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Buddy Guy

Saturday, August 08, 2026 @ 8:00pm



State Theatre New Jersey
15 Livingston Avenue, New Brunswick, NJ 08901

At nearly 90 years old, Buddy Guy stands as one of the most influential guitarists in American music. As a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee and a pioneer of Chicago’s explosive West Side sound, Buddy Guy remains a guiding force for generations of rock and blues legends. The eight-time Grammy®-winner has also earned a Lifetime Achievement Grammy®, 38 Blues Music Awards, the Billboard Century Award, the Presidential National Medal of Arts, and the Kennedy Center Honor. Rolling Stone ranks him #23 on its list of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time,” underscoring his unmatched impact on modern music.

Born in 1936 in Lettsworth, Louisiana, Guy built his first two-string guitar at age seven. His life changed in 1957 when he moved to Chicago, soon recording for Chess Records and collaborating with its legendary roster. His raw emotion, showmanship, and blistering guitar style reshaped the instrument’s possibilities and set a new standard for electric blues.

Guy’s visibility surged in the 2010s, highlighted by his 2012 Kennedy Center Honor and the release of his memoir When I Left Home. A run of acclaimed albums followed, including Born to Play GuitarThe Blues Is Alive and Well, which earned his eighth Grammy® in 2019; and The Blues Don’t Lie, his 2022 Billboard #1 Blues album. In 2021, PBS American Masters released Buddy Guy: The Blues Chase the Blues Away, cementing his status as both a historic figure and a cultural force.

In 2025, he released Ain’t Done With the Blues, produced by longtime collaborator Tom Hambridge and featuring The Blind Boys of Alabama, Peter Frampton, Joe Walsh, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, and Joe Bonamassa. Its lead single, “How Blues Is That?” reaffirmed the grit, humor, and wisdom that define his late-career renaissance. As Buddy shared, “This album is about where I’ve been, it’s about where I’m going…before they passed, Muddy, Wolf, Walter, Sonny Boy, B.B.—they used to say, ‘If you outlive me, just keep the blues alive.’ And I’m trying to keep that promise.” Released on his 89th birthday, the album drew widespread acclaim, praising him as “masterful,” “vital,” and “one of the last of the great bluesmen still standing.” Around the same time, his appearance in Ryan Coogler’s blockbuster SINNERS introduced him to yet another new audience.

In recent years, Buddy announced his Damn Right Farewell Tour, although a step back from extensive touring, he has never stepped away from performing or recording. Now, as he celebrates his 90th year, Buddy Guy remains one of the last surviving architects of electric blues; A bridge from the fields of Louisiana to the clubs of Chicago to the world’s biggest stages. Whether creating new music, inspiring rising artists, or electrifying audiences with the fire that has defined him for seven decades, Buddy Guy continues to show that the blues not only lives, it thrives.

There is a limit of 6 tickets per order.  

 




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EVENT PREVIEWS

(NEWARK, NJ) -- New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) presents a Spring Season of Jazz with free monthly jazz jams at Clement's Place and two special concert events inside the Victoria Theater. This series, running from September through June, is co-presented by NJPAC's Jazz Advisory Committee and Rutgers University–Newark's Institute of Jazz Studies (IJS). Immerse yourself in the relaxing sounds of jazz music that stimulate the players’ and listeners' minds.



PBS'

PBS' Independent Lens Launches 20th Season of Free Pop-Up Screening Series in Teaneck and Nationwide

(TEANECK, NJ) -- The award-winning PBS documentary series, INDEPENDENT LENS, presents the launch of the upcoming season of Indie Lens Pop-Up in partnership with the Teaneck International Film Festival and the Puffin Cultural Forum. The season kicks-off on February 4, 2026 with The Librarians and continues through May. The series is free for all but sign up is required.



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State Theatre New Jersey presents The Sound Studio Series 2026

(NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ) -- State Theatre New Jersey proudly presents The Sound Studio Series, an immersive musical experience that places concertgoers at the very heart of the performance. Held in STNJ's intimate Studio space, limited to just 80 attendees, The Sound Studio Series features a dynamic mix of both classical and rock performances. Each concert concludes with an exclusive post-show meet-and-greet with the artists, offering fans a rare opportunity to connect directly with the performers. Tickets for the series are $20-$30.



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Morven Museum & Garden's Grand Homes & Gardens returns with a new series for America's 250th

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October

October Ensemble presents the World Premiere of "Oh Sh*t, Sherlock!"

(OCEAN GROVE, NJ) -- October Ensemble presents the World Premiere of Oh Sh*t, Sherlock! weekends from March 20 to April 12, 2026 at The Jersey Shore Arts Center. The actor playing Sherlock has never seen the script. Hilarity ensues as the rest of the cast tries to keep the mystery on track!












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