The Blues Brothers is a 1980 American musical comedy film directed by John Landis. It stars John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as "Joliet" Jake and Elwood Blues, characters developed from "The Blues Brothers" recurring musical sketch on the NBC variety series "Saturday Night Live". The film is set in and around Chicago, Illinois, where it was filmed. The film's screenplay was written by Aykroyd and Landis. It features musical numbers by rhythm and blues (R&B), soul, and blues singers James Brown, Cab Calloway, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Chaka Khan, and John Lee Hooker. It features non-musical supporting performances by Carrie Fisher, Henry Gibson, Charles Napier and John Candy.
Introduction
The Blues Brothers (film)
The Blues Brothers (film) | Introduction
John Belushi and Dan Aykroy It stars John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as "Joliet" Jake and Elwood Blues. It stars John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd. John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd.
how much did the blues brothers movie cost to make
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More than $17.5 million
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who directed it?
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John Landis
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who did its background score?
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By rhythm and blues (R&B), soul, and blues singers James Brown, Cab Calloway, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Chaka Khan, and John Lee Hooker
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who starred in this film?
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At Aykroyd's demand, soul and R&B stars James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles and Aretha Franklin were cast in speaking parts to support musical numbers built around them. This caused friction between Landis and Universal later in the production, as its costs far exceeded the original budget. Since none of them except Charles had had any hits in recent years, the studio wanted the director to replace them with – or add performances by – younger acts, such as Rose Royce, whose "Car Wash" had made them disco stars after its use in the 1976 film of that name. Other musicians in the cast include Big Walter Horton, Pinetop Perkins, and John Lee Hooker (who performed "Boom Boom" during the Maxwell Street scene).
The Blues Brothers (film) | Casting
The Blues Brothers is a 1980 American musical comedy film directed by John Landis. It stars John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd as "Joliet" Jake and Elwood Blues, characters developed from "The Blues Brothers" recurring musical sketch on the NBC variety series "Saturday Night Live". The film is set in and around Chicago, Illinois, where it was filmed. The film's screenplay was written by Aykroyd and Landis. It features musical numbers by rhythm and blues (R&B), soul, and blues singers James Brown, Cab Calloway, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles, Chaka Khan, and John Lee Hooker. It features non-musical supporting performances by Carrie Fisher, Henry Gibson, Charles Napier and John Candy.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Introduction
A number of regular Blues Brothers' members, including saxophonist Tom Scott and drummer Steve Jordan, perform on the soundtrack album, but are not in the film. According to Landis in the 1998 documentary "The Stories Behind the Making of 'The Blues Brothers", filmed musical performances by Franklin and Brown took more effort, as neither artist was accustomed to lip-synching their performances on film. Franklin required several takes, and Brown simply rerecorded his performance live. Cab Calloway initially wanted to do a disco variation on his signature tune, "Minnie the Moocher", having done the song in several styles in the past, but Landis insisted that the song be done faithful to the original big-band version.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Soundtrack
The film's score includes "God Music" (instrumental with choir vocalese) composed by Elmer Bernstein, who previously had worked with John Landis on "National Lampoon's Animal House". Other songs in the film include:
The Blues Brothers (film) | Other songs in the film
The members of The Blues Brothers Band were themselves notable. Steve Cropper and Donald Dunn are architects of the Stax Records sound (Cropper's guitar can be heard at the start of the Sam & Dave song "Soul Man") and were half of Booker T. & the M.G.'s. Horn players Lou Marini, Tom Malone, and Alan Rubin had all played in Blood, Sweat & Tears and the "Saturday Night Live" band. Drummer Willie Hall had played in The Bar-Kays and backed Isaac Hayes. Matt Murphy is a veteran blues guitarist. As the band developed at "Saturday Night Live", pianist Paul Shaffer was part of the act and was cast in the film.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Casting
The film was originally intended to include Brother Zee Blues (Jim Belushi, brother of John Belushi). But due to an already existing television deal (Belushi had been cast in the ABC drama "Total Security"), Belushi was unable to appear and the script was altered to include Cab Blues (Joe Morton). This character was named Cabel as an homage to Cab Calloway, who died four years prior to the film's release. (His character Curtis was revealed to have died in the film along with Jake.) The Blues Brothers' original keyboardist, Paul Shaffer, had been committed to Gilda Radner's one-woman show on Broadway and was therefore unable to appear in the first film.
Blues Brothers 2000 | Casting
The 1998 sequel, "Blues Brothers 2000", had similar traits to the original, including large car-chase scenes and musical numbers. Landis returned to direct the film and Aykroyd reprised his role, joining John Goodman, Joe Morton, and 10-year-old J. Evan Bonifant as the new Blues Brothers. Franklin and Brown were among the celebrities returning from the first film. There were also musical performances by Sam Moore, Wilson Pickett, Paul Shaffer, B.B. King, and Eric Clapton, among others. Dozens of artists were packed into an all-star band called The Louisiana Gator Boys. Even with many returning cast members, the film was considered a box-office failure, only generating a little over $14 million in sales, and critics' reactions were negative.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Sequel
The film earned Mahal a Grammy nomination for Best Original Score Written for a Motion Picture and a BAFTA nomination. Almost 30 years later, Mahal wrote blues for, and performed a banjo composition, claw-hammer style, in the 2001 movie release "Songcatcher", which focused on the story of the preservation of the roots music of Appalachia. Perhaps the most visible example of the blues style of music in the late 20th century came in 1980, when Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi released the film "The Blues Brothers". The film drew many of the biggest living influencers of the rhythm and blues genre together, such as Ray Charles, James Brown, Cab Calloway, Aretha Franklin, and John Lee Hooker.
