There are great guitarists … superstar guitarists … legendary guitarists… and then there is BUDDY GUY.
An all-time favourite and an absolute legend! And if this wasn’t enough Buddy’s special guest for two very special shows in Melbourne & Sydney is guitar virtuoso JONNY LANG.
“BUDDY GUY was for me… what Elvis was for others”, said Eric Clapton… and he wasn’t alone in following his ‘mentor’“BUDDY GUY plays from a place that I’ve never heard anyone play” – Stevie Ray Vaughan
Every major guitar player without exception gives a nod to BUDDY GUY… who for 50 years has blazed his trail of energetic blues and blues rock, releasing over 60 albums,’ mingling the most deepest of blues with a creative, unpredictable and radical gumbo of the blues, rock, soul and free jazz that morph’s at every performance. And there have been many performances. As one of five children raised on a plantation near the small town of Lettsworth, located some 140 miles northwest of New Orleans, he used to be kicked out for making a racket on his first makeshift “guitar”—a two-string contraption attached to a piece of wood and secured with his mother’s hairpins.
Thankfully for us all … Buddy kept his faith … eventually moving to Chicago, meeting and being influenced by Muddy Waters, and later becoming session and backing guitarist for Muddy, Howlin’ Wolf, Sonny Boy Williamson, Little Walter and others.
BUDDY GUY has received 6 Grammy Awards, 23 W.C. Handy Blues Awards (the most any artist has received), the Billboard Magazine Century Award for distinguished artistic achievement, and the Presidential National Medal of Arts. He is ranked in the TOP 30 of Rolling Stones ‘Greatest Guitarists of All Time’; and was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005.
His last couple of albums have seen him trading licks with Carlos Santana, John Mayer, Robert Randolph, Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks – and on his latest album – Living Proof – guests are Carlos Santana (again!!) and a special appearance by BB KING.
The first single from the Living Proof album is ’74 Years Young’ … a complete biographical look at Buddy’s Life and times…What keeps him going… driving him along… is best left for Buddy to explain: “Blues players don’t stop, they just drop. It’s like my mother used to say about religion—I’m too far gone to turn around!”
Jimi Hendrix once said: “Heaven is lying at BUDDY GUY’s feet while listening to him play guitar”
JONNY LANG
Long known as the wiry young teenager with the voice of a grizzled ole bluesman, growling through seminal blues songs and spitting out wailing solos – a kid far more mature than his years should allow, JONNY LANG is now all grown up and set to hit Australian shores as BUDDY GUY’S special guest in both Sydney & Melbourne alongside for what is sure to be an incredible double bill.
Year on year JONNY’s guitar and vocal skills have taken great leaps forward…He ain’t slow … this JONNY LANG … and never has been!!
In fact, things have always moved fast for JONNY LANG. He started playing guitar at the age of 12. By the time he was 15 he had joined a band and released a Billboard chart topping album. It wasn’t long before his unique voice and those shredding guitar solos had earned him a Grammy nomination.
JONNY LANG was signed to A&M Records in 1996. Since then, his album releases have epitomised his varied musical influences, ranging from deep blues, scorching rock and roll to the gospel feel of Turn Around (released in 2006), which won him his first Grammy.
Now 30, JONNY LANG has accomplished what many musicians would dream to achieve in their entire career, touring with legends like the Rolling Stones, Aerosmith, Buddy Guy, B.B King, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton and Sting, trading licks with mentors like B.B King & Buddy Guy, and being lauded by US News and World Report for having “the voice of a grizzled blues veteran…and guitar skills to match.”
SYDNEY / MELBOURNE ….. welcome to heaven …… BUDDY GUY is here ! Catch him with special guest JONNY LANG this Easter:
BUDDY GUY & JONNY LANG : TOUR DETAILS
Tuesday 3 April 2012 The Palais, Melbourne
www.ticketmaster.com.au 136 100: $105.60
Wednesday 4 April 2012 Enmore Theatre, Sydney
www.ticketek.com.au 132 849: $107.20