Buddy Guy Albums Ranked
George “Buddy” Guy (born July 30, 1936) is an American blues guitarist and singer. He is an exponent of Chicago blues and has influenced guitarists including Eric Clapton, Jimi Hendrix, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jeff Beck, Gary Clark Jr., and John Mayer. In the 1960s, Guy played with Muddy Waters as a house guitarist at Chess Records and began a musical partnership with the harmonica player Junior Wells. Guy was ranked 23rd in Rolling Stone magazine’s “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time”. His song “Stone Crazy” was ranked 78th in the Rolling Stone list of the “100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time”. Clapton once described him as “the best guitar player alive”. In 1999, Guy wrote the book Damn Right I’ve Got the Blues, with Donald Wilcock. His autobiography, When I Left Home: My Story, was published in 2012. Here are all Buddy Guy albums ranked.
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10. Blues Singer (2003)
“Buddy Guy deserves the Grammy that he got for this terrific CD with impeccable guitar playing and consummate singing of Blues Classics. The recording is outstanding as well as the music. He’s joined by many great guest artists like Eric Clapton and B.B. King. This should be the Audiophile/Demo recording for the ages instead of the boring Muddy Waters Folk Singer CD. It’s a CD that I’ll never get tired of and well worth repeated listening.”
9. Bring ‘Em In (2005)
“A fantastic release by the Blues master! I am a big Buddy Guy fan, but don’t let my bias dissuade you. If you enjoy Blues and great guitar playing/singing, this is a fantastic album. It’s littered with covers of classic tracks, and full of truly great songs. Buddy does an amazing job of bringing his own flavor to every track he covers. So, even though you may be previously familiar with many of these songs, you will be pleased to find that he breathes new life into each and every one that he plays.”
8. The Blues Is Alive and Well (2018)
“The Blues Alive and Well consist of 15 well recorded great tunes just over an hour and four minutes with special guest musicians like Jeff Beck & Keith Richards on Cognac , James Bay English singer song writer guitarist on Blue No More and Mick Jagger on You Did The Crime , another Awesome Album .”
7. Feels Like Rain (1993)
“These songs are mixed really well. You can hear all of the instruments and his vocals are excellent and upfront. You can hear Buddy’s guitar solos cleary but he doesn’t overplay as I believe he does in many of his recordings. He has paid more attention on the delivery and presentation of the songs first,….and his solos don’t overpower but are still dynamite. I grow tired of listening to some of Buddy’s other recordings and the same old blues chord progressions. “Feels Like Rain” is different and the songs are varied with rhythm patterns, chord progressions, and time sequences. This CD never grows old for me and I can listen to it over and over again.”
6. Living Proof (2010)
‘At seventy-four years of age, Buddy Guy’s voice is like Rebel Yell Bourbon and his guitar styling is SRV on steroids. The songs too, and Buddy is a great song writer and interpreter, are among the best and most compelling he’s ever written and performed. I don’t know what happened in his life that inspired this build up and explosion of his creative genius, but this record is spectacular from beginning to end. Guy’s friend, Eric Clapton, has a wonderful new album out, too, but these records are from different universes. Strangely, Guys Living Proof has the power and energy you’d expect from a newcomer with something to prove, not a cherished veteran of the Blues Wars. If you think there hasn’t been a great blues album in at least a decade, your wait is over. If you love the blues of Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters, this record is absolutely in a class with their best work.”
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5. Slippin’ In (1994)
“What’s not to like, Muddy Waters – Folk Singer, Junior Wells – Hoodoo Man, and this solo masterpiece from Buddy “bad” Guy… every track rolls down the line and never jumps or misses a beat, powerful vocals and electrifying guitar licks are the essence here… Buddy’s best? if not his most underrated. If you like electric Chicago blues or sixties soul, buy “Slippin’ In” today and pick up those low down blues, really, it doesn’t get better than this. 1994, excellent audio”
4. A Man and the Blues (1968)
“From the very first notes of the title song, this album sets a standard for Chicago blues that might be equalled, but in my mind, never surpassed. The interaction between the guitar of Buddy Guy and the piano of Otis Spann is seamless, natural and vital and the rhythm section of Wayne Bennett on rhythm guitar, Jack Myers on bass and Lonny Taylor and Fred Below on drums is just flawless. Buddy’s guitar playing is searing and his vocals are by turns passionate and soaring, preaching and proclaiming his joy or pain. The slow blues numbers have immense depth and simmer with feeling and the uptempo numbers jump with the horn section and will shake you with their soul. Who makes song out of Mary Had A Little Lamb and not only make it work but become a classic? It’s right here. This album had an impact on the music of Eric Clapton and the late Stevie Ray Vaughan as well as countless guitar players and blues fans.”
3. Stone Crazy! (1981)
“Can anyone put a name on an album more powerful and with more heart and soul than this……..I think this should be required listening in school music programs, elevators, nursing homes, malls, blasting from blimps at sporting events . This is a man, his voice ,and his guitar. I still get goose bumps when Buddy turns it up to 11 which he does soooooo well. .Why music like this with soul and character is still relegated to the back eddy’s is beyond me. Im glad im still floating along in my little Johnboat with that BIG BIG smile on my face. mylee who???? Thank You Mr. Guy!!!!!!!”
2. Sweet Tea (2001)
““Sweet Tea” is essentially a covers album where Buddy delves into Mississippi hill country blues covering songs from several of those genres big names. In fact Guy covers no less than four Junior Kimbrough songs on this one. The sole original track is the albums closer, “It’s A Jungle Out There” which was written by guy. Normally I am not big on covers albums, but this one is really a gem. Much of this disc is what today is known as “trance blues” with long sometimes meandering trance inducing jams. To be honest I don’t really know how to describe it, but I know it when I hear it. Of the albums I own by Buddy Guy this one stands out as unique and is even a bit of an anomaly in the overall Guy catalogue. Now, I will qualify the above comments by saying I am not an expert on this style of blues and am not necessarily familiar with the source material that Guy copies, so……I can’t really comment on whether he improves the material or simply mimics it. “
1. Damn Right, I’ve Got the Blues (1991)
“Buddy Guy was a guitar legend before the release of Damn Right I’ve Got The Blues, but when this great record was released in 1990, he has been at the blues forefront ever since. This record proves that the forefront is where Guy belongs. Cuts like “Where Is The Next One Coming From,” “Too Broke To Spend The Night,” and the poignant tribute to his friend Stevie Ray Vaughn, “Remembering Stevie,” serve notice that Guy not only hasn’t lost anything, but still has plenty to teach the younger crowd.”
