Buddy Guy - by Sandra B Tooze (Hardcover)

Book Synopsis

With a foreword by Eric Clapton, the definitive story of the last great blues giant and how his fearless guitar style shaped rock 'n' roll and revitalized America's greatest musical legacy

Buddy Guy is the living bridge between the Chicago blues and the global explosion of rock that followed. A sharecropper's son from Louisiana who left for the Windy City, Guy was there when Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, and Little Walter ruled Chess Records, absorbing and pushing the music forward. He would become the blues oracle to guitar greats like Eric Clapton, Jimmy Page, Keith Richards, Stevie Ray Vaughan, and countless others. And he would become the ultimate torchbearer of the blues.

Drawing on years of research, interviews, and access to Buddy's inner circle, biographer Sandra B. Tooze brings readers closer than ever to the man simply known as "The Legend." From London in 1965-- where his performances helped spark British rock--to Chicago clubs and global stages, Buddy redefined the electric blues and still performs in his nineties.

Tooze captures Buddy's struggles with racism and industry indifference, alongside his humor and commitment to mentoring younger musicians. And at the heart of his odyssey is Buddy's promise to Muddy Waters: as long as he's standing, the blues would never die.

Review Quotes

"The first time I saw Buddy Guy live. . . . I needed to know that the blues was going to survive in the future. . . . I first heard Buddy on Folk Festival of the Blues. . . . [His guitar was] wild and crazy and frantic. . . . Something fundamental, something revolutionary."
--from the foreword by Eric Clapton

"It was an honor to have recorded Buddy on several albums. His ability to infuse the sessions with intense emotion, from blazing guitar lines to searing vocals that inspired the musicians surrounding him, was breathtaking! This remarkable book captures the singular talent that made Buddy a legend."
--Eddie Kramer, producer of Buddy Guy and legendary recording engineer for Jimi Hendrix, Led Zeppelin,
and the Rolling Stones

"The real-deal story of the real deal himself, Mr. Buddy Guy. Buddy is the last great connection to the original electric blues. He inspired generations of rock guitarists from Jimi Hendrix to Jimmy Page. This is Buddy's story vividly brought to life through the voices of those fortunate enough to bear witness to his greatness."
--Tom Hambridge, five-time Grammy-winning producer, songwriter, and longtime Buddy Guy collaborator

"Every time you share the stage with Buddy, he takes you to school. And he teaches a master class in cool. Sandra Tooze captures all that cool in her wonderful book."
--Shemekia Copeland, seven-time Grammy-nominated blues singer

"Mr. Buddy Guy never ceases to amaze me. Because of our family's friendship, I've known him practically my entire life, and I've personally witnessed his love and consistent passion for blues music with his incredible, influential talent along with his dedication to his nightclub--Legends--in Chicago. Just when you think you've seen it all, he does something extraordinary that tops it. Thank you, Mr. Buddy Guy!"
--Ronnie Baker Brooks, award-winning blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter

"A long overdue tribute to one of the greatest masters of the vaunted blues idiom. Critically insightful, compelling, and vividly detailed, Sandra B. Tooze has captured blues lightning in a bottle."
--Bob Spitz, author of The Beatles: The Biography and The Rolling Stones: The Biography

"Sandra Tooze's richly detailed biography stands in tribute to Buddy's triumphs and in testament to the tribulations that shaped him into a worldwide icon. Though a host of stellar guitar slingers testify to his influence, none have ever matched the uninhibited, free, and creative performing spirit that Buddy Guy brought to the blues."
--Jim O'Neal, co-founder, Living Blues Magazine

"A heartfelt tribute to a master of traditional Chicago blues."
--Kirkus Reviews

"Meticulously researched and brimming with heart and soul, this is the only Buddy Guy biography you'll ever need."
--Jas Obrecht, blues historian and former editor of Guitar Player

"With Buddy Guy: The Life of 'The Legend' and a Story of the Chicago Blues, Sandra B. Tooze has written the definitive account of a man who has dedicated his entire life to preserving and enriching a uniquely American art form. Incredibly well researched and artfully written, this book proves beyond any shadow of a doubt that 'The Blues Is Alive and Well!'"
--Robert Greenfield, Exile on Main St.: A Season in Hell with the Rolling Stones

