So many blues greats have come and gone, and few have matched their talent and legendary status. Luckily, though, there are quite a few blues legends who are still alive today. And many of those iconic artists are still performing live! Let’s take a look at four of the oldest living blues legends.
1. Buddy Guy
He’s one of the oldest living blues legends at 87 (as of 2024), and he’s still hard at work today. George “Buddy” Guy was at the forefront of the Chicago blues movement and has influenced everyone from Jimi Hendrix to Keith Richards to John Mayer. He’s won a whopping eight Grammy awards during his career, and his most recent release was the 2022 record The Blues Don’t Lie.
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2. Bobby Rush
Bobby Rush is 90 years old as of 2024, and he’s a true inspiration who won a Grammy award decades into his career at 83. It really is never too late! He’s been inducted into just about every blues hall of fame you can think of, and there’s really no “rush” to slow down for this blues icon. His latest album was All My Love For You from 2023.
3. Taj Mahal
Taj Mahal, a.k.a. Henry St. Claire Fredericks Jr., is 82 years old as of 2024. His career has been a long and successful one as a blues guitarist, though he’s known for so much more. A talented instrumentalist, Taj Mahal has penned songs in a number of genres from world music to R&B to reggae to jazz.
4. John Mayall
Nobody does it quite like John Mayall. At 90 years old, Mayall just recently retired from touring; though, who knows? He might kick off at least one more “final” farewell tour in the wake of being inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
Photo by Paul Natkin
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