Buddy Guy & Jonny Lang

Buddy Guy, the legendary Chicago blues guitarist, and Jonny Lang, the Grammy Award-winning Midwest native and fiery blues rock instrumentalist will perform in separate sets at the State Theatre.

A showman known for his riveting, virtuoso playing and fervent vocals, Guy is a five-time Grammy Award-winner who was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2005. Lang, who will perform first in a separate set, is a Fargo native and one-time Minneapolis resident. He was lauded by U.S. News and World Report for having “the voice of a grizzled blues veteran…and guitar skills to match.”

Since the early ‘60s, Buddy Guy has left an indelible mark in the development of blues music with his fevered electric guitar playing and impassioned vocals. A legendary pioneer of Chicago’s fabled West Side sound, he has been a chief guitar influence to rock titans like Hendrix, Clapton and Vaughan. Guy's hits include “Damn Right,” “I've Got The Blues,” “Feels Like Rain” and “Slippin' In.” In addition to his Grammys, he has received 23 W.C. Handy Blues Awards (the most any artist has received), the Billboard Magazine Century Award for distinguished artistic achievement and the Presidential National Medal of Arts. He is also ranked 30th in Rolling Stone’s list of “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time.”

Jonny Lang became a professional musician at age 12, when he began playing with the Bad Medicine Blues Band. Several months later, he became their leader and the newly renamed Kid Jonny Lang and the Big Bang relocated from Fargo to Minneapolis to release their debut album, “Smokin,’” in 1995. While kids his age were in high school, he was touring with music giants including The Rolling Stones and Aerosmith, becoming known for his unusual voice, guitar solos and frequent use of wide vibratos. “Lie to Me,” their 1997 multi-platinum album propelled by the hit title track, introduced him to a national audience. He also won a Grammy Award for Best Gospel Album in 2006 for “Turn Around.” “Live at the Ryman” was released in 2010 and he is currently working on a new CD.