Skin Deep

Background

Buddy Guy said he was inspired to write the song "Skin Deep" after reuniting with a white childhood friend whose parents had cut off their relationship as teens. He has also stated that the inspiration came from his mother who used to tell him that 'beauty is only skin deep.'

Reception

People praised Guy's guitar work saying that there was "...no doubt that Buddy is still the man here." CD Universe did much the same by writing "...he wails and shreds here with as much passion as ever." and "...Guy still plays and sings like the urban blues monster he remains." AllMusic criticized the production for being too pristine, saying that the album "gleams too brightly" in some parts. The album received a Grammy nomination for Best Traditional Blues Album. The album debuted at number 68 on the Billboard 200, the highest position of any of Guy's previous albums. It also debuted at number 1 on the Blues Albums chart and remained at the top spot for three weeks and remained on the chart for 65 weeks.

Personnel

Musicians

Buddy Guy - guitar, sitar, vocals

Guitars

'57 Stratocaster on track 1

Jerry Jones sitar on tracks 2 & 9

Gibson ES-335 Custom on track 3

'74 Telecaster on tracks 4 & 8

BG Stratocaster on tracks 5, 7, 10 & 11

Gibson Custom 335 on track 6

Eric Clapton Stratocaster on track 12

Marc Franklin - trumpet

David Grissom - guitar

Tom Hambridge - drums, handclaps, tambourine, percussion, vocals, backing vocals

Richie Hayward - drums

Rob McNelly - guitar

Quinn Sullivan - guitar

Willie Weeks - bass

Nathan Williams - accordion

Reese Wynans - keyboards

Lannie McMillan - tenor saxophone

Kirk Smothers - tenor saxophone

Bekka Bramlett, Bonnie Bramlett & Wendy Moten - backing vocals

Guest musicians

Eric Clapton - guitar, vocals

Robert Randolph - steel guitar, pedal steel

Susan Tedeschi - vocals

Derek Trucks - slide guitar, guitar