Blues Legend Buddy Guy Coming to the Park Theatre
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Don't miss blues pioneer Buddy Guy and his teenaged protege Quinn Sullivan at Cranston's Park Theatre next Friday.
Guy was a pioneer of the Chicago Blues sound, pretty much inventing the guitar distortion effect in the early 1960’s. He’s a member of the Rock Hall of Fame and is seen by many as the link between blues and rock music.
Rhythm and Blues
At age 77, he displays a remarkable amount of energy on his latest album, Rhythm and Blues. The two disc set reaffirms his stature as the pre-eminent Chicago Blues artist today. He’s joined by a number of guests on the album including Kid Rock, Keith Urban and Beth Hart. His duet with Steven Tyler of Aerosmith is stunning; his soloing is as powerful as ever.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTLike other great blues artists, Guy shows no sign of slowing down. Last year at the White House, he managed to coax a certain fan by the name of Barack Obama to join in the chorus of “Sweet Home Chicago.” And in December, the six-time Grammy winner was recognized at the Kennedy Center Honors. If you’ve never seen him live, I guarantee you will not be disappointed.
Quinn Sullivan
Hot off a kick-ass performance at the Life Is Good Festival last weekend, 14-year-old blues veteran Quinn Sullivan opens for Guy next Friday. Sullivan’s guitar work has developed quite a bit since his national debut on the Ellen DeGeneres Show in 2006. His latest album, Getting There, shows he can indeed play with the best of them.
Buddy Guy = Mentor
In an interview with GoLocal, Sullivan recognized Buddy Guy as “more than a mentor; he’s been my best friend ever since we met.” He’s still being schooled by Guy who “discovered” him in 2007 after his appearance on Ellen. They tour together regularly and Sullivan usually joins Guy’s band for a song or two.
Quinn acknowledged he has a broad range of influences in addition to Guy and blues legend BB King. “I’ve been getting into vinyl lately—classic bands like The Allman Brothers, Derek and the Dominoes, and The Beatles.” He worships Hendrix, and is also a big fan of guitarists John Mayer, Joe Bonamassa, and Gary Clark Jr.
He’s also caught the attention of Eric Clapton. His appearance in April at Clapton’s Crossroads Festival was a career highlight, as he took the stage just before The Allman Brothers Band.
Guy’s words of wisdom stick with Sullivan. “A long time ago, Buddy told me to stay humble, and don’t let it go to your head.” Its good advice from the master to the student, and will serve him well going forward.
Don’t miss Quinn Sullivan opening for Buddy Guy at the Park Theatre next Friday October 4th. Tickets are still available starting at $45—get them soon as this show is expected to sell out!
Ken Abrams reviews roots, rock and blues for GoLocalProv. E-mail him at [email protected].
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