Blues Legend Buddy Guy on His Role in ‘Sinners,’ Playing With Jimi Hendrix, and Keeping the Blues Alive

At 89 years young, the legendary blues guitarist Buddy Guy has witnessed music history unfold. While his role as a vampire hunter in Ryan Coogler's acclaimed film "Sinners" is fictional, his real-life encounters border on the mythical. When asked about playing with Jimi Hendrix, Guy offers a characteristic correction. "He was playing with me!" he laughs, underscoring a career that forms a cornerstone of American blues. Emerging from the same Chicago scene as Muddy Waters and Howlin' Wolf, Guy's own fiery, feedback-drenched style became a direct bridge to the rock 'n' roll explosion. His influence is undeniable; as Eric Clapton noted during Guy's 2005 Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, "There he was, standing alongside the masters... confidently pushing the blues into the 20th century." Clapton recalled being stunned by Guy's 1966 London performance, which presaged Hendrix's stagecraft with its passion and technical daring.

Guy remains a vital force in preserving the genre's legacy, still touring relentlessly and operating his famed Chicago club, Buddy Guy's Legends. His dedication stems from a promise made to peers like B.B. King. "We all spoke about this day — that whoever lived longest, please try to keep the blues alive," Guy explains. This commitment made him a natural fit for "Sinners," a film that has, in his view, introduced his music to a new generation. He notes more young faces at his shows and even had a grocery store encounter where a fan recognized him from the movie but not from his storied past, a sign of how radio has shifted. "If you don't have satellite now, you don't get to hear no more blues on your radio," he observes, highlighting the film's potential to fill that gap.

The filming process was no easy feat, even for someone with Guy's stamina. Recalling a marathon 16-hour shoot day that began at 4 a.m., he joked, "Hell, I didn't work this hard on the farm!" His rural Louisiana upbringing as the son of sharecroppers, picking cotton from dawn until dusk, provided a unique perspective on hard work. Despite his iconic status, Guy maintains a profound humility about his artistry, calling himself a "copycat" of heroes like Muddy Waters and Sonny Boy Williamson. He famously demurred when younger British guitar gods like Clapton and Jeff Beck asked for his secrets in the 1960s, claiming he just turned his amplifier on and off.

Reflecting on his storied collaborations, Guy shares a memorable first meeting with Jimi Hendrix in New York after the 1967 Newport Jazz Festival. After a particularly wild stage show, he was told Hendrix—who had canceled a gig to attend—was in the audience. "He said, 'could I steal some licks from you?'" Guy recalls. That meeting sparked a mutual respect and led to several legendary jam sessions. For Guy, such connections underscore the blues as the foundational root of modern music. "The blues is the history," he states. "Back then, there wasn't no such a' thing as hip-hop, rock, or nothing else." He hopes projects like "Sinners" continue to open eyes, proving the genre's story is far from over. As evidence, his latest album, "Ain't Done With the Blues," is in contention for what could be his ninth Grammy Award, a testament to an enduring career that continues to inspire.