Blues | In popular culture
However, due to contractual obligations with "SNL", he was unable to participate, so actor-musician Murphy Dunne (whose father, George Dunne, was the Cook County Board President) was hired to take his role. Fisher, Freeman, Gibson, and Candy were cast in non-musical supporting roles. The film is also notable for the number of cameo appearances by established celebrities and entertainment-industry figures, including Steve Lawrence as a booking agent, Twiggy as a "chic lady" in a Jaguar convertible whom Elwood propositions at a gas station, Steven Spielberg as the Cook County Assessor's clerk, John Landis as a state trooper in the mall chase, Paul Reubens (before Pee-wee Herman) as a waiter in the Chez Paul restaurant scene, Joe Walsh in a cameo as the first prisoner to jump up on a table in the final scene, and Chaka Khan as the soloist in the Triple Rock choir.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Casting
He recruits some new singers, Mighty Mack (John Goodman) and Cab (Joe Morton), a policeman who was Curtis' son. All the original band members are found, as well as some performers from the first film, including Aretha Franklin and James Brown. There are dozens of other guest performers, including Eric Clapton, Steve Winwood, Junior Wells, Lonnie Brooks, Eddie Floyd, Wilson Pickett, Isaac Hayes, Sam Moore, Taj Mahal and Jonny Lang, Blues Traveler, as well as an all-star supergroup led by B.B. King called the Louisiana Gator Boys. On the run from the police, Russian mafia and a racist militia, the band eventually ends up in Louisiana, where they enter a battle of the bands overseen by a voodoo practitioner named Queen Moussette (Erykah Badu).
The Blues Brothers | "Blues Brothers 2000"
In 1980, The Blues Brothers, directed by John Landis, was released. It featured epic car chases involving the Bluesmobile and musical performances by Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Cab Calloway, Ray Charles and John Lee Hooker. The story is set in and around Chicago, Illinois. It is a tale of redemption for the paroled convict Jake Blues and his brother Elwood, who after a visit to Sister Mary Stigmata (Kathleen Freeman), otherwise known as "The Penguin" at the Catholic orphanage where they grew up, choose to take on a "mission from God" and reform their old blues band in order to raise funds to save the orphanage.
The Blues Brothers | "The Blues Brothers"
The title was inspired by the 1980 movie "The Blues Brothers", which starred Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi.
Connie McBooker | Introduction
He played the bureaucratic CIA officer Marshall Murdock in "". For the 1980 musical-comedy, "The Blues Brothers", he portrayed the apoplectic Tucker McElroy, lead singer of and driver of the Winnebago for "The Good Ol' Boys."
Charles Napier (actor) | Career
Blues Brothers 2000 is a 1998 American musical comedy film that is a sequel to the 1980 film "The Blues Brothers", written and produced by John Landis and Dan Aykroyd. Directed by Landis, the film stars Aykroyd and John Goodman, with cameo appearances by various musicians. The film is dedicated to John Belushi, Cab Calloway, and John Candy, cast members from the original film who had died prior to the sequel's production, as well as Junior Wells, who died one month before it was released.
Blues Brothers 2000 | Introduction
Meanwhile, the last two band members, Matt "Guitar" Murphy and "Blue Lou" Marini, who now work in a soul food restaurant, rejoin the band against the advice of Murphy's wife and restaurant owner, Aretha Franklin. The reunited group obtain instruments and equipment from Ray's Music Exchange in Calumet City, and Ray, "as usual", takes an IOU.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Plot
Brunner). It is featured in the 1980 film "The Blues Brothers", where it is performed by James Brown with the Rev. James Cleveland Choir. It also appears on the film's soundtrack album.
Let Us Go Back to the Old Landmark | Introduction
According to a July 3, 1950 "The Hollywood Reporter" news item, singer Bob Carroll was the singing double for Huntz Hall, but reviews credit John Laurenz as his singing double. Carroll's participation in the final film has not been confirmed.
Blues Busters | Soundtrack
During a song by the Blues Brothers (a Caribbean number called "Funky Nassau"), a character played by Paul Shaffer asks to cut in on keyboards, which Murph allows. This marks the first time in a film that the Blues Brothers play with their original keyboardist.
The Blues Brothers | "Blues Brothers 2000"
The film's music is by Harold Arlen with lyrics by Johnny Mercer. Additional music was written by Heinz Roemheld and Ray Heindorf (only Roemheld was credited). The film features the bands of Jimmie Lunceford and Will Osborne. With the exception of Priscilla Lane none of the actors were musicians so their playing had to be dubbed by other artists. The trumpet music performed by Jack Carson's character was dubbed by Snooky Young and Frankie Zinzer while the piano music was dubbed by Stan Wrightsman. Saxophonist and clarinetist Archie Rosate played Elia Kazan's clarinet solos.
Blues in the Night (film) | Music
While not all members appeared in the original film, the full band included:
The Blues Brothers | Original lineup
Brothers is a 1977 American drama film directed by Arthur Barron and produced by Edward Lewis and Mildred Lewis. It stars Bernie Casey, Vonetta McGee, Ron O'Neal, John Lehne, Stu Gilliam, Renny Roker, Owen Pace, Dwan Smith and Martin St. Judge in the lead roles. This film's music is composed by Taj Mahal.
