Guy Davis

Guy Davis

Guy Davis is an American blues guitarist, singer, actor and songwriter from New York. Born in 1952, he works mainly in blues and folk, with a strong emphasis on acoustic blues.

Early life and acting

Davis is the son of stage and film performers Ossie Davis and Ruby Dee. He makes his stage debut at the age of 16 in Cotton Comes to Harlem. He later appears in the film Beat Street, on the daytime television drama One Life to Live, and in the play Mulebone, which has a score by Taj Mahal. He also portrays Robert Johnson in Trick the Devil.

Recording career

Davis records an album for Folkways in 1978, then signs to Red House and releases his Delta blues debut, Stomp Down Rider, in 1995. After that, he continues to perform and record acoustic blues. His albums include Call Down the Thunder, You Don't Know My Mind and Butt Naked Free.

Later projects and collaborations

In 2010, Davis appears in the Broadway revival of Finian's Rainbow, where he composes and performs Dance of the Golden Crock, a duet for harmonica and ballet dancer. He also contributes songs to tribute and compilation albums, including sets devoted to Charley Patton and Robert Johnson. In 2012 he releases The Adventures of Fishey Waters: In Bed with the Blues, an audio play combining historical tales with songs performed by Davis.