Buddy Guy’s foul language makes festival official blue
Buddy Guy might be the last living blues legend, but that doesn’t give him license to curse in front of kids, according to the man who booked him here last weekend.
Ron “Moondog” Esser, owner of the Blawnox club Moondog’s and chairman of the Pittsburgh Blues Festival, a benefit for the Greater Pittsburgh Community Food Bank, issued an apology Thursday night on his Facebook page.
“I want to apologize for Buddy Guy’s language last week at the Pittsburgh Blues Festival,” he wrote. “I booked him. I’ve been working with him for literally 30 years. Never thought it would be an issue. I was offended also because my 13-year-old son was there. It will never happen again. I will make sure of that. I especially apologize to the food bank for
putting them in that situation. They are great people.”
Buddy Guy, who headlined the festival Saturday at Hartwood Acres, dropped the f-bomb numerous times during his set, including responding to a request from a persistent fan with a lighthearted, “Will you shut the [expletive] up for a minute?”
After his first use of the profanity, the singer-guitarist, who turned 79 on Thursday, said, “I know some will say, ‘ My kid never heard that word.’ If they haven’t, they ain’t got a [expletive] television.”
Mr. Esser said Friday that the food bank received two complaints about the colorful language and that he also saw people commenting about it on social media.
“Somebody had to take the heat,” he said. “If I’m going to get all the glory, I should take some of the blame, too.
“B.B. King,” he added, “was so cool and so great, such a class act. It kind of bums me out that Buddy Guy had to say those things.”
On the other hand, Mr. Esser said, “I was more offended by some of the younger bands who showed up late and didn’t care. Buddy Guy came early in the morning and worked hard to put on a good show. His people were all very professional.”
Buddy Guy’s management did not respond to an email Friday.
Mr. Esser’s post quickly lit up with comments, supporting his apology while also debating the bluesman’s use of language.
One poster said, “This was my first time seeing Buddy and was quite surprised by his unprofessional language. While this might be appropriate for a blues club, it was not appropriate for a large crowd at a benefit.”
“No need to apologize Ron,” said another. “Although I was a bit surprised, I wasn’t shocked or offended. Blues festival folks, not Disney on Ice. Get over it!”
Some of Mr. Esser’s friends weren't surprised at all: “I’ve never seen Buddy Guy perform where he didn't drop fbombs.”
This was the first time, Mr. Esser said, that a problem with questionable language has arisen at a food bank concert.
“It will never happen again,” he said, “because we will put a clause in the contract.”
Over the past 20 years, the Blues Festival has raised more than $2 million for the food bank. There are no numbers yet on what the benefit raised last week, but once again, attendance was strong.
“We made money to feed homeless people and we did well, and it’s because of Buddy Guy,” Mr. Esser said. “We’ll learn from it and move on.”
Prior to the concert, a proclamation was read declaring it “Buddy Guy Day” in Allegheny County.