Buddy's Bio
Born and raised in Memphis, Tennessee, Buddy Shute now calls the Ozark Mountains in Northwest Arkansas home. "Honest", "natural" & "real blues" are words often used to describe Buddy's music.
"Oh yeah, that's the way I like it," said "Sunshine Sonny" Payne of King Biscuit Time upon hearing him play. This music is a pleasure to experience, whether it's Buddy's acoustic listening tunes or the down-home blues he plays with his band, The Motivators.
Memphis--the right place at the right time. "My family owned an apartment building and a car lot one block from Sun Studios; I remember the 'music people' stopping by to check out our cars."
"My best friend's uncle was ("Radio Rebel") deejay Dewey Phillips, who debuted a kid named Elvis Presley, singing 'That's All Right Mamma,' at the request of (Sun Records founder) Sam Phillips."
Career highlights
⦿ founding member of THE BACK DOOR BLUES REVUE, which included Leigh "L'il Queenie" Harris, bluesman John Mooney, Brooklyn Robert, and the Subdudes' John Magnie
⦿ played with world-reknowned pianist George Winston in the seminal band ABRAHAM
⦿ had a steady gig playing in a Cajun Band on a paddle wheel boat on the Mississippi River.
⦿ opened for Henry "Professor Longhair" Byrd at his Birthday Bash at the original Tipitina's, one of New Orleans' most famous clubs
⦿ was employed as a piano player at a genuine burlesque house on Bourbon Street (the last one known to exist)
⦿ played with old-time fiddle band, ROARING JELLY
⦿ recorded two CD's with the band ROUNDHOUSE, who represented the state of Maine at the International Blues Challenge competition in Memphis
⦿ played regularly with Clarence "Frogman" Henry and his band
⦿ played a 6-hour gig with Walter "Wolfman" Washington on Bourbon Street
⦿ has opened for: John Hammond, Magic Slim & the Teardrops, Shaun Murphy, Otis Taylor, E.G. Knight & the Chicago Blues Revue, and Kelly Hunt.
Influenced by such a musically rich, electric city, Buddy started playing the Memphis bar scene when he was sixteen, laying down local classics he learned from his older band-mates. He later drifted down to New Orleans, where, he says, "the young players respect the older players and everybody plays with everybody."
"Once, I was playing a hole in the wall on Bourbon St. for tips, and Ike & Tina Turner's band came in and asked if they could sit in."
Exciting times for a young musician. For over a decade, he's been living and performing in the Northwest Arkansas Area.
♫♫♫
Buddy has recorded three solo albums: OUTSTANDING IN HIS FIELD, A WHOLE LOT LIKE THE BLUES, and OZARK MOON. A WHOLE LOT LIKE THE BLUES, was chosen to represent the Ozark Blues Society of NWA at the 2018 International Blues Challenge in the "Self-Produced CD" category.
He recently released YOU GOTTA MOVE & PARTY AT BUDDYS