The Blues Is Alive and Well

Last updated
The Blues Is Alive and Well
The-Blues-Is-Alive-and-Well-Buddy-Guy-CD.jpg
Studio album by
Buddy Guy
ReleasedJune 15, 2018 (2018-06-15)
Genre Blues
Length64:04
Producer Tom Hambridge
Buddy Guy chronology
Born to Play Guitar
(2015)		The Blues Is Alive and Well
(2018)		 The Blues Don't Lie
(2022)

The Blues Is Alive and Well is the 18th studio album by American blues musician Buddy Guy. It was released on June 15, 2018 by RCA/Silvertone Records. [1] [2] [3]

Contents

The Blues Is Alive and Well won the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album at the 61st Grammy Awards. [4]

Keith Richards and Jeff Beck play guitar on the song "Cognac", and Mick Jagger plays harmonica on the song "You Did the Crime". [1] [2] [3] The front cover photograph was taken by Chuck Lanza at State Highway 1, Lettsworth, Louisiana [5] where Guy was born in 1936.

Critical reception

In DownBeat , Bobby Reed wrote, "... Guy delivers what one would expect from an 81-year-old elder statesman (albeit one who performs like someone half his age). This album is filled with Guy's trademark, stinging electric guitar solos – each packing enough power to peel paint off a house. Guy's guitar heroics attract so much attention that his vocal prowess has long been underrated, and his voice remains in superb shape, a supple instrument with impressive range." [6]

On AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine said, "The Blues Is Alive and Well is full of songs charged with mortality.... [The album] has a lot of songs in general – a full 15, lasting well over an hour. This excessive length means there's a lot of room for levity, too, including James Bay sitting in for a duet on "Blue No More", Mick Jagger's wailing harp on "You Did the Crime", and, best of all, a showdown with Keith Richards and Jeff Beck on "Cognac"." [7]

In Blues Blast, Mark Thompson wrote, "Throughout his career, Buddy Guy has been known for his guitar prowess. Oftentimes, his skill as a singer would slide by with little notice. On this release, he consistently reaches into the emotional depths, often with bone-chilling intensity, conveying hard-earned lessons on life and the people you meet along the way." [8]

On Rock and Blues Muse, Dave Resto said, "It was a lifetime ago when the Lettsworth, Louisiana native followed his dreams and moved to Chicago to make his fortune. There, he worked as the house guitarist at Chess Records where he formed musical alliances with Muddy Waters and Junior Wells and went on to influence generations of legendary guitarists. Today, the 81-year-old Guy boasts a long list of accomplishments in the music industry. The Blues Is Alive and Well is Guy's assertion that both he and the genre still have a lot to say." [9]

Track listing

No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."A Few Good Years"Richard Fleming, Tom Hambridge4:47
2."Guilty as Charged"Richard Fleming, Tom Hambridge3:20
3."Cognac" (featuring Jeff Beck, Keith Richards)Buddy Guy, Richard Fleming, Tom Hambridge5:22
4."The Blues Is Alive and Well"Gary Nicholson, Tom Hambridge5:13
5."Bad Day"Mac Davis, Tom Hambridge3:18
6."Blue No More" (featuring James Bay)Jamey Johnson, Tom Hambridge3:39
7."Whiskey for Sale"Tom Hambridge4:02
8."You Did the Crime" (featuring Mick Jagger)Richard Fleming, Tom Hambridge6:53
9."Old Fashioned"Buddy Guy, Tom Hambridge3:57
10."When My Day Comes"Bill Sweeney, Tom Hambridge4:38
11."Nine Below Zero"Sonny Boy Williamson6:19
12."Ooh Daddy"Richard Fleming, Tom Hambridge3:17
13."Somebody Up There"Richard Fleming, Tom Hambridge4:27
14."End of the Line"Richard Fleming, Tom Hambridge3:25
15."Milking Muther for Ya"Buddy Guy0:57
Total length:64:04
Japan bonus track [10]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
16."In This Day and Age"Buddy Guy, Tom Hambridge, Richard Fleming4:43
Total length:68:54

"Milking Muther for Ya" contains a portion of "Mother Fuyer" written by Red Nelson.

Personnel

Musicians

Production

Charts

Chart (2018)Peak
position
Australian Albums (ARIA) [11] 45
Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria) [12] 22
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Flanders) [13] 43
Belgian Albums (Ultratop Wallonia) [14] 53
Canadian Albums (Billboard) [15] 58
Czech Albums (ČNS IFPI) [16] 57
Dutch Albums (Album Top 100) [17] 57
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [18] 14
Italian Albums (FIMI) [19] 72
Japanese Albums (Oricon) [20] 121
Polish Albums (ZPAV) [21] 26
Scottish Albums (OCC) [22] 22
Spanish Albums (PROMUSICAE) [23] 60
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [24] 4
UK Albums (OCC) [25] 65
US Billboard 200 [26] 69

Related Research Articles

<i>Exile on Main St.</i> 1972 studio album by the Rolling Stones

Exile on Main St. is the 10th British and 12th American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 12 May 1972 by Rolling Stones Records. It is viewed as a culmination of a string of the band's most critically successful albums, following the releases of Beggars Banquet (1968), Let It Bleed (1969) and Sticky Fingers (1971). The album is known for its murky, inconsistent sound due to more disjointed musicianship and production, along with a party-like atmosphere heard in several tracks.

