120 / 124
7:00 PM SUNDAY, JULY 8, 2018
PAVILION
JONNY LANG
–
–
BUDDY GUY
†
Ravinia debut
BUDDY GUY
ough forever associated with Chicago, Buddy
Guy began his musical journey in Lettsworth,
LA, where at age he constructed a makeshi
guitar out of two strings, a piece of wood, and
a hairpin. Once he got a real instrument, he
used to hike out some distance from his home
to practice, so as not to disturb his family with
“that noise.” Striking out even farther to Chi-
cago in
, Guy soon landed a steady gig at
the
Club and became a xture on the blues
scene. Recording with Chess Records for much
of the ’ s, he created several hit singles but
primarily made his name as a session musician
for Muddy Waters, Koko Taylor, Howlin’ Wolf,
Little Walter, and many others. In the late ’ s
and early ’ s, Guy o en recorded with blues
harpist Junior Wells, including the landmark
Delmark album
Hoodoo Man Blues
and
the
Eric Clapton–co-produced
Buddy Guy
and Junior Wells Play the Blues
, and they also ap-
peared together at the
Montreux Jazz Festi-
val with Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones, who
produced the album
Drinkin’ TNT and Smokin’
Dynamite
from the performance. In
he cut
a record deal with the Silvertone label and re-
leased
Damn Right, I’ve Got the Blues—
featuring
fellow guitarists Clapton, Je Beck, and Mark
Knop er as guests—which was awarded the rst
of his six career Grammys, most recently includ-
ing his
album
Born to Play Guitar
. Guy has
also won over two dozen Blues Music Awards
(more than any other artist) and was the second
recipient of
Billboard
’s Century Award. He was
also awarded the National Medal of the Arts in
and inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall
of Fame in
, and he received the Kennedy
Center Honors in
and an honorary doctor-
ate from Louisiana State University in
. First
appearing at Ravinia in
, Buddy Guy returns
tonight for his th season at the festival.
RAVINIA MAGAZINE | JUNE 2 – JULY 8, 2018
118