The Buddy Whittington Band
It all started in 2000, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers together with Peter Green’s Splinter Group began a series of tours across the UK, America and Europe. Mayall has described Buddy as “possibly the greatest Bluesbreaker of them all”. Hailing from Fort Worth Texas, Buddy spent fifteen years playing alongside Mayall and some of the biggest names in Blues. His performances and song writing skills didn’t go unnoticed and he eventually released his solo album.
At the same time, Splinter Group’s Roger Cotton and Pete Stroud spent many years working alongside Peter Green, up until Green’s departure. In 2008 Mayall disbanded the Bluesbreakers line-up, releasing Buddy to further
his solo career and…“THE BUDDY WHITTINGTON BAND” was born.
Buddy Whittington
Pete Stroud – Bass
Roger Cotton – Keyboards
Darby Todd – Drums
Buddy Whittington was the guitarist (and sometime singer) in the "John Mayall Bluesbreakers" lineup for 15 years. Mayall described Buddy as possibly the greatest of all his guitar players which is apparent for the time that he
kept Buddy with the Bluesbreakers. Buddy toured the world over with the Bluesbreakers, played at the biggest festivals worldwide and shared the stage with many of the biggest names in the blues world such as, Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Robert Cray, Mick Taylor and Robben Ford to name just a few. He played on Mayall’s CDs and was notably acclaimed for his guitar playing alongside Clapton on John Mayall’s 70th birthday DVD filmed in Liverpool.
Both Pete Stroud and Roger Cotton have worked and toured with many bands from the UK but notably they were both long time members of Peter Green’s Splinter Group, touring across the UK, Europe and the world and recording many CDs and a live DVD with the Splinter Group. In 2000, Mayall’s Bluesbreakers together with Green’s Splinter Group embarked on what became a series of highly succesful UK, Europe and USA tours. The sell out tours took in places such as The Royal Albert Hall to the Birmingham Symphony Hall etc. After a 15 year lineup, Mayall decided to come "off the road" for a while and stood down his long time band. About the same time though Buddy released his first solo CD. The CD was highly acclaimed and so Buddy came to the UK to join up alongside Pete Stroud and Roger Cotton with drummer Darby Todd. Darby plays with top UK jazz fusion band "Protect The Beat" and also joined Justin Hawkins "Hot Leg, (he of the Darkness" fame) for a while. He had also worked with Pete on many London ‘blues’ gigs.
With songs off Buddy’s CD, the band also play favourite songs from Buddy’s time with Mayall alongside some of the older and popular songs from Freddie to BB King etc.
Recently a new CD recorded ‘live’ in the studio with the band was made available. "A Bag Full Of Blues" is exactly as it says and has become a big ‘hit’ with the bands’ followers. This album was recorded live in the studio over two days at the end of the band’s May and November UK tours. Many of the songs included are by popular demand from our live repertoire, along with some new Blues… What initially started off as a record for us is now ‘A Bag Full Of Blues’ for you…Even more recently, Buddy made another solo CD in the USA called "Six Stringed Svengali" released August 2011 on Manhaton records.
This current lineup has received huge amounts of praise for their musicality and performances both on stage and CD while retaining the sought after roots feel of the blues.
More about Buddy…
‘A lifelong Texan, Buddy Whittington ‘entered the arena’ on December 28, 1956, in Fort Worth, and became enamored of the electric guitar like countless kids of his vintage shortly thereafter, who were mesmerized at the reality that ‘you plucked a string…’here’, and the sound came out…’over THERE.” and through the influences local radio and family tastes, Buddy began to develop what would become a lifelong passion for music.
‘Though no other family members played an instrument, there was always music in the home, be it emanating from the TV on Saturday evenings (‘Cowtown Jamboree’ and Big ‘D’ Jamboree were locally produced live weekly shows featuring top name country artists of the day) AM radio also featured prominently, with KXOL, KFJZ, KLIF, KKDA, WBAP, WRR and KNOK providing a wide variety of sounds and styles to open and expand a young would-be musician’s ears …. Western Swing music also played a part, as Mr. and Mrs. Whittington were big fans of Bob Wills and the Texas Playboys …. Probably the biggest influence in young Bud’s musical makeup was the record collection of his big sister, encompassing everything from British Invasion bands to R&B hits of the day, Elvis, Buddy Holly, Beatles, Stones, The Who, The Yardbirds, John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers to ‘The Temps and The Tops’, Gary ‘U.S.’ Bond, Jimmy Reed, and Slim Harpo…A succession of fledgling musical efforts with varying degrees of success ensued, culminating in an offer by John Mayall to join The Bluesbreakers in 1993.’
Buddy remained with The Bluesbreakers until they were reformed in 2008. He now records and tours extensively with his own band
‘Buddy’s self-titled solo CD appeared in 2007, and has garnered very favorable reviews and considerable airplay. The CD, recorded at Hurricane Sound in Garland, Texas by engineer / producer / drummer / ‘ubertalentedmultiinstrumentalist’ Mike Gage, features performances by Gage, longtime bassist Wayne Six and co-guitarist Michael ‘Mouse’ Mayes.
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