American Masters—Buddy Guy: The Blues Chase the Blues Away captures the story of George “Buddy” Guy, who transcended his early years as a sharecropper in Lettsworth, Louisiana in the 1940s to become one of the most influential guitarists of all time.
After moving to the Midwest in the 1950s, Guy quickly rose to prominence as the go-to guitarist for Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf as part of the iconic Chicago blues scene. Yet solo commercial success consistently eluded Buddy, until a late-career breakthrough in the 1990s when he finally gained the recognition he so richly deserved. A tale of decades-long perseverance, Buddy’s journey reflects both the Black experience in America in the 20th Century and the history of the blues. The new documentary features both archival and new, never-before-seen performances by Buddy Guy—with the likes of President Obama and The Rolling Stones—as well as interviews with Carlos Santana, Gary Clark Jr., and Kingfish, among others.
Premiering Tuesday, July 27, 9pm ET on PBS (check local listings), pbs.org/americanmasters and the PBS Video app.
Look out for our interview with Buddy Guy in the October/November issue of Blues Matters Magazine! Subscribe below to make sure you get your copy!
