Blues Legend Buddy Guy on “The Song That Changed My Life”

Episode notes

Buddy Guy (Photo by VALERIE MACON/AFP via Getty Images)

The Song That Changed My Life is a segment that gives us the chance to talk with some of our favorite artists about the music that made them who they are. This week, we’re joined by guitarist Buddy Guy.

Buddy is one of the greatest blues guitarists alive today. He’s shared stages with legends like B.B. King, Howlin’ Wolf, and Muddy Waters. He’s been in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame since 2005, and has won eight Grammy Awards. He was also the subject of an episode of the PBS “American Masters” series, where he talked about his creative process and career. Check out Buddy Guy: The Blues Chase The Blues Away on PBS.org.

We got in touch with Buddy at his home studio in Chicago. When we asked him about the song that changed his life, Guy took us back to his childhood in Louisiana, to the first time he heard John Lee Hooker’s “Boogie Chillen’.” He explains how the song encouraged him to learn the guitar in his early teens. Plus, he shares a story about getting to meet his hero and becoming friends with him.

Buddy recently announced his farewell tour, after over a half-century in the game. More details can be found here.

In this episode...

Jesse Thorn

Host

Kevin Ferguson

Senior Producer

Jesus Ambrosio

Producer

Richard Robey

Maximum Fun Producer

Daniel Huecias

Maximum Fun Production Fellow

Daniel Arón Speer

Video Editor

Guests

Buddy Guy

About the show

Bullseye is a celebration of the best of arts and culture in public radio form. Host Jesse Thorn sifts the wheat from the chaff to bring you in-depth interviews with the most revered and revolutionary minds in our culture.

Bullseye has been featured in Time, The New York Times, GQ and McSweeney’s, which called it “the kind of show people listen to in a more perfect world.” Since April 2013, the show has been distributed by NPR.

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