured guest spots by Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, Eric Clapton, and Robert Randolph. Guy continues to record and perform, and when he's not doing that he can be seen at hanging out at his club, the most successful blues joint in Chicago.