Blues legend Buddy Guy added another milestone to his storied career, winning “Best Traditional Blues Album” at the Grammy Awards during the 2026 ceremony in Los Angeles.
The past year has been especially significant for Guy beyond the recording studio. He has continued to perform regularly, bringing traditional blues to audiences around the world with the same fire and authority that defined his earliest club performances. In addition, Guy made a high-profile appearance in the Oscar nominated film, Sinners, further expanding his cultural footprint and introducing his legacy to new audiences."You know, it was a surprise to me that this came to me, and I'm still trying to keep the blues alive. So I said whatever will help the blues a lot, not just Buddy Guy, these young people. See, I was influenced by blues by listening to the greats that are no longer with us, Muddy Waters. When you had your AM/FM stations, they played everybody's music - gospel, jazz and blues. Now, unless you got satellite, you don't hear nothing about blues. They don't play that highly on the radio no more. So my grandkids, other people's grandkids, they didn't know. And when the movie came out - I've been going to this grocery store for 40 years, and this lady been waiting on me. And I walked in, and she starts screaming. I said, what's wrong with you? You in a movie. And that's when she recognized I was a blues player, 'cause I don't go in and say, hey, here's Buddy Guy."
Photo courtesy of Scheme Engine-Sony
