Harvest Signs Legend Buddy Guy for Cancelled Allman Sept 14th show
August 15, 2011
In an astounding comeback move that is sure to electrify fans, the Harvest Jazz and Blues Festival announced today that living legend Buddy Guy, one of the world’s most in-demand blues masters, has been signed to headline the Festival on Wednesday, September 14.
The Rock and Roll Hall-of-Famer will return to Harvest to take one of two performance slots vacated by Gregg Allman, who was forced to cancel two Harvest shows on doctor’s orders due to a respiratory illness.
Guy, a five-time Grammy winner, is widely considered a pioneer of the Chicago blues sound, and a major influence for such guitar greats as Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Jimi Hendrix and Jimmy Page.
Tickets for the show will go on sale at the Festival store, 81 Regent Street, or online at ticketpro.ca at 10am on Wednesday morning. Ultimate Pass holders will have the opportunity to add a Buddy Guy ticket for a discounted $25. Regular tickets are $55. Ticket holders also get into the Karl Denson’s Tiny Universe Afterburner for free.
Anticipating high demand for Buddy Guy and the Thursday Blues Tent headliner, Harvest also announced today it will for the first time ever create a new Wednesday/Thursday pass. For the price of the nightly passes ($79.50), the Wednesday/Thursday pass allows access to our four main tents and TD Jazz Central on Thursday night, as well as the Buddy Guy show on Wednesday. The pass, and individual tickets to the Wednesday and Thursday Blues Tent shows will go on sale Wednesday, August 17 at 10am.
Flamboyant showmanship, high-energy guitar histrionics and boundless on-stage energy have always been Guy trademarks, along with a tortured vocal style that’s nearly as distinctive as his incendiary rapid-fire fretwork.
“There are only a handful of musicians on the planet that have had the lasting impact of Buddy Guy. His 2008 appearance at Harvest was wildly popular, beyond what we as organizers could have predicted. So, not only is this a stellar replacement for Gregg, it’s a rare second chance for fans who couldn’t get tickets the first time. Now, they’ll also get to experience Guy’s transcendent live show first-hand,” says Festival Music Director Brent Staeben.
“It’s a sign of the Festival’s growing international stature, and the positive experience Buddy had three years ago, that he was willing to sign on at such a late date to return to Harvest,” says Staeben. “To say we’re grateful, well, that would be an understatement.”
Although Guy has been playing the blues professionally since the 1950’s, it wasn’t until 1991 that he received his break, with the release of Damn Right, I’ve Got the Blues, a landmark album that won him his first Grammy and five W.C. Handy awards. To date, Guy has won four other Grammy Awards, including the 2010 best contemporary blues album, and 23 W.C. Handy Awards - the most ever won by a single person. He has also received the National Medal of Honour - presented by the President of the United States - was inducted by Eric Clapton and BB King into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and was named the 30th best guitarist of all time by Rolling Stone.
“This is yet another example of the Festival’s uncanny ability to take a huge blow, get up, dust itself off, and come back swinging better and stronger than ever,” says Festival Chair Brad Wasson. “Our number one priority is to put exceptional performers and awesome performances on stage for our patrons. Despite last week’s setback, I think everyone will agree we’ve managed just that by signing Buddy Guy - and we’re not done yet.”
“I wouldn’t wait too long to snap up tickets for this one,” adds Wasson.
The replacement for Allman’s Thursday, September 15th slot is expected to be announced in the next 24 hours, at which time anyone who wishes to exchange or refund their Gregg Allman tickets can do so.
