By Antisia King

On March 1st, “The Love of Buddy Miles" a Tribute to the Late Buddy Miles, was hosted by “Slight Return, an award-winning local Detroit Band. The event “For the Love of Buddy Miles” took place at the Michael A Guido Theater - Ford Community & Performing Arts Center in Dearborn Mi. This was a special event with a huge production, and the fans were really looking forward to this day.

After being in rehearsals for months, the time has come for this great collective to come together and show their love and appreciation for Buddy Miles and his art.

Upon arriving you could see and hear the excitement of the crowd, ready to experience the musical journey and his legendary sound. People from all over the country traveled here to feel the buzz, they once knew as the “Buddy Blues.”

Buddy Miles George Allen "Buddy" Miles Jr. was an American composer, drummer and guitarist. He was best known as the drummer in Jimi Hendrix's Band of Gypsys, however Buddy Miles also had a lengthy solo career that drew from rock, blues, soul, and funk in varying combinations. Born George Miles in Omaha, Nebraska, on September 5, 1947, he started playing the drums at age nine, and joined his father's jazz band the “Bebops” at the age of 12 years old “Buddy Miles the Soul of Blues”.

The performers that were a part of this great tribute: Slight Return USA (Mark Kassa, Christian Vegh, William Pope, Tony Mitchell, Ronnie Karmo); Dennis Chambers; Peter Keys; Kenny Olson; Jim McCarty; Derek St. Holmes; Lance Lopez; Tony Lindsay; Henri Brown; Juma Sultan; Norwood Fisher. This was a must-see show with Emcee (Detroit’s own) Doug Podell.

This packed show, began, with Slight Return USA, the Midwest Band of the Year opening with Buddy’s classic song “Runaway Child”

The sound was impeccable, and the people were ready for the experience, jumping to their feet, singing and moving to beat. One thing for certain, Buddy’s Love was in the air, and a memorable time was had by all. Beautiful Machine Magazine had an opportunity after the show to speak with some guests and band members, and here’s their response.

BMM: Hello Sir, What brings you to the “Love of Buddy Miles Show?”

Guest: Well! I’m the brother of Buddy Miles, and I'm here to celebrate my brother’s legacy. It’s a beautiful thing to see all these people expressing their love for my brother, it makes me feel closer to him, and I’m sure he’s proud.

BMM: Mark Kassa (UK’s Prestige Awards “Guitar Player of the Year 2024”) As co-host preparing for this great event, tell me about this experience and the process of bringing all the sounds and talented musicians together.

Mark: “It was a special night and an honor producing, performing and being the musical director for a show honoring Buddy Miles. The level of enthusiasm from all the world class musicians on stage was incredible. I've worked with many great players, but this show was the highlight of my career. We played proper respect to Buddy and his legacy, and the crowd loved it. They got a taste of the depth of his storied career.”

BMM: One of the opening members of “ Slight Return “ Christian Vegh, who was featured on the cover of our January issue, wanted to express how honored he was to be a part of something so well deserving for Buddy and here’s what he had to say.

Christian: The whole experience of playing the show was surreal, including the rehearsals, it felt historical. So many amazing players came together to make it happen. I just tried to play my best and listen as much as possible to fit into the ensemble, the goal is to make everyone sound good and honor Buddy.

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Boo O’Conner: administrator of “With The Power of Soul” and Project Manager of “Buddy Miles Legacy”
Co-producing this event was a true privilege. Seeing numerous talented artists come together to honor the lasting legacy of Buddy Miles was incredibly heartwarming.

The performances were truly impressive, and I was struck by the dedication of every musician involved. The venue's beauty enhanced the atmosphere, and the hard work of the staff ensured everything ran smoothly. I'm thankful to everyone who played a part in making the event a success.

BMM: Thanks for having us at Beautiful Machine Magazine, what an amazing event and we look forward to the next venture.