<i>Tattoo You</i> 1981 studio album by the Rolling Stones

Tattoo You is the 16th British and 18th American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 24 August 1981 by Rolling Stones Records. The album is mostly composed of studio outtakes recorded during the 1970s, and contains one of the band's most well-known songs, "Start Me Up", which hit number two on the US Billboard singles charts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Buddy Guy</span> American blues guitarist and singer

George "Buddy" Guy is an American blues guitarist and singer. He is an exponent of Chicago blues who has influenced generations of 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 session guitarist at Chess Records and began a musical partnership with blues harp virtuoso Junior Wells.

<i>Let It Bleed</i> 1969 studio album by the Rolling Stones

Let It Bleed is the eighth British and tenth American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released 28 November 1969 on London Records in the United States and shortly thereafter by Decca Records in the United Kingdom. Released shortly after the band's 1969 American Tour, it is the follow-up to 1968's Beggars Banquet, and like that album is a return to the group's more blues-sound approach that was prominent in the pre-Aftermath period of their career. Additional sounds on the album draw influence from gospel, country blues and country rock.

<i>Black and Blue</i> 1976 studio album by The Rolling Stones

Black and Blue is the 13th British and 15th American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 23 April 1976 by Rolling Stones Records.

<i>Undercover</i> (Rolling Stones album) 1983 studio album by the Rolling Stones

Undercover is the 17th British and 19th American studio album by English rock band the Rolling Stones, released on 7 November 1983 by Rolling Stones Records. The band would move the label to Columbia Records for its follow-up, 1986's Dirty Work.

<i>Love You Live</i> 1977 live album by the Rolling Stones

Love You Live is a double live album by the Rolling Stones, released in 1977. It is drawn from Tour of the Americas shows in the US in the summer of 1975, Tour of Europe shows in 1976 and performances from the El Mocambo nightclub concert venue in Toronto in 1977. It is the band's third official full-length live release and is dedicated to the memory of audio engineer Keith Harwood, who died in a car accident shortly before the album's release. It's also the band's first live album with Ronnie Wood.

<i>Bridges to Babylon</i> 1997 studio album by the Rolling Stones

Bridges to Babylon is the 21st British and 23rd American studio album by the English rock band the Rolling Stones, released by Virgin Records on 29 September 1997. Released as a double album on vinyl and as a single CD, it was supported by the year-long worldwide Bridges to Babylon Tour that was met with much success.

<i>Shes the Boss</i> 1985 studio album by Mick Jagger

She's the Boss is the debut solo album by English singer Mick Jagger, released on 19 February 1985 in the US and 4 March 1985 in the UK.

<i>Wandering Spirit</i> (album) 1993 studio album by Mick Jagger

Wandering Spirit is the third solo album by Mick Jagger. Released in 1993, it was his only solo album release of the 1990s.

<i>Bring Em In</i> (Buddy Guy album) 2005 studio album by Buddy Guy

Bring 'Em In is the 13th studio album by blues musician Buddy Guy, released in 2005 on Silvertone Records. The album is made up almost entirely of songs covered by Buddy Guy, containing only one original composition by the artist.

<i>Shine a Light</i> (Rolling Stones album) 2008 live album by the Rolling Stones

Shine a Light is the soundtrack to the Rolling Stones' concert film of the same name, directed by Martin Scorsese. It was released on 1 April 2008 in the UK by Polydor Records and one week later in the United States by Interscope Records. Double disc and single disc versions were issued.

<i>Damn Right, Ive Got the Blues</i> 1991 studio album by Buddy Guy

Damn Right, I've Got the Blues is the seventh studio album by Blues guitarist Buddy Guy. The album has been described by Allmusic and Rolling Stone as a commercial comeback album for Guy after limited recording for the previous 10 years. In 2005 the album was reissued as Damn Right, I've Got The Blues Expanded Edition, featuring two bonus tracks.

<i>Living Proof</i> (Buddy Guy album) 2010 studio album by Buddy Guy

Living Proof is Buddy Guy's 15th studio album. After nearly fifty years in the music business, this was Guy's highest charting album ever, peaking at no. 46 on the main Billboard album chart. It won the 2011 Grammy for Best Contemporary Blues Album.

<i>Skin Deep</i> (Buddy Guy album) 2008 studio album by Buddy Guy

Skin Deep is the 14th studio album by blues musician Buddy Guy, released in 2008. The album features a number of collaborations including: Eric Clapton, Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, and Robert Randolph.

