Buddy Guy takes the spotlight on the newly released B.B. King’s Blues Summit 100, Vol. III, leading the project’s next wave of tributes with a searing performance of “Sweet Little Angel.” The track arrives with a video intercutting archival and live footage of Guy and B.B. King together, emphasizing not just their musical chemistry but the lineage Guy continues to uphold as one of the last living giants of the blues.
“Buddy Guy is obviously the first call you make when putting this project together,” said co-producer Josh Smith, who noted that Guy’s vocals and guitar on the track were captured in a single live performance. “The Real Deal indeed.”
Singer and guitarist Buddy Guy is one of the most influential axemen of the twentieth century, impacting Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Keith Richards and more. Starting his career 50 years ago, Buddy Guy’s astonishing career highlights include the 2015 Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, eight Grammy Awards, thirty-seven Blues Music Awards, twenty-three W.C. Handy Awards, the Kennedy Center Honor, Billboard Music Awards; Century Award, Presidential National Medal of Arts, and induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
The volume features a slate of powerhouse contributors—Larkin Poe, Trombone Shorty, Eric Gales, Jimmie Vaughan, and Larry McCray—while today’s announcement also confirmed one of the project’s most anticipated moments: a new recording of “The Thrill Is Gone” featuring Chaka Khan and Eric Clapton, set for release with the full 32-track album on February 6, 2026. The team-up marks a historic pairing of two major interpreters of B.B. King’s most iconic song.
Guy’s appearance on Blues Summit 100 follows another recent high-profile moment: his role in the Louisiana-made film Sinners, where his presence lends narrative weight and deep musical authenticity to the story’s connection to the blues. With both the tribute project and the film, Guy remains a vital cultural bridge between generations of American roots music.
Produced by Joe Bonamassa and Josh Smith with the blessing of the B.B. King Estate, the ongoing project brings together multiple generations of artists shaped by King’s influence, including past collaborators like Gary Clark Jr., Keb’ Mo’, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, George Benson, and Kenny Wayne Shepherd. The full album arrives February 6.
