Buddy Guy: The Blues Chase the Blues Away

The story of George “Buddy” Guy, who transcended his early years as a sharecropper in Lettsworth, Louisiana in the 1940’s to become one of the most influential guitarists of all time.

After moving to the Midwest in the 1950’s, Guy quickly rose to prominence as the go-to guitarist for Muddy Waters and Howlin Wolf as part of the iconic Chicago blues scene, directly inspiring The Rolling Stones, Jimmy Page, and Eric Clapton. Yet solo commercial success consistently eluded Buddy, until a late-career breakthrough in the 1990’s. A tale of decades-long perseverance, Buddy’s journey reflects both the black experience in America in the twentieth century and the history of the blues. The documentary features both archival and new, never-before-seen performances by Buddy Guy—with the likes of President Obama and The Rolling Stones—and interviews with John Mayer, Eric Clapton, Carlos Santana, Gary Clark Jr, Kingfish, among others.

“From farm road to pool hall, stage to studio, club to colleagues, Buddy Guy’s interviews are illuminating. There are some astonishing stories from an era where musicians served live apprenticeships.” ~Andrew Robertson, EyeForFilm