<i>Hyde Park Live</i> 2013 live album and concert film by The Rolling Stones

Hyde Park Live is a live album by the Rolling Stones, released in 2013. It was recorded at Hyde Park, London on 6 and 13 July 2013 during the band's 50 and Counting Tour. The album was released exclusively as a digital download through iTunes on 22 July 2013 for a limited time of four weeks. The album debuted at #16 in the UK and #19 in the US. The same concert was later issued on DVD as Sweet Summer Sun: Live in Hyde Park.

<i>Rhythm & Blues</i> (Buddy Guy album) 2013 studio album by Buddy Guy

Rhythm & Blues is the 16th studio album by American blues musician Buddy Guy. It was released in July 2013 under RCA Records. Rhythm & Blues marked Guy's largest first week sales in the Soundscan Era, and was his fourth album to reach No. 1 on the Top Blues Albums Chart.

<i>Born to Play Guitar</i> 2015 studio album by Buddy Guy

Born to Play Guitar is the 17th studio album by American blues musician Buddy Guy, released in 2015. It peaked at No. 60 on the Billboard 200 and reached No. 1 on the Billboard Blues Albums chart on August 22, 2015.

<i>Blue & Lonesome</i> (Rolling Stones album) 2016 studio album by The Rolling Stones

Blue & Lonesome is the 23rd British and 25th American studio album by the English rock band The Rolling Stones released on 2 December 2016. Consisting entirely of blues music, it is the band's first album to feature only cover songs. The album is also their first studio release since 2005's A Bigger Bang, with its eleven-year gap being the longest between two albums from the band. Despite the short running of approximately 43 minutes, the album was released as a double LP. "Just Your Fool", a Buddy Johnson cover was released as the first single from the album on 6 October. The name of the album is from a song which Little Walter wrote, "Blue and Lonesome".

Mick Jagger is a British recording artist most well known for his association with the Rolling Stones and his songwriting partner in the group, Keith Richards; their partnership is considered one of the most successful in history. As a solo artist he has released four solo albums, one collaborative album, one collaborative soundtrack album, as well as twenty-two singles, a number of them containing non-album tracks.

References

  1. 1 2 Ritz, David (June 15, 2018). "Buddy Guy Talks Enlisting Mick Jagger and Keith Richards to Ensure The Blues Is Alive and Well". Billboard. Retrieved June 20, 2018.
  2. 1 2 Kreps, Daniel (June 6, 2018). "Buddy Guy Enlists Keith Richards, Jeff Beck for New Song "Cognac"". Rolling Stone. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  3. 1 2 "Buddy Guy – The Blues Is Alive and Well". Discogs. 14 June 2018. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  4. ↑ Rosenbaum, Marty (February 11, 2019). "Buddy Guy Takes Home Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album". WXRT. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
  5. ↑ "Musical Maps". Musicalmaps.com.au. Retrieved May 23, 2021.
  6. ↑ Reed, Bobby (June 2018). "Buddy Guy: The Blues Is Alive and Well". DownBeat. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  7. ↑ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas. "The Blues Is Alive and Well". AllMusic. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  8. ↑ Thompson, Mark (June 15, 2018). "Buddy Guy: The Blues Is Alive and Well – Album Review". Blues Blast Magazine. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  9. ↑ Resto, Dave (June 20, 2018). "Review: The Blues Is Alive and Well by Buddy Guy". Rock and Blues Muse. Retrieved January 19, 2019.
  10. ↑ "「ザ・ブルース・イズ・アライヴ・アンド・ウェル」- バディ・ガイ". Sony Music Japan. Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  11. ↑ "ARIA Australian Top 50 Albums". Australian Recording Industry Association. June 25, 2018. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  12. ↑ "Austriancharts.at – Buddy Guy – The Blues Is Alive and Well" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  13. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Buddy Guy – The Blues Is Alive and Well" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  14. ↑ "Ultratop.be – Buddy Guy – The Blues Is Alive and Well" (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  15. ↑ "Buddy Guy Chart History (Canadian Albums)". Billboard. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
  16. ↑ "Czech Albums – Top 100". ČNS IFPI. Note: On the chart page, select 25.Týden 2018 on the field besides the words "CZ – ALBUMS – TOP 100" to retrieve the correct chart. Retrieved June 25, 2018.
  17. ↑ "Dutchcharts.nl – Buddy Guy – The Blues Is Alive and Well" (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  18. ↑ "Offiziellecharts.de – Buddy Guy – The Blues is Alive and Well" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved June 22, 2018.
  19. ↑ "Album – Classifica settimanale WK 25 (dal 2018-06-15 al 2018-06-21)" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana . Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  20. ↑ "Buddy Guy". Oricon . Retrieved September 21, 2020.
  21. ↑ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved June 28, 2018.
  22. ↑ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  23. ↑ "Top 100 Albumes – Semana 25: del 15.6.2018 al 21.6.2018" (in Spanish). Productores de Música de España . Retrieved June 27, 2018.
  24. ↑ "Swisscharts.com – Buddy Guy – The Blues Is Alive and Well". Hung Medien. Retrieved June 27, 2018.
  25. ↑ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved June 23, 2018.
  26. ↑ "Buddy Guy Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved June 26, 2018.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.