Brothers (1977 film) | Introduction
Musicians appearing in the film are: Roosevelt Barnes, R. L. Burnside, Jessie Mae Hemphill (with Napoleon Strickland and Abe Young), Big Jack Johnson, Junior Kimbrough (with Little Joe Ayers and Calvin Jackson), Booker T. Laury, Jack Owens, Lonnie Pitchford, Bud Spires and Wade Walton, The film revitalized the recording career of some of the musicians.
Deep Blues: A Musical Pilgrimage to the Crossroads | Musicians
One day after the editing was done, Wasserman invited Landis up to his office to speak with Ted Mann, head of the Mann Theatres chain, which dominated film exhibition in the Western United States. He told Landis that he would not book the film at any theaters in predominantly white neighborhoods, such as Westwood. Not only did Mann not want black patrons going there to see the film, he surmised that white viewers were unlikely to see a film featuring older black musical stars. Ultimately "The Blues Brothers" got less than half the bookings nationwide for its initial release than a typical big-budget studio film of the era, which did not bode well for its success at the box office.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Post-production
The Louisiana Gator Boys is a blues supergroup created for the film. They face The Blues Brothers in a Battle of the Bands. The band is composed of: Kathleen Freeman, Frank Oz, Steve Lawrence, Shann Johnson, and Jeff Morris appeared in cameos, all reprising their roles from "The Blues Brothers" film. Nia Peeples portrays a state police lieutenant who serves as Cabel's second-in-command, Darrell Hammond as Robertson the militia leader, John Lyons as a Russian thug, and Paul Shaffer as Marco, Queen Moussette's majordomo. The film is dedicated to John Belushi, Cab Calloway, and John Candy, cast members from the original film who had died prior to the sequel's production.
Blues Brothers 2000 | The Louisiana Gator Boys
The film received mixed reviews, averaging a 46% positive rating at Rotten Tomatoes based on 46 reviews, and a critical consensus that reads "Braving onward without the late John Belushi, "Blues Brothers 2000" gets the band back together with a spirited soundtrack, but a mission that's far less divine". It earned a D score from Entertainment Weekly. Roger Ebert gave the film 2 stars, saying, "The film is lame comedy surrounded by high-energy blues (and some pop, rock and country music)." Audiences polled by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B-" on an A+ to F scale.
Blues Brothers 2000 | Critical reception
The film has an original score by New York artist P.T. Walkley with additional songs, also by P. T. Walkley. The film also features the song "Amulet Reprise" by Natacha Atlas and "Make Some Noise" by Grandmaster Caz, as well as the 1927 "Rock Island Blues" by Furry Lewis.
Blue Gold: American Jeans | Original score
Brothers is an album by American blues singer-songwriter and instrumentalist Taj Mahal. It was recorded in August 1976 at Conway Recorders Co. in Hollywood and released the following year by Warner Bros. Records. It is the soundtrack to the 1977 film "Brothers", with songs that music critic Richie Unterberger described as being "in the mode that Mahal was usually immersed in during the mid-1970s: bluesy, low-key tunes with a lot of Caribbean influence, particularly in the steel drums."
Brothers (soundtrack) | Introduction
Blues Brothers 2000: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack is the third studio album by The Blues Brothers, their twelfth release, overall. It is a soundtrack album to the 1998 film, "Blues Brothers 2000", the sequel to the 1980 film, "The Blues Brothers". In addition to tracks by the Blues Brothers Band performed with guest artists such as Aretha Franklin, James Brown, Dr. John, Lonnie Brooks, Junior Wells, Eddie Floyd and Wilson Pickett, there are songs by the Paul Butterfield Blues Band and Blues Traveler as well as an all-star blues supergroup, the Louisiana Gator Boys, featuring B.B. King, Eric Clapton, Bo Diddley, Charlie Musselwhite, Doctor John, Lou Rawls, Koko Taylor, Isaac Hayes, Billy Preston and other artists.
Blues Brothers 2000 (soundtrack) | Introduction
Lenoir and James. Because James had not been filmed before the 1960s, Keith B. Brown played the part of the young James in the documentary. James' song "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues" was featured in the 2000 film "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" and included on the soundtrack album.
Skip James | Rediscovery and legacy
Blues in the Night is a 1941 American musical in the film noir style directed by Anatole Litvak and starring Priscilla Lane, Richard Whorf, Betty Field, Lloyd Nolan, Elia Kazan, and Jack Carson. It was released by Warner Brothers. The project began filming with the working title "Hot Nocturne", the play upon which it is based, but was eventually named after its principal musical number "Blues in the Night", which became a popular hit. The film was nominated for a Best Song Oscar for "Blues in the Night" (Music by Harold Arlen; lyrics by Johnny Mercer).
Blues in the Night (film) | Introduction
Calloway performed the song in the movie "Rhythm and Blues Revue" (1955), filmed at the Apollo Theater. Much later, in 1980 at age 73, Calloway performed the song in the movie "The Blues Brothers". Calloway's character Curtis, a church janitor and the Blues Brothers' mentor, magically transforms the band into a 1930s swing band and sings "Minnie the Moocher" when the crowd becomes impatient at the beginning of the movie's climactic production number. According to director John Landis in the 1998 documentary "The Stories Behind the Making of "The Blues Brothers"", Calloway initially wanted to do a disco variation on his signature tune, having done the song in several styles in the past, but Landis insisted that the song be done faithful to the original big band version.
