David “Guitar Shorty” Kearney is a 69-year-old blues guitarist influenced by some of the greats like B. B. King, Guitar Slim, T-Bone Walker, and Earl Hooker. Raised in Florida by his grandmother, David’s professional career began when he was just 17 with a featured slot in a local 18-piece orchestra. In addition to earning him the nickname Guitar Shorty (being younger and shorter than the rest of the band’s players), the gig also led to a chance meeting with the legendary blues song-writer/producer Willie Dixon, who brought Shorty to Chicago to cut the single Irma Lee (You Don’t Treat Me Right was the B side).

The rest, as they say, is history. Shorty went on to work with Ray Charles, Guitar Slim, Sam Cooke, and Otis Rush, among others. He’s had his career highs and lows, but he’s still doing his thing, having won a 2007 Blues Foundation’s award for his 2006 CD We the People.

Here’s Guitar Shorty proving he’s the real deal:

Guitar Shorty’s website