Buddy Guy

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.

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.