Minnie the Moocher | Films
In 1998, Moore appeared in the movie "Blues Brothers 2000", as the Reverend Morris, fulfilling a childhood dream of being a preacher, and sang "John the Revelator". In 1999, "Soul Man" was inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame to recognize timeless classics.
Sam Moore | 1990-2000
"The Blues Brothers" has become a staple of late-night cinema, even slowly morphing into an audience-participation show in its regular screenings at the Valhalla Cinema, in Melbourne, Australia. John Landis acknowledged the support of the cinema and the fans by a phone call he made to the cinema at the 10th-anniversary screening, and later invited regular attendees to make cameo appearances in "Blues Brothers 2000". The fans act as the members of the crowd during the performance of "". In August 2005, a 25th-anniversary celebration for "The Blues Brothers" was held at Grauman's Chinese Theatre in Los Angeles. Attendees included Landis, former Universal Studios executive Thom Mount, film editor George Folsey, Jr., and cast members James Brown, Henry Gibson, Charles Napier, Steve Cropper, and Stephen Bishop.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Cult-film status
Jammin' the Blues is a 1944 American short film in which several prominent jazz musicians got together for a rare filmed jam session. It features Lester Young, Red Callender, Harry Edison, Marlowe Morris, Sid Catlett, Barney Kessel, Jo Jones, John Simmons, Illinois Jacquet, Marie Bryant and Archie Savage.
Jammin' the Blues | Introduction
The characters, Jake and Elwood Blues, were created by Belushi and Aykroyd in performances on "Saturday Night Live". The name "The Blues Brothers" was the idea of Howard Shore. The fictional back story and character sketches of blood brothers Jake and Elwood were developed by Aykroyd in collaboration with Ron Gwynne, who is credited as a story consultant for the film. As related in the liner notes of the band's debut album, "Briefcase Full of Blues", the brothers grew up in an orphanage, learned the blues from a janitor named Curtis, and sealed their brotherhood by cutting their middle fingers with a steel string said to have come from the guitar of Elmore James.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Origins
Roger Ebert of the "Chicago Sun-Times" gave the film three out of four stars, praising it for its energetic musical numbers and "incredible" car chases. Ebert further noted "Belushi and Aykroyd come over as hard-boiled city guys, total cynics with a world-view of sublime simplicity, and that all fits perfectly with the movie's other parts. There's even room, in the midst of the carnage and mayhem, for a surprising amount of grace, humor, and whimsy." In his review for "The Washington Post", Gary Arnold criticized Landis for engorging "the frail plot of "The Blues Brothers" with car chases and crack-ups, filmed with such avid, humorless starkness on the streets of Chicago that comic sensations are virtually obliterated".
The Blues Brothers (film) | Critical reception
Along the way, the brothers are targeted by a "mystery woman" (Carrie Fisher) and chased by the Illinois State Police, a country and western band called the Good Ol' Boys, and "Illinois Nazis". The film grossed $57 million domestically in its theatrical release, making it the 10th highest-grossing movie of 1980, and grossed an additional $58 million in foreign release. It is the second-highest grossing film based on a "Saturday Night Live" sketch and ninth-highest grossing musical film.
The Blues Brothers | "The Blues Brothers"
Landis' difficulties continued even after principal photography was completed. The first cut of the film lasted two and a half hours, with an intermission. After one early screening, Wasserman demanded it be shortened, and 20 minutes were cut. The film's final budget was $27.5 million (equivalent to $ million in ), $10 million over its original budget. Prospects for a successful release did not look good. Aykroyd and Belushi had left "SNL" at the end of the previous season, reducing their bankability. Belushi's fame had taken a further hit after the commercial and critical failure of "1941" at the end of the year.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Post-production
The Blues Brothers: Original Soundtrack Recording (later re-released as The Blues Brothers: Music from the Soundtrack) was released on June 20, 1980 as the second album by the Blues Brothers Band, which also toured that year to promote the film. "Gimme Some Lovin'" was a Top 20 "Billboard" hit, peaking at number 18. The album was a followup to their debut, the live album, "Briefcase Full of Blues". Later that year they released a second live album, "Made in America", which featured the Top 40 track, "Who's Making Love". The songs on the soundtrack album are a noticeably different audio mix than in the film, with a prominent baritone saxophone in the horn line (also heard in the film during "Shake a Tail Feather", though no baritone sax is present), and female backing vocals on "Everybody Needs Somebody to Love", though the band had no other backup singers, besides Jake &/or Elwood, in the film.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Soundtrack
The stars had a private bar, the Blues Club, built on the set, for themselves, crew, and friends. Carrie Fisher, Aykroyd's girlfriend at the time, said most of the bar's staff doubled as dealers, procuring any drug patrons desired.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Filming
Lionel Hampton, Martha Tilton, Kid Ory, George Givot, Gene Krupa, Teddy Wilson, Harry James and many other musicians made appearances in this film. However, while Ziggy Elman appeared on screen recreating his trumpet solo on "And the Angels Sing", he was unable to record his portion for the soundtrack; Mannie Klein actually performed it, off-camera. Similarly, Red Mack's performance in the film is actually played by Alvin Alcorn. Fletcher Henderson is portrayed by Sammy Davis, Sr., father of Sammy Davis, Jr. Famed talent scout John Hammond was dissatisfied with the way he and the rest of the Hammond family, including sister Alice, were portrayed in the movie.
