![20th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony 20th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony]()
20th Annual Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony
B.B. King. One would think that with age, ongoing health issues, and just the fact that he has been doing it for the past 60 or so years, he might consider retiring, but the opposite is the fact of the matter. The thrill is not gone for him. With no reduction in actual number of performance dates, which averages about 250 a year, a chair is all he needs.
Considering his preeminent position as the "king" of blues of performers, one might anticipate a royal demeanor from B.B. King, but such is not the case as he begins his Buddy Guy induction remarks: Good evening ladies and gentleman. They usually reserve the place for the oldest and the ugliest to speak first."
Fellow Rock And Roll Hall Fame member Eric Clapton jokingly concurs, "Go ahead" as the crowd laughs.
"I don’t have a prepared statement about George Guy, oh yeah, "Buddy" Guy, excuse me. Buddy Guy has been a friend for a long, long time. He’s been an inspiration to many many people including myself. I never was as handsome as he is. And I think Lucille liked him better." [More laughter from the crowd].
"Anyway, I’d like to say, to have known him as many years as I have, I should say, I don’t want to say how long because I hope to get married again one day...ladies shouldn't know old I really am - then I won’t make it. But I’ve known him a long time.
"When I first met Buddy Guy, I met him with who I call the Godfather of the blues. And you blues lovers should remember the great Muddy Waters. But I’ll say this and move over for the handsome one [referring to Eric Clapton]. Um...when it comes to being a great person, Buddy Guy’s that. When it comes to being a great guitarist, Buddy Guy’s that. He’s a good friend. And he’s been a friend to most of us.
"I didn’t have a prepared statement, as I said, to read. But I think my friend here [referring to Eric Clapton], and I’d like to say this where you can hear me, the number one rock 'n' roll guitarist today is my friend right behind me, the handsome one. And he play blues better than me and most of the others. But I think that Buddy Guy is very close second to him. ...my friend... [introducing Eric Clapton]"
"B.B. King." Eric Clapton acknowledges B. B. King then continues...
"It’s a great honor and a privilege to be able to induct this distinguished gentleman [referring to Buddy Guy] into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame. A man that means so much to me personally and who as a musician has given so much to us all. It also provides me with the perfect opportunity to say thank you for all the inspiration he’s given me over the years. His style of playing and singing and his love and concern for the welfare of the blues has been a great example for me and countless others who have had the good fortune to share this road."
Clapton elaborates on how, as a young musician, he discovered the music of Buddy Guy and and how Guy inspired him to follow his dreams as a blues musician and how he related to Guy because of the fact that Guy was a young player in a field dominated by the old masters.
He talks about the first time Guy played in England in 1965 at the Marquee club, "In the flesh he was earth shattering. His style, on every level, was fantastic, doing all the things we would later come to associate with Jimi Hendrix - playing with his teeth, his feet, and behind his head, he brought the house crashing down."
"But beyond all that," Clapton continues. "it was his actual playing that got through to me. With only a drummer and a bass player behind him, he gave a thundering performance, delivering the blues with finesse and passion in a way that I’d never heard before. And incidentally, he got me thinking that a trio was a pretty good line-up for a band." A slight laugh stirs in the audience for those who get the joke.
"All in all, everything about that night was deeply profound for me, the blues was clearly alive and well. And it looked good, too. For as well as being the real thing, musically, Buddy was a star. His suit, his hair, his moves, his sunburst Strat, everything was sharp and perfect. He was for me, what Elvis was for most other people. My course was set and he was my pilot."
Clapton concludes with, "For that I thank you Buddy Guy, and I welcome you to the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame."
Buddy walks on stage with an old, lo-fi sounding blues song playing in the background that gives the impression that one is listening to an old Chess recording through a Victorola.
"Ah, that’s Muddy Waters' song, saying 'I got a black cat bone. I got a......It’s black, I got it.'" Buddy Guy muses.
Guy keeps his speech short and sweet and concludes by saying, "And to be in company like this tonight, I’m just out of words. I just wanna play for you. Look at this...to be standing here and get to pick up a guitar and stand between these two guys and play, man.....You gotta be me to know how I feel tonight, man. This is no small task." He refers to Clapton and King standing behind him.
Briefly, he thanks his record company and producers for "Putting up with my shit. I haven’t made a lot of records that make a lot of money, but I make a lot of records that uh, if you ever listen to it, it’s something that I might say that might fit you, like ‘You’re Damn Right I Got The Blues.’ "
He then turns to Clapton and says. "I remember Eric, when we came out of Australia, and you had a rock awards ceremony here in New York and we had Bo Diddley. And someone asked you ‘What is the Blues?’ and you said, ‘Mr. Donald Trump got the blues.’ And I said to myself ‘Wait a minute, you gotta explain this.’ You said, ‘Yeah he got the blues cause he got to keep it and I got the blues cause I got to get it.’
"And that’s been sticking with me ever since." Guy continues, "If you don't think you got the blues, just keep living. And if you don’t think you get drunk, just keep drinking what you’re drinking and thinking what you’re thinking."
He finishes with, "Ladies and gentleman, I’m gonna play a little blues for you, alright?."