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Heavy Love
Studio album by Buddy Guy
Released	1998
Genre	Blues, blues rock
Label	Silvertone
Producer	David Z
Buddy Guy chronology
As Good As It Gets (1998) Heavy Love (1998) Buddy's Baddest: The Best of Buddy Guy (1999)

Heavy Love is an album by the American blues musician Buddy Guy, released in 1998. It was nominated for a Grammy Award for "Best Contemporary Blues Album".

The album peaked at No. 163 on the Billboard 200.

Production

Produced by David Z, the album was recorded in Nashville. In an attempt to get the album played on popular radio, Guy added synthetic drums and tape loops to some tracks.

Jonny Lang duets with Guy on the album's lead single, "Midnight Train".

Critical reception

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
The Age
AllMusic
Robert Christgau
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music
Entertainment Weekly	B+
The Hamilton Spectator
The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings
(The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide

Entertainment Weekly wrote that the album focuses on "tight songs, concise, off-kilter solos, funk-tinged grooves, and impassioned vocals." The Daily Herald called "Did Somebody Make a Fool Outta You" "a mesmerizing piece of fretwork and utter soul." The Chicago Tribune opined that "the methodical finale, 'Let Me Show You', showcases the singer's soft, tearful, underrated voice." The Hamilton Spectator noted that "a Buddy Guy album is the only place where the volume faders are often turned down to 2 rather than consistently bombarding your ears at 11."

AllMusic thought that "purists will cringe at the unabashed commercial concessions," but acknowledged that "Heavy Love works well when compared to the modern electric blues of the post-Stevie Ray Vaughan era, especially since Guy once again contributes some scorching solos." (The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide deemed the album "refreshingly modern, if uneven."

Track listing

Personnel

• Buddy Guy - guitar, vocals
• Jack Holder - guitar
• Reese Wynans - keyboards
• David M. Smith - bass guitar
• Richie Hayward - drums
• David Z - percussion
• Jonny Lang - guitar, vocals (track 2)
• Steve Cropper - guitar (tracks 1, 5, 7 to 11)

References

1. "The Year in Blues". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. December 26, 1998 – via Google Books.
2. Clarke, John (13 June 1998). "Blues Choice". Features. The Times. p. 11.
3. Perry, Jonathan (May 22, 1998). "Damn Right, He's Buddy Guy". Rolling Stone.
4. "Buddy Guy". GRAMMY.com. December 15, 2020.
5. "Buddy Guy". Billboard.
6. "Buddy Guy, Torchbearer for Windy City Blues". The Washington Post. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
7. Sculley, Alan (17 Sep 1998). "Buddy Guy Takes Blues Tradition into the '90s". Get Out. St. Louis Post-Dispatch. p. 18.
8. "The Big Guy of Blues on Three Stages". Hartford Courant. Retrieved 14 July 2021.
9. Reilly, Terry (10 July 1998). "CD Reviews". Entertainment Guide. The Age. p. 10.
10. ^ "Heavy Love - Buddy Guy | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic" – via www.allmusic.com.
11. "Robert Christgau: CG: Buddy Guy". www.robertchristgau.com.
12. Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 4. MUZE. p. 49.
13. ^ "Heavy Love". Entertainment Weekly.
14. ^ Krewen, Nick (16 June 1998). "Heavy Love". The Hamilton Spectator. p. C8.
15. The Penguin Guide to Blues Recordings. Penguin. 2006. p. 235.
16. ^ (The New) Rolling Stone Album Guide. Simon & Schuster. 2004. pp. 352–353.
17. Guarino, Mark. "Chicago Red Hots Smashing Pumpkins and Buddy Guy make it a summer of love". Time Out. Daily Herald. p. 4.
18. Knopper, Steve (7 June 1998). "Buddy Guy". Arts & Entertainment. Chicago Tribune. p. 21.

• Buddy Guy albums
• 1998 albums
• Albums produced by David Z (music producer)