The Benny Goodman Story | Production
It also featured the screen debuts of John Belushi, Karen Allen and Kevin Bacon. In 1980, Landis co-wrote and directed "The Blues Brothers", a comedy starring John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd. It featured musical numbers by R&B and soul legends James Brown, Cab Calloway, Aretha Franklin, Ray Charles and John Lee Hooker. It was, at the time, one of the most expensive films ever made, costing almost $30 million (for comparison, Steven Spielberg's contemporary film "1941" cost $35 million). It is speculated that Spielberg and Landis engaged in a rivalry, the goal of which was to make the more expensive film.
John Landis | 1978–1981
Johnny Burnette and Paul Burlison recruited Johnny Black, the brother of Elvis Presley's bassist Bill Black, to fill Dorsey's place, and the Trio completed their spot in the film. Despite the film appearance and three more single releases and one LP release, the group failed to achieve any chart success, and the Trio officially disbanded in the fall of 1957.
Dorsey Burnette | The Rock and Roll Trio
Belushi bought an amplifier and they kept some musical instruments there for anyone who wanted to jam. It was at the bar that Aykroyd and Ron Gwynne wrote and developed the story which Aykroyd turned into the draft screenplay for the "Blues Brothers" movie, better known as the "tome," because it contained so many pages. It was also at the bar that Aykroyd introduced Belushi to the blues. An interest soon became a fascination, and it was not long before the two began singing with local blues bands. Jokingly, "SNL" band leader Howard Shore suggested they call themselves "The Blues Brothers".
The Blues Brothers | Origins
In the 1980 movie "The Blues Brothers", most of the members of the band were reduced to performing as "Murph and the Magictones" (headlining at a Holiday Inn) after bandleader Jake Blues went to prison. When the band takes a break to speak with Jake and his brother Elwood, Murph switches on a Muzak version of "Just the Way You Are," performed by Billy Joel, a former lounge musician himself. Later, when Jake and Elwood are in an elevator, Jobim's "The Girl from Ipanema" is heard on Muzak. The 1989 film "The Fabulous Baker Boys" starred Jeff Bridges, Beau Bridges, and Michelle Pfeiffer as a successful lounge act.
Lounge music | In film
For the brothers' look, Belushi borrowed John Lee Hooker's trademark Ray-Ban Wayfarer sunglasses and soul patch.
The Blues Brothers | Band formation
Belushi had become a star in 1978 as a result of both the Blues Brothers' musical success and his role in "National Lampoon's Animal House". At one point, he managed the triple feat of being the star of the week's top-grossing film, top-rated television show, and singing on the number-one album within a year. When Aykroyd and Belushi decided they could make a Blues Brothers film, the bidding war was intense. Universal Studios narrowly beat Paramount Pictures for the project. John Landis, who had directed Belushi in "Animal House", was aboard as director. However, the project had neither a budget nor a script.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Origins
Cherokee Studios in Los Angeles was a regular haunt for the original Blues Brothers in the early days of the band. Belushi and Aykroyd became fixtures at the recording studio, while fellow Blues Brother Steve Cropper called Cherokee his producing home. Whenever they needed a bass player, they were joined by another Blues Brother, Donald "Duck" Dunn. During this time, Cropper, along with producing partner and Cherokee owner Bruce Robb, worked on a number of music projects with the two comedians/musicians, including Belushi's favorite band, Fear, and later Aykroyd's movie "Dragnet".
Dan Aykroyd | The Blues Brothers
Introductory sequence (signature tunes): "Where the Blue of the Night" (sung by Bing Crosby]; "When the Moon Comes over the Mountain" (sung by Kate Smith); "Shout, Sister, Shout" (sung by The Boswell Sisters); "Minnie the Moocher" (sung by Cab Calloway); "Goodbye Blues" (sung by The Mills Brothers). "I Surrender Dear" (snatch only - sung by Bing Crosby) "Dinah" (sung by Bing Crosby) "Here Lies Love" (sung by Arthur Tracy, and again by Bing Crosby) "I've Got Five Dollars" (snatch only - sung by Bing Crosby) "Please" (sung by Bing Crosby) "Tiger Rag" (sung by The Mills Brothers) "Drummer Man" (Vincent Lopez and His Orchestra) "Trees" (sung by Donald Novis) "Crazy People" (Sung by The Boswell Sisters) "It Was So Beautiful" (sung by Kate Smith) "Kicking the Gong Around" (sung by Cab Calloway) Crosby recorded the songs for Brunswick Records and "Dinah" and "Please" both topped the charts of the day.
The Big Broadcast | Soundtrack
The story is a tale of redemption for paroled convict Jake and his blood brother Elwood, who set out on "a mission from God" to save from foreclosure the Catholic orphanage in which they were raised. To do so, they must reunite their R&B band and organize a performance to earn $5,000 needed to pay the orphanage's property tax bill. Along the way, they are targeted by a homicidal "mystery woman", Neo-Nazis, and a country and western band—all while being relentlessly pursued by the police. Universal Studios, which had won the bidding war for the film, was hoping to take advantage of Belushi's popularity in the wake of "Saturday Night Live", "Animal House", and the Blues Brothers' musical success; it soon found itself unable to control production costs.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Introduction
They gained further notoriety after spawning a Hollywood comedy film in 1980, "The Blues Brothers". After Belushi's death in 1982, the Blues Brothers continued to perform with a rotation of guest singers and other band members. The band reformed in 1988 for a world tour and again in 1998 for a sequel film, "Blues Brothers 2000".
