Words Abbe Sparks Photos by Abbe Sparks & Blackbird Presents…
EPIC & HISTORIC NIGHT IN NYC FOR BUDDY GUY’S 90TH BIRTHDAY CONCERT CELEBRATION AT RADIO CITY MUSIC HALL
EPIC!!! An historical birthday concert celebration for the ages in honor of blues legend Buddy Guy and his 90 years around the sun went down in New York City on October 1st at the prestigious Radio City Music Hall. The star headliner was the legend himself – Buddy Guy – joined on stage with an all-star cast of rock, blues and soul musicians, mentees, and friends tributing the blues master with stellar performance after stellar performance. The epic night encapsulated Buddy’s more than 60 years playing the blues in a New York State Of Mind. (for NYC history see BM Oct. issue) The concert went on for more than three and a half hours breaking NYC curfew laws in stellar fashion to the euphoria of the sold-out, mostly standing house and Buddy’s determination to keep on playin’ because ‘Damn Right, He’s Got The Blues!’
Music Director of the evening, drummer Steve Jordan (Rolling Stones) set up the show shouting out to the Radio City crowd that “tonight we are turning this place into a juke joint!” Jordan doubled as host and drummer for the house band “The Blues Beat” that included Ivan Neville (keys), Isaiah Sharkey (guitar), Willie Weeks (bass) and Kim Wilson (harp). They went on to warm up the crowd with a few tunesand an announcement by Jordan that Buddy has a new studio album coming out in 2027 and many of these guys were on it. (referring to the house band and musical guests)
BUDDY’S GOT THE BLUES: A 90TH BIRTHDAY CONCERT CELEBRATION
The Blackbird Presents birthday concert honored Buddy Guy’s legacy and made good on Buddy’s promise to blues greats Muddy Waters and BB King to keep the blues alive. The multi-Grammy award-winner has pushed through to make sure the blues stayed in the musical mix and in folks’ minds throughout his career and the evolution of music genres, the music industry and its fans. This golden opportunity to do just that in such a large-scale event rarely comes around, and the New York City massive concert undertaking did not disappoint!
It was a night of killer guitar playing, shredding and lick trading, iconic songs penned by the masters with nods to the blues past and present with hints to the future – filled with expressions of admiration and love on stage by his musical friends and capped by the roll-out of his birthday cake and the entire music hall singing along to “Happy Birthday.”
After an audio introduction by Buddy, the evening began in true blues fashion with three guitarists center stage – sitting in chairs playing acoustic – reminiscent of ‘old school’ front porch scenes you’ve seen down south. Buddy, flanked by Isaiah Sharkey and Derek Trucks sang John Lee Hooker’s classic “I’m In The Mood For Love” setting up the nostalgic celebratory night!
What followed will surely go down as a night to remember – Epic!!
THE ALL-STAR LINEUP
All-Star line-up on stage at Radio City Music Hall. Photo courtesy of Blackbird Presents
The all-star lineup showcased the promise of the next generations of blues legends and the current icons and elder bluesmen to the living legends and grandfathers of the blues –Bobby Rush and Buddy Guy. Whether it was an individual or paired performance, the strength of the blues genre was well represented.
Christone Kingfish Ingraham paired with Robert Randolph, Joe Bonamassa with Eric Gales, Gales with Samantha Fish, Kenny Wayne Shephard with Ally Venable, Gary Clarke, Jr., Texas legends Billy F. Gibbons and Jimmy Vaughan, Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks, Shemeika Copeland and Buddy Guy, Bobby Rush and Buddy Guy, John Mayer and Guy, Mayer and Tedeschi… just to drop a few pairings.
THE FORCE OF THE BLUES WAS EVERYWHERE AND YOU COULD FEEL IT’S PRESENCE!
One of the many wonderful aspects of the concert was how they incorporated the legendary bluesmen of the past through song selection (Buddy’s mentors and partner). The greats like Muddy Waters, BB King, Willie Dixon, Otis Rush and Junior Wells all had a huge impact on Buddy’s life as well as all the artists.
A few song selection examples:
Kenny Wayne Shephard and Ally Venable performed a Wilie Dixon song that Buddy originally recorded “Let Me Love You Baby.”
Samantha Fish and Eric Gales did “Baby Please Don’t Leave Me” originally recorded by Buddy.
Tedeschi Trucks played Otis Rush’s “All of Your Love” and a Junior Wells tune “Messin’ With The Kid.”
Aloe Blacc sang “The Thrill Is Gone” by BB King; Joe Bonamassa and Eric Gales traded guitars on Jimmy Reed’s “Baby What You Want Me To Do.”
Shemekia Copland and Buddy Guy sang a Willie Dixon-penned tune “I Can’t Quit You Baby.”
John Mayer and Tedeschi performed Otis Redding’s “I’ve Got Dreams to Remember.”
