Chicago Blues legend Willie Buck to play Music Under the Oaks concert Oct. 5

Peru has extended its Music Under the Oaks summer concert series to host Chicago blues great, Willie Buck, on Saturday, according to a news release.

Willie Buck and his Chicago blues all-star band will perform at the Schweickert Bandshell at Centennial Park in Peru from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday with 87-year-old Buck celebrating the release of his newest record, “Live At Buddy Guy’s Legends”.

According to the news release, William Crawford “Willie Buck” was born in 1937 in the small town of Houston, Mississippi.

Buck said in a news release his earliest live blues experience happened when B.B. King arrived in town to play at Sally’s Juke Joint.

“I was too young to get inside the door, but I sat outside and listened,” he said. “I never will forget the last time he came to my hometown. Some of the guys got a little jealous and cut his tires. He never came back no more.”

Like many of his peers, he migrated to Chicago, in 1953, becoming one of the usual entertainers at the “Maxwell Street” scene.

This time also marked the beginning of his overseas travels to Canada, Mexico, France and the Netherlands.

Though many blues lovers have enjoyed Buck exclusively as a vocalist, he also played bass until he broke his wrist in 1964. Among others, he played bass with Magic Sam. Around 1970 he started putting together his bands.

“I used to hire Fred Below on drums, we’d go pick him up. Odie Payne played drums with me too. Now my drummer is a local kid named ‘Corky.’”

Buck spent the rest of the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s performing. In 2004 he was inducted in the Chicago Blues Hall of Fame and he was also honored with a Lifetime Achievement Award by former Mayor Richard M. Daley.

“We’re going to bring the real Chicago Blues to Peru, Illinois,” Buck said

The music at Saturday “Under the Oaks” is free Guests are encouraged to bring lawn chairs and blankets, drinks and snacks for the 3-hour performance.