The Blues Brothers | Introduction
This is the first official release to feature John Goodman after his first performance with the band at the House of the Blues in Los Angeles in 1995.
Blues Brothers 2000 (soundtrack) | Introduction
Carolina Blues is a 1944 American comedy film directed by Leigh Jason and written by Joseph Hoffman, Al Martin and Jack Henley. The film stars Kay Kyser, Ann Miller, Victor Moore, Jeff Donnell, Howard Freeman, Georgia Carroll, M.A. Bogue, Harry Babbitt and Sully Mason. The film was released on December 20, 1944, by Columbia Pictures.
Carolina Blues | Introduction
Many of the people, both cast and crew, involved in this film had previously worked on "Lady Sings the Blues" (1972). The role of Nick Allen was originally written for Steve McQueen.
Hit! | Trivia
The impetus behind making the film was to bring these influential players out of anonymity. In addition to bassist James Jamerson, The Funk Brothers consisted of the following musicians: Jack Ashford (percussion); Bob Babbitt (bass); Joe Hunter (keyboards); Uriel Jones (drums); Joe Messina (guitar); Eddie Willis (guitar); Richard "Pistol" Allen (drums); Benny "Papa Zita" Benjamin (drums); Eddie "Bongo" Brown (percussion); Johnny Griffith (keyboards); Earl Van Dyke (keyboards); and Robert White (guitar).
Standing in the Shadows of Motown | Background
Director Martin Scorsese pays tribute to the Delta blues, tracing the roots of the music by traveling through the state of Mississippi with the musician Corey Harris and then traveling to West Africa. Willie King, Taj Mahal, Othar Turner and Ali Farka Touré give performances of early Delta blues songs, along with rare archival film of Son House, Muddy Waters, and John Lee Hooker.
The Blues (film series) | "Feel Like Going Home"
J. Johnson With Karma With Carole King With Harold Land With Hubert Laws With Ray Manzarek With Carmen McRae With Blue Mitchell With Oliver Nelson With Willie Nelson With Randy Newman With Bonnie Raitt With Sonny Rollins With Patrice Rushen With Joe Sample With Moacir Santos With Lalo Schifrin With Zoot Sims With Horace Silver With Frank Sinatra With Gábor Szabó With Stanley Turrentine With McCoy Tyner With Was (Not Was) With Gerald Wilson With Valerie Carter
Oscar Brashear | Discography
Funk guitarist Dennis Coffey is credited for the film’s soundtrack.
Black Belt Jones | Soundtrack
"The Blues Brothers" received mostly positive reviews from critics. On Rotten Tomatoes, the film has an 84% "Certified Fresh" rating, based on 55 reviews, with an average rating of 7.08/10. The site's critical consensus reads, "Too over the top for its own good, but ultimately rescued by the cast's charm, director John Landis' grace, and several soul-stirring musical numbers." It won the Golden Reel Award for Best Sound Editing and Sound Effects, is 14th on "Total Film" magazine's "List of the 50 Greatest Comedy Films of All Time" and is number 69 on Bravo's "100 Funniest Movies". Metacritic gave the film a score of 60 based on 12 reviews, indicating "mixed or average reviews".
The Blues Brothers (film) | Critical reception
Written and directed by Wim Wenders, the film explores the musical careers of blues musicians Skip James, Blind Willie Johnson and J. B. Lenoir.
The Blues (film series) | "The Soul of a Man"
He appeared alongside Calloway as a performer in sound films including "Hi-De-Ho" (1937), "Blues in the Night" (1942), and "Minnie the Moocher" (1942). In the late 1940s Brown ran a music education studio in New York.
Andrew Brown (musician) | Introduction
James Cagney and Dennis Morgan were the studio's first two choices to play the gangster Del Davis, but the role was eventually given to Lloyd Nolan. John Garfield was cast in the role of pianist Jigger Pine who was eventually played by Richard Whorf.
Blues in the Night (film) | Production
O Brother, Where Art Thou? is the soundtrack album of music from the 2000 American film of the same name, written, directed and produced by the Coen Brothers and starring George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, and John Goodman. The film is set in Mississippi during the Great Depression. The soundtrack, produced by T-Bone Burnett, uses bluegrass, country, gospel, blues, and folk music appropriate to the time period. With the exception of a few vintage tracks (such as Harry McClintock's 1928 single "Big Rock Candy Mountain"), most tracks are modern recordings. The soundtrack was reissued on August 23, 2011, with 14 new tracks that were not included in the original album, "including 12 previously unreleased cuts from music producer T-Bone Burnett's "O Brother" sessions."
O Brother, Where Art Thou? (soundtrack) | Introduction
St. Louis Blues is a 1958 American film broadly based on the life of W. C. Handy. It stars jazz and blues greats Nat "King" Cole, Pearl Bailey, Cab Calloway, Ella Fitzgerald, Eartha Kitt, and Barney Bigard, as well as gospel singer Mahalia Jackson and actress Ruby Dee. The film's soundtrack used over ten of Handy's songs including the title song. In conjunction with the film, Cole recorded an album of W. C. Handy compositions, arranged by Nelson Riddle, and Fitzgerald incorporated "St. Louis Blues" into her concert repertoire.
