Buddy Guy, 90 Tour, Atlanta Symphony Hall, Atlanta, Georgia
Photos: Derek Storm
Buddy Guy is an iconic American blues guitarist and singer. He is a major pioneer of the Chicago electric blues sound and a profound influence on rock legends like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Jeff Beck, Gary Clark Jr. and Stevie Ray Vaughan. Buddy Guy has sold over 2 million albums worldwide. His major commercial breakthrough came with his 1991 release, Damn Right, I’ve Got the Blues, which sold over 500,000 copies in the United States alone to earn an RIAA gold certification. He has won 9 competitive Grammy Awards (including wins for Damn Right, I’ve Got the Blues, Living Proof, and Ain’t Done with the Blues) alongside a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award received in 2015. Guy was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005 and the Blues Hall of Fame in 1985. He was awarded the National Medal of Arts in 2003 and named a Kennedy Center Honoree in 2012. He holds the record for the most wins by any single artist at the Blues Music Awards capturing nearly 40 trophies.
Buddy Guy’s Legends is widely considered the premier blues club in Chicago. Opened by Buddy Guy in 1989 it serves as a vital safeguard for the city’s traditional electric blues legacy and has earned a legendary international reputation. The club’s walls are adorned with Buddy Guy’s personal collection of blues memorabilia, including guitars signed by Eric Clapton, B.B. King, and the Rolling Stones. Over the decades, rock and pop icons like The Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Eric Clapton, and John Mayer have stopped by to watch sets or join impromptu jam sessions. Every January, Buddy Guy takes the stage himself for an annual multi-week residency. He plays roughly 16 intimate concerts throughout the month.
Taj Farrant is an acclaimed Australian blues-rock guitarist, singer-songwriter, and musical prodigy who has taken the international music scene by storm. Born on May 21, 2009, in New South Wales, Australia, his obsession with the instrument began at age six after seeing Angus Young perform at an AC/DC concert. He initially captured global attention through viral social media videos, such as playing Pink Floyd’s “Comfortably Numb” blindfolded at age nine, and covers of Chris Stapleton’s “Tennessee Whiskey”. He quickly earned television appearances on The Ellen DeGeneres Show and Australia’s Got Talent. At age nine, he became the youngest guitarist ever to be fully endorsed by Gibson Guitars and Elixir Strings. Farrant has shared stages and jammed with music legends including Carlos Santana, Buddy Guy, Joe Bonamassa, Rob Thomas, and the Hendrix Experience. His debut studio album, Chapter One, launched to critical acclaim, debuting at #1 on the iTunes Blues Chart and #2 on the Billboard Blues Chart.
