Legendary musician Buddy Guy brought the blues to NPR’s Tiny Desk Concert series, with a guest appearance from Sinners actor Miles Caton.
The pair co-star in Ryan Coogler’s Academy Award-nominated smash hit. Caton plays gifted blues singer Sammie “Preacher Boy” Moore, whose music is so brilliant it transcends time (and lures a crew of vampires right to him). Guy plays Sammie 60 years on, when he’s deep into a successful blues career.
Guy kicks off his Tiny Desk Concert with his 1991 track “Damn Right, I’ve Got the Blues” before shifting to his cover of Muddy Waters’ “Hoochie Coochie Man.”
After these classic blues songs, Guy invites Caton to join him for two songs from the Sinners soundtrack. First up is “Travelin,'” which Sammie sings while driving around with Stack (Michael B. Jordan). Then, Guy and Caton launch into “I Lied to You,” the song that brings the house down in Smoke (also Jordan) and Stack’s juke joint. Nominated for an Oscar for Best Original Song, “I Lied to You” was written by Raphael Saadiq and Sinners composter Ludwig Göransson.
Don’t expect Guy and Caton to perform these songs exactly as they appear in Sinners, though. Their renditions here are full of blues improvisation and playful banter, with Guy adding his own spin throughout and inviting Caton to join in. For a great trip through the history of blues, this mini concert is a must watch.
