Buddy Guy

Ain’t Done With The Blues

RCA/Silvertone
Release Date: July 30, 2025 (Buddy’s 89th Birthday)
Publicity: Blind Raccoon
By Peter “Blewzzman” Lauro © July 2025

When Buddy Guy sings, people listen. As a matter of fact, so does the lord. It is close to seven years to the day when Buddy asked him for “A Few More Years”, in a song of that name on his 2018 release titled The Blues is Alive And Well. Buddy’s exact words were:

“A few good years Is all I need right now.  Please, please Lord, send a few good years on down”.

That said, in conjunction with what I believe is his 52nd release – Ain’t Done With The Blues – Buddy just kicked off what looks to be like another world tour. Just as the Bible says, “Ask and you shall receive”, right Buddy?

Ain’t Done With The Blues features Buddy Guy on vocals, and black & white polka dot relic Fender Strat, 1972 Tele Deluxe, 2015 blue & white polka dot relic Fender Strat, 1988 blonde Fender Strat, 1958 sunburst Fender Strat, and Martin BG acoustic guitars. Joining him are: the disc’s producer, Tom Hambridge on drums, bongos, percussion, background vocals and handclaps; Tal Wilkenfeld on electric bass; Chuck Leavell on B3 organ and Wurlitzer; Rob McNelley on electric, slide and acoustic guitars; Kevin McKendree on piano, B3 organ and Wurlitzer; Glenn Worf on acoustic, electric and upright bass; Christone “Kingfish” Ingram on vocals and electric guitar; Joe Walsh on vocals and slide guitar; Joe Bonamassa on electric guitar; Peter Frampton on vocals and electric guitar; Blind Boys of Alabama on vocals; Mike Rojas on B3 organ, Wurlitzer and keyboards; Max Abrams on saxophone; Steve Patrick on trumpet and Flugelhorn; Emil Justian and Tommy McDonald on hand claps; and Michael Hicks on background vocals. The album contains eighteen tracks totaling well over an hour of the blues.

Now before I tell you about some of the songs, here are a few words from Buddy: “This album is about where I’ve been, it’s about where I’m going, and the people I learned everything from… Muddy, Wolf, Walter, Sonny Boy, B.B., I could go on and on. Before they passed they used to say ‘Man, if you outlive me, just keep the blues alive,’ and I’m trying to keep that promise. Now, I can’t kick my leg up high as I used to or jump off the stage like I did in my youth but I’m going to give you everything I got as long as I got it.” – Buddy Guy.

The disc opens with “Hooker Thing” (J.L. Hooker & B. Besman), a real quick sixty-eight second number that features Buddy singing and playing acoustic guitar and laying the ‘Hooker thing’ down pat. After the short riffs from “Boogie Chillen”, he explains that it was “One of the first things I ever learned”.

Later on (track 13) he does a similar number called “One From Lightnin'” (P. Foster). This one is seventy seconds short and while singing about the good advice he’s getting from a “Gypsy Woman”, Buddy gives us his best Lightnin’ Hopkins.

The disc’s second track is a smoker titled “Been There Done That” (T. Hambridge & G. Nicholson). It features Buddy following up on his opening statement about where he’s been and where he’s going. From talking about pickin’ a lot of cotton before pickin a guitar; to playing for kings, queens and presidents; there are a lot of stories he can tell. Musically, the smokin’ rhythm – led by fiery B3 organ leads from Chuck, and blazing tandem guitar shredding from Buddy and Rob make this one rock.

Remember all those times someone asked you “How can you listen to the blues, isn’t it sad music”? Well the next time that happens just play this one and let Buddy talk to them. Just one of his many answers will be: “The ‘Blues Chase The Blues Away’, the blues chase the blues away; Every time I hear a Jimmy Reed song, I forget about all the things that have gone wrong; The blues chase the blues away”. This Tom Hambridge & Gary Nicholson penned Chicago Blues shuffle showcases a couple of Nashville cats leading the way on rhythm – Kevin McKendree on piano and Rob McNelley on rhythm guitar.

“Where U At?” (T. Hambridge). With Buddy and Kingfish desperately looking for someone, this funky number takes us along on the search as they go in and out of some of the French Quarter’s hot spots. As you might expect, Buddy and Kingfish sharing the vocals and guitar work are masterful together. Equally masterful is the rhythm that Tom (drums & percussion), Tal (bass), and Chuck (piano & B3) are laying down.

If you want to know “How Blues Is That”, the answer is VERY! With Buddy and Joe Walsh taking turns belting out gritty vocals and going toe to toe on the lead and slide guitars, this one is loaded with downright raunchy blues.

So when I saw that this one featured Joe Bonamassa, I’d had bet my last two dollars that “Dry Stick” (B. Guy, T. Hambridge, G Nicholson) was going to rock out. Although it didn’t, I was happily surprised. With a very soothing rhythm going on behind them, this inspirational ballad showcases the softer side of Buddy as he offers encouraging suggestions, and Joe playing some of the softest, smoothest blues I’ve ever heard him play. Very well done number.

Besides ‘the blues chasing the blues away’, on this Tom Hambridge & Richard Flemming composition, Buddy – and Peter Frampton, as well – like playing them because it keeps them young. As Buddy says: ‘Chicago Blues, I like it loud; I turn it up and never turn it down; “It Keeps Me Young”, man I’m having fun; It makes me feel like when I was twenty-one.’ With Peter sharing similar thoughts, as you listen to their tandem vocal and guitar work, you certainly can’t argue with their logic.

This Gospel style track, “Jesus Loves The Sinner” (T. Hambridge & R. Fleming), features the Blind Boys of Alabama joining Buddy while they lead us straight to the pews. As you get caught up singing the chorus line of “Jesus loves the sinner but he hates the sin” (and you will), you’ll feel, and maybe even sound like you’re part of the choir.

Telling it like it is on “Upside Down” (T. Hambridge & R. Fleming), like the rest of us, Buddy is pissed. He’s had it with: “Paying two dollars for a nickel candy bar; gas in the tank costing more than the car; taxes going up higher all the time, with working folks standing in the welfare line’… and there’s a whole lot of other things eating at him – this bunch were just in the tracks first thirty seconds. Musically, with the addition of Max and Steve blowin’ the hell out of their horns; Kevin setting the B3 on fire; and Tom and Glenn pounding out the bottom; this one’s a total smoker. And then there’s Buddy being Buddy, belting the hell out of the blues and kickin’ ass on guitar. Definitely one of the disc’s best.

Other tracks on Ain’t Done With The Blues, which features well over an hour of outstanding music, include: “Blues On Top” (T. Hambridge & R. Fleming); “I Got Sumpin’ For You” (E. Taylor); “Love On A Budget” (T. Hambridge, R. Fleming & J. Tennant); “I Don’t Forget” (T. Hambridge & R. Fleming) “Trick Bag” (E. King); “Send me Some Loving” (J. Marascalco & L. Price); and “Talk To Your Daughter” (J.B. Lenoir & A. Adams).

Should any of you actually need to find out more about Buddy Guy, just go to – www.buddyguy.net. Remember, wherever you go and whomever you talk to, please tell them their friend the Blewzzman sent you.