"Buddy Guy is sui generis. One of one. The world's greatest living bluesman. In Buddy Guy: The Life of 'The Legend' and a Story of the Chicago Blues, Sandra B. Tooze--as only she can--masterfully tells the definitive story of his colorful, improbable, and utterly consequential rise from sharecropper's son to electrifying guitarist (and soulful vocalist) to inimitable influence on a veritable who's who of famous rockers."
--Kent Hartman, bestselling author of The Wrecking Crew: The Inside Story of Rock and Roll's Best-Kept Secret

"I've learned that the most revealing stories in music happen backstage, in the studio, and on the road. Sandra B. Tooze takes readers to all three in her portrait of Buddy Guy, a book that captures not just the legend, but the heart and soul of one of the greatest blues musicians of all time."
--Eric Barrett, author of Experienced: On the Road with Jimi Hendrix and Beyond

"Sandra Tooze's Buddy Guy is a comprehensive, passionate, and beautifully written biography. Rich with detail about Guy's art, career, guitars, and personal life, it chronicles his interactions with virtually every blues and rock guitar master since the 1950s. Tooze has created an indispensable volume in the history of the blues."
--Danny Goldberg, Serving the Servant: Remembering Kurt Cobain and Bumping Into Geniuses

"If you're interested in the blues, or elite guitarists, or even the mysterious figure who emerges from the shadows at the end of Ryan Coogler's Sinners, you'll know Buddy Guy. Or at least you think you know Buddy Guy. This book provides a huge upgrade on that knowledge. . . . In masterful detail, Sandra Tooze walks the reader through the life of Buddy Guy, from childhood, his influences and his huge influence on others. Fans of B.B. King, Muddy Waters, Bo Diddley, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, John Mayall, Chuck Berry, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Carlos Santana, and John Mayer will find new stories about all of them here. The author has weaved an intricate tapestry of one of the great guitarists."
--John McKie, author of Prince: A Sign O' The Times

"As biographer and blues historian Tooze points out in this fine, richly anecdotal biography, Guy considers himself a caretaker. Tooze calls him a 'bridge' between rock and blues. . . . A fascinating look at a key musician and the blues tradition."
--Booklist

Praise for Sandra B. Tooze's previous book, Levon: From Down in the Delta to the Birth of The Band and Beyond:

"Levon Helm put his heart and soul into every beat he played, every song he sang. He brought joy to people all over the world by sharing the unique blend of musical styles he grew up with in the Arkansas Delta. Along the way, he became a good actor, too! I'm glad his story is getting the telling it deserves."
--President Bill Clinton

"An impressive heap of research [and] a sure grasp of Helm's musical accomplishments. . . . One of the great virtues of Tooze's book [is that] she reminds us of the richness of Helm's post-Band existence."
--Boston Globe

"In this captivating biography, Sandra B. Tooze channels the creativity, drive, and endurance of this iconic artist. Filled with fresh insights and anecdotes, Levon is a fascinating exploration of the man, his music, and his life."
--Vince Gill, Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter, and musician

"Rendered with a sensitivity and detail rare in rock biographies."
--Modern Drummer

"A brilliant road map covering how [Levon Helm] became one of the towering figures in 20th century music. Ride shotgun as she follows Helm's wild exploits--from early Sixties cult hero with the Hawks to playing stadiums with Bob Dylan and the Band. This is the story of rock and roll."
--Brad Tolinski, author of Play It Loud: An Epic History of the Style, Sound and Revolution of the Electric Guitar

"Levon brilliantly puts readers behind the scenes of many of the most important moments in rock 'n' roll history with a man whose influence on them was immense."
--John Glatt, author of Live at the Fillmore East and West: Getting Backstage and Personal with Rock's Greatest Legends

About the Author

Sandra B. Tooze is an award-winning music biographer, editor, and blues historian. She is the author of Muddy Waters: The Mojo Man, which received international acclaim and was named Best Biography of 1997 by Real Blues magazine, featuring a foreword by Eric Clapton and endorsements from Mick Jagger and Levon Helm. Her work on Muddy Waters led to her selection as keynote speaker honoring him at the Masters of American Music conference, co-sponsored by Case Western Reserve University and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Tooze is also the author of LEVON: From Down in the Delta to the Birth of the Band and Beyond (Diversion Books), which received enthusiastic reviews from The Wall Street Journal, The Boston Globe, MOJO, and Modern Drummer, and featured a back-cover blurb from President Bill Clinton. A former senior production editor at Penguin Random House Canada and former co-owner of a blues record label, Tooze brings unmatched editorial rigor and musical insight to her work. She has also served as a longtime reviewer for Maple Blues magazine and remains deeply embedded in the blues and roots-music community.