(full set list below)
HIGHLIGHTS: THE TOUCHING ACCOLADES
Buddy Guy is the guitar hero and idol to many a guitar player, especially to blues players and this was never more evident than this star-studded evening. Eric Gales attributed his life and career to his mentor and before strutting off the stage, he headed straight to Buddy’s table at stage right to personally acknowledge and thank him.
Gary Clark, Jr. walked onto the stage saying how surreal this was for him as he had Buddy Guy posters up on his wall.
John Mayer called him “a hero, a friend, a mentor.”
Chicago’s Shemeika Copeland was 19 years old when she first met Buddy. She so lovingly praised him as her mentor and family friend who she’s learned so much from. The two Chicago blues giants were simply adorable together, you just knew how much they mean to each other. And just like that, Shemeika belted out “Rock Me Baby” and “I Can’t Quit You Baby” to the guitar master’s sweet sounds.
One of the most endearing moments of the night was when Buddy’s very dear friend and fellow living blues legend Bobby Rush (92) came on stage and fully unscripted, proclaimed his undying gratitude and praise. “Thank you for letting me be in your life. Thank you for being a part of my life. Happy birthday to my friend.” Buddy joined him on stage and you could see the genuine love and admiration the two have for each other. The banter between the two was off the charts – epic in it’s own right.
Then the two senior blues statesmen got straight down to business – their way – off book at times, playing the tunes they grew up on. “Chicken Heads” and “Ships On The Oceans.”
Buddy Guy was having such a good time and seemed to get even more energized as the night went on. It was clear that he did not want to leave the stage, despite the fact that it was well past curfew. That’s when Bobby Rush, who was on the stage with Buddy exclaimed,“It’s the man’s birthday, let him do what he wants!” And Buddy did just that.
The historic evening closed with the full roster performing “Got My Mojo Working,” which was followed by a birthday cake wheeled out on stage. That’s when everyone in the NYC venue joined in to sing “Happy Birthday.”
“This is the biggest birthday I’ve ever had,” Guy said. “I don’t want to cry, but you made me feel so good tonight.”
A LOOK TOWARD THE FUTURE: KEEPING THE BLUES ALIVE
It’s well known how much influence Mr. Buddy Guy has had on modern blues over the course of his life. His determination to keep the blues alive and forward is equally well known. A hint of a fresh take on his brand of blues may have been revealed at Radio City when Mayer and Guy played a funky new song from Buddy’s forthcoming new album, produced by Steve Jordan due for a 2027 release.
SET LIST*
1. “I’m in the Mood,” Buddy Guy, Derek Trucks and Isaiah Sharkey
2. “Juke,” The Blues Beat House Band
3. “Early in the Morning,” The Blues Beat House Band
4. “Crosscut Saw,” Robert Randolph and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
5. “Shake Your Moneymaker,” Robert Randolph and Christone “Kingfish” Ingram
6. “Let Me Love You Baby,” Kenny Wayne Shepard
7. “Steamroller Blues,” Kenny Wayne Shepard and Ally Venable
8. “Many of Many Words,” Joe Bonamassa
9. “Baby What You Want Me to Do,” Joe Bonamassa and Eric Gales
10. “Baby Please Don’t Leave Me,” Eric Gales and Samantha Fish
11. “Rock Me Baby,” Shemekia Copeland and Buddy Guy
12. “I Can’t Quit You Baby,” Shemekia Copeland and Buddy Guy
13. “Lightning Boogie,” Jimmie Vaughan
14. “Texas Flood,” Jimmie Vaughan and Billy Gibbons
15. “Boogie Chillen,” Billy Gibbons
16. “The Thrill Is Gone,” Aloe Blacc
17. “Stormy Monday Blues,” Aloe Blacc and Buddy Guy
18. “Born Under a Bad Sign,” Doyle Bramhall II
19. “All of Your Love,” Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks
20. “Messin’ With the Kid,” Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks
21. “Chicken Heads,” Bobby Rush and Buddy Guy
22. “Ships on the Ocean,” Bobby Rush and Buddy Guy
23. “Catfish,” Gary Clark Jr.
24. “If Trouble Was Money,” Gary Clark Jr.
25. “Snatch Back and Hold It,” Gary Clark Jr. and Buddy Guy
26. “Dreams to Remember,” John Mayer and Susan Tedeschi
27. “Real Motha For Ya,” John Mayer and Buddy Guy
28. “What Kind of Woman Is This,” John Mayer and Buddy Guy
29. “Damn Right, I’ve Got the Blues,” Buddy Guy
30. “Hoochie Coochie Man,” Buddy Guy
31. “How Blue Can You Get,” Buddy Guy
32. “Sweet Home Chicago,” Buddy Guy
33. “Got My Mojo Working,” Full Cast
*the bottom of the list may not be exact due to last minute impromptu appearance changes
