On a legendary night at the 2012 Kennedy Center Honors, four music icons—Bonnie Raitt, Tracy Chapman, Jeff Beck, and Beth Hart—joined forces for a scorching rendition of “Sweet Home Chicago,” paying tribute to blues legend Buddy Guy. The performance was pure magic: Raitt, with her signature slide guitar and smoky vocals, traded fiery licks with Jeff Beck, whose virtuosic bends and wailing Stratocaster solos left the audience breathless.
Tracy Chapman, usually known for her folk introspection, stunned with raw, soulful vocals, while Beth Hart brought her powerhouse, gospel-tinged growl, strutting across the stage like a modern-day Etta James. The chemistry was electric—Raitt and Beck grinning mid-solo, Chapman swaying with quiet intensity, and Hart belting with unshackled passion. Behind them, a tight-knit band kept the Chicago blues groove swinging, complete with honky-tonk piano and shuffling drums.
By the final crescendo, the crowd was on its feet, Buddy Guy himself beaming from the balcony, as the quartet proved that the blues could be tender, explosive, and utterly transcendent—all at once.
This was a rare live collaboration for Chapman, who rarely performs at such events, making it even more special!
Also at the 2012 Kennedy Center Honors tribute to blues legend Buddy Guy, Beth Hart and Jeff Beck left the audience spellbound with a haunting, emotionally charged rendition of Etta James’ “I’d Rather Go Blind.” Hart, a force of nature, poured raw, aching vulnerability into every word, her voice trembling with heartbreak before soaring into full-throated, gospel-fired passion. Meanwhile, Jeff Beck’s guitar wept and wailed in response, his fingers coaxing out bends and sustain so expressive they felt like a second voice.
Dressed in a sleek black dress, Hart clutched the mic, eyes closed, as if channeling the song’s pain, while Beck, in his signature sleeveless shirt, stood beside her, his Stratocaster crying with every blues-drenched note. The sparse, smoky arrangement—just bass, drums, and Beck’s aching guitar—left space for Hart’s voice to crack and roar, turning the tribute into a moment of pure catharsis.
By the final, trembling note, the audience erupted in a standing ovation, Buddy Guy himself visibly moved, as Hart and Beck proved that the blues, at its core, is about laying your soul bare—and they did just that.
(Fun fact: This performance went viral, with many calling it one of the greatest live blues duets ever captured.)