Buddy Guy is the youngest of the OG blues gurus who has faithfully carried the torch lit by mentors and friends including B.B. King and Muddy Waters for nearly as long and far as he’s capable, but before hanging up his polka dot touring shoes for good he’s making one last trek.
Named after his 1990 comeback album, Damn Right, I’ve Got the Blues, his Damn Right Farewell is a must-see affair for blues lovers, Stratocaster zealots, and all aficionados of true-blue American artistry. Guy has always provided a link from the past to the future, and he’ll have rising star Taj Farrant kicking down the door to tomorrow on the second Tuesday in August.
The whole hootenanny will take place at one of the most surreal spots to see a show in the San Francisco Bay Area. The Mountain Winery is Another Planet Entertainment’s key concert venue in the South Bay with spectacular views, food and, of course, finely aged wine.
Buddy Guy turns 89 on July 30 and his new album Ain’t Done with the Blues drops everywhere in celebration! It features a gang of groovy guitar guests including Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Peter Frampton, Joe Bonamassa and Joe Walsh. The illustrious Eagle adds some slinky slide and signature vocals to compliment Buddy’s raucous reverb and elastic string bending on the first single, an autobiographical romp called “How Blues is That.”
Another notable recent release is “Last Man Standing,” a crossover cut where Buddy joins forces to rock the blues with Switchfoot. Guy also makes a cameo in the supernatural blues-period horror flick Sinners, and his cover of Alvin Youngblood Hart’s “Travelin’” is featured on the original motion picture soundtrack released on April 18 by Sony Masterworks.
Sixteen-year-old phenom Taj Farrant is already a virtuosic player and a capable singer who brings the heat from a land down under to the greater blues-rock landscape. He released his debut album, Chapter One, in the fall of 2024 and the mixture of originals and cover homages represents a solid start.
The opening cut, “Beautiful Things,” is a lovely instrumental that brings the playing of David Gilmour and Stevie Ray Vaughan to mind. Vaughan’s influence looms large in Farrant’s style, and he closes the album with an edgy take on SRV’s “Tightrope” with a shredding outro solo that’s pure fire.
While the album does a decent job of representing Farrant’s prodigious talent, his live show is superlative. Come get a feel for this youngster’s passion and you’ll become a believer.
Check out Farrant’s original tune steeped in classic blues lore, “Crossroads.”
![Crossroads [Original] - Live from Tennessee - YouTube](https://img.youtube.com/vi/RJAjbGrKSR0/maxresdefault.jpg)
Guitar Player is proud to partner with Another Planet Entertainment to welcome Buddy Guy’s Damn Right Farewell with opener Taj Farrant to the stunningly gorgeous Mountain Winery in Saratoga, California, on Tuesday, August 12.
Secure your seats now to get the best spots left before they’re gone.
WIN TICKETS!
For a chance to win a pair of tickets to see GP Presents Buddy Guy in Saratoga, California, on Tuesday, August 12, , send an email and put “Buddy Guy” in the subject of your email. Include a sentence about yourself and why you want to go. Phone contact greatly appreciated for confirmation.
The winner must provide their own transportation to the Mountain Winery in Saratoga, California, on Tuesday, August 12, and have his or her own accommodations in the area.
Best of luck!
EVENT DETAILS
GP Presents Buddy Guy plus Taj Farrant
Tuesday, August 12
5:30 p.m. doors, 7:30 p.m. show, All Ages
The Mountain Winery
Saratoga, California
We'll be handing out free packs of Martin Strings
