By Cornbread

Buddy Guy – Skin Deep
{July 22, 2008}

Skin Deep is the latest release from the five-time Grammy winning and Rock Hall of Fame inductee and is the first Buddy Guy album to contain 100% new material. Some of Buddy’s friends appear on the album include Eric Clapton, Derek Trucks and wife Susan Tedeschi, Robert Randolph and newcomer Quinn Sullivan, a 9-yr-old guitar prodigy. Skin Deep takes to Southside Chicago with these 12 electric blues tracks. Buddy shows no sign of slowing down, just the opposite, this 71-year-old guitar God is moving quick, playing fast and sounds great. Buddy along John Mayer and B.B. King were some of the guitar greats featured on Rolling Stone last month (June ’08).

The tracks are:
1. Best Damn Fool
2. Too Many Tears with Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeschi
3. Lyin’ Like A Dog
4. Show Me The Money
5. Every Time I Sing The Blues with Eric Clapton
6. Out In The Woods with Robert Randolph
7. Hammer And A Nail
8. That’s My Home with Robert Randolph
9. Skin Deep with Derek Trucks
10. Who’s Gonna Fill Those Shoes with Quinn Sullivan
11. Smell The Funk
12. I Found Happiness

All good songs, a couple of great ones, 'Who’s Gonna Fill Those Shoes' is a tribute to the blues heritage and mentions Muddy, Howlin’, Willie Dixon, The three Kings – Freedie, Albert and B.B. as well as others including Stevie Ray. 'Skin Deep' has a catchy chorus that you’ll find yourself singing for most of the day. The music is the blues – great smokin’ guitar playing. Buddy’s vocals are so rich and soulful, man he sounds good, really good. The lyrics are fair.

In all, it’s a good CD. I liked it and will continue to listen often.

Last Fall I had the chance to visit with Buddy prior to a show. He told me stories of Chess Records and his family that grew up on a cotton farm where he rode cattle on occasion. After that he rocked the place for 70-minutes. If you haven’t ever seen Buddy live do it now!