On this date in history, 8/15/1996, Joe Cocker, Buddy Guy, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, and Radiators appeared at Deer Creek to serenade us with their blues and classic rock soulfulness.
This was one of those shows where my companions and I arrived a little late, so I can only report on the final 2 acts. This was my first time seeing the legendary Buddy Guy, and it was magnificent, to say the very least. Chicago blues at its finest, played with a fiery intensity that would have done a much younger man proud.
Buddy was a spry 60 year old at the time, singing and playing with such authority and command of his art, literally turning the outdoor arena into an intimate club with his charismatic delivery. Buddy’s band were all exceptional players, too. His keyboardist definitely stood out on a number of great solos.
Joe Cocker is a legend in his own right and played a really good set of his classics, but I personally felt he should have yielded the top spot to Buddy Guy, who had more fire and passion in his music. That is just a small observation, though…both artists were complimentary of each other’s styles, and the audience benefited from the deep catalogs of amazing music from two hall of fame worthy performers.
Written By Braddon S. Williams aka The Concert Critic
VinylLair.com 
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