St. Louis Blues (1958 film) | Introduction
The popularity of the blues genre rose in the late 1970s and early 1980s with the release of the musical-comedy film "The Blues Brothers" (1980), starring Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi. During this time, de la Parra had bought into the partnership of an East Hollywood recording studio at which he was again working with former bandmate Larry "The Mole" Taylor. Taylor had been associating with virtuoso guitar player Mike "Hollywood Fats" Mann and virtuoso piano player Ronnie Barron and before long Taylor, Barron and Hollywood Fats were in the band. This version referred to by Hite and Mann as the "Burger Brothers" lineup, was soon joined by blind piano player Jay Spell, as Ronnie Barron walked out on the band after a blow-up between himself and Taylor.
Canned Heat | Burger Brothers revival and the death of Bob Hite
"Time" magazine's Richard Corliss wrote, ""The Blues Brothers" is a demolition symphony that works with the cold efficiency of a Moog synthesizer gone sadistic". Janet Maslin of "The New York Times" criticized the film for shortchanging viewers on more details about Jake and Elwood's affinity for African-American culture. She also took director Landis to task for "distracting editing", mentioning the Soul Food diner scene in which saxophonist Lou Marini's head is out of shot as he dances on the counter. In the documentary, "Stories Behind the Making of The Blues Brothers", Landis acknowledges the criticism while stating “Everybody has his opinion”, and Marini recalls the dismay he felt at seeing the completed film.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Critical reception
In addition to the soundtrack, there are songs that appear in the film as background music that do not feature on the soundtrack. They include:
Blues Brothers 2000 (soundtrack) | Other songs in the film
The blind Detroit street singer Robert Bradley from the band Robert Bradley's Blackwater Surprise also appears in the film. He performs on-screen and has three songs featured on the soundtrack (including a duet with Macy Gray).
Lackawanna Blues (film) | Cast
The film notably features performances of Gershwin music by two talented and accomplished African-American musician/singers, Anne Brown (1916–2009) and Hazel Scott (1920–1981). Both were child prodigies whose training included study at the Juilliard School.
Rhapsody in Blue (film) | Production background
The original score was composed by Carter Burwell, a veteran of all the Coen Brothers' films. While the Coens were writing the screenplay they had Kenny Rogers' "Just Dropped In (to See What Condition My Condition Was in)", the Gipsy Kings' cover of "Hotel California", and several Creedence Clearwater Revival songs in mind. They asked T-Bone Burnett (who would later work with the Coens on "O Brother, Where Art Thou?" and "Inside Llewyn Davis") to pick songs for the soundtrack of the film. They knew that they wanted different genres of music from different times but, as Joel remembers, "T-Bone even came up with some far-out Henry Mancini and Yma Sumac." Burnett was able to secure songs by Kenny Rogers and the Gipsy Kings and also added tracks by Captain Beefheart, Moondog and Bob Dylan's "The Man in Me".
The Big Lebowski | Soundtrack
In 1958, the film entered the public domain in the United States because the claimants did not renew its copyright registration in the 28th year after publication. The Rhythm Boys (Bing Crosby, Harry Barris, and Al Rinker), were brought in at the last minute to sing the vocals on "Three Little Words", when Ellington's drummer, Sonny Greer, got stage fright about performing on film. After Greer couldn't get over his fright, Bing Crosby was supposed to sing the song solo, but when Melville Brown, the director, heard Crosby's version, he reportedly said, "This guy can't sing", and the entire trio was brought in to record the song.
Check and Double Check | Notes
On the director's commentary of the 1980 film "The Blues Brothers", John Landis reveals that he cast Murphy Dunne as the leader of "Murph and the Magic Tones" because he had seen him as a cheesy lounge singer in an earlier film. Although Landis doesn't mention "The Big Bus" by name, the film was Dunne's only previous performance as a lounge singer.
The Big Bus | Casting
Big City Blues is a 1932 American pre-Code drama film directed by Mervyn LeRoy and distributed by Warner Bros. The film is based on the play "New York Town" by Ward Morehouse and stars Joan Blondell and Eric Linden, with uncredited early appearances by Humphrey Bogart and Lyle Talbot. Original prints and copies of the motion picture are preserved in the collections of the Library of Congress, the UCLA Film and Television Archive, and in other major film repositories.
Big City Blues (1932 film) | Introduction
Remarkable are two early performances of the Chess Records houseband with Otis Spann (piano), Willie Dixon (bass) and, probably, Fred Below (drums). Eastwood shows his interest in jazz music with an interview and performance of improvising musician Pete Jolly, who introduces Phineas Newborn. Also Oscar Peterson and Thelonious Monk are present in the film with several performances. Eastwood explains his love for piano playing because of how his mother brought many Fats Waller records home saying; "This is real piano playing!".
Piano Blues (film) | Introduction
In the Oscar-winning film "Ray" he plays band leader and blues guitar player Lowell Fulson. During production he collaborated with Ray Charles in scoring the film. In "O Brother Where Art Thou?", he portrays a skilled blues guitarist who claims he sold his soul to the devil in exchange for his skill on guitar. The character is based on blues musicians Tommy Johnson and Robert Johnson, both of whom have been linked to selling their soul to the devil at a rural Mississippi crossroads. King also accompanies the film's band the Soggy Bottom Boys on guitar; his rendition of "Hard Time Killing Floor Blues" was recorded live during filming and included on the film's Grammy-award-winning soundtrack.
Chris Thomas King | Artistic career
The soundtrack to the film was composed and played by Branford Marsalis Quartet and Terence Blanchard. In 1991, the soundtrack was nominated for a Soul Train Music Award for Best Jazz Album.
Mo' Better Blues | Music
Gene Rodgers appears on screen performing two of his own compositions: "Ballad of the Bayou" and "Rajah's Blues"; the film's score was provided by Darrell Calker.
Shoot to Kill (1947 film) | Soundtrack
A successful sharp shooting act is threatened when a gold-digging blues singer attempts to split them up.
His Brother's Keeper (1940 film) | Synopsis
The start of filming was delayed when Aykroyd, new to film screenwriting, took six months to deliver a long and unconventional script that Landis had to rewrite before production, which began without a final budget. On location in Chicago, Belushi's partying and drug use caused lengthy and costly delays that, along with the destructive car chases depicted onscreen, made the final film one of the most expensive comedies ever produced.
The Blues Brothers (film) | Introduction
Death Croons the Blues is a 1937 British crime film directed by David MacDonald and starring Hugh Wakefield, Antoinette Cellier and George Hayes. The film was made at Twickenham Studios by the producer Julius Hagen whose ownership of the company was about to be ended due to financial problems.
Death Croons the Blues | Introduction
"The Brothers" is a remake of "Deewaar" ("The Wall"), a 1975 Indian crime film. Written by Salim–Javed (Salim Khan and Javed Akhtar) and directed by Yash Chopra, the story was loosely inspired by the Bombay underworld gangster Haji Mastan. The original film stars Bollywood superstar Amitabh Bachchan (as the criminal brother played by Tony Liu), Shashi Kapoor (as the cop brother played by Danny Lee), Nirupa Roy (as the mother played by Nam Hung) and Iftekhar (in the role played by Ku Feng). "The Brothers" is a mostly faithful remake, with many of the same scenes, as well as dialogues transcribed directly from the original in many places.
The Brothers (1979 film) | Production
The Belic brothers shot the film with two Hi8 camcorders and edited it themselves. They were allowed to edit the film during nighttime at a professional editing facility. It took them three and a half years to finish the film after they shot it. All this time they lived on $500 a month in an apartment above an auto repair shop. Christopher Nolan, a longtime friend of the brothers, is credited for his "editorial assistance".
Genghis Blues | Production
Keith Michell starred as Don Quixote and Cervantes, and Joan Diener was Aldonza/Dulcinea. Around 1970, American Decca enjoyed success with LPS of soundtrack dialogue excerpts from the films of W.C. Fields, the Marx Brothers, and Mae West. The Fields and Marx Brothers albums were narrated by radio personality and cartoon voice actor Gary Owens.
Decca Records | Spoken word
The tracks with Sam Jones were recorded February 20, 1959, while those with Al Hall were recorded 6 days later. A Fresh Sound CD adds the 3 tracks from Side by Side with this same group.
Back to Back: Duke Ellington and Johnny Hodges Play the Blues | Personnel
St. Louis Blues is a 1939 American musical film directed by Raoul Walsh that was set on a Mississippi River showboat. Although the plot was not related to the song, the "St. Louis Blues" was sung as one of the numbers. Artists included jazz singer Maxine Sullivan and composer/singer/actor Hoagy Carmichael. The film features Dorothy Lamour, Lloyd Nolan, Tito Guízar, Jerome Cowan and Mary Parker. Lamour sang "I Go for That" by Matt Malneck, Jr., and Frank Loesser in the film, and had a hit recording with it.
St. Louis Blues (1939 film) | Introduction
The film included several original songs, some of which boasted vocals: "Failure Face", "I Before E" and "Champion Charlie Brown". McKuen wrote and sang the title song, as well as writing "Failure Face" and "Champion Charlie Brown". Trotter composed additional songs, like "Cloud Dreams", "Catatonic Blues" and "Bus Wheel Blues".
A Boy Named Charlie Brown (soundtrack) | Background
G.I. Blues is a 1960 American musical comedy film directed by Norman Taurog and starring Elvis Presley, Juliet Prowse, and Robert Ivers. The movie was filmed at Paramount Pictures studio, with some pre-production scenery shot on location in Germany before Presley's release from the army. The movie won a 2nd place or runner-up prize Laurel Award in the category of Top Musical of 1960.
G.I. Blues | Introduction
The soundtrack was produced by Hal Willner and Steven Bernstein and featured several contemporary musicians playing the roles of jazz musicians from the 1930s. For example, Craig Handy plays the role of Coleman Hawkins, Geri Allen plays Mary Lou Williams, and James Carter plays Ben Webster.
Kansas City (film) | Soundtrack
Filmed and set in Alabama circa 1950, the film stars Danny Glover as the owner of a traditional blues club that is failing and in danger of being taken over until he hires a young electric guitarist (Gary Clark, Jr.) to stand-in as the popular "Guitar Sam" in the hopes of attracting a younger crowd. The film also stars musician Keb' Mo' as a mysterious blind guitarist, actor/comedian Kel Mitchell and singer Mable John. Rhythm and blues singer Ruth Brown recorded some songs for the film and was cast to play the role ultimately played by John, but died before filming started.
Honeydripper (film) | Plot
Muppet performer Frank Oz plays a corrections officer, and in the scene where the brothers crash into Toys R Us, a Grover and Kermit the Frog toy can be spotted and a customer (played by stunt coordinator Gary McLarty) asks the cashier if they have a Miss Piggy doll, a Muppet character that is voiced by Oz. Singer/songwriter Stephen Bishop is a Illinois State Trooper who complains that Jake and Elwood broke his watch (a result of the car chase in the mall). Makeup artist Layne Britton is the old card player who asks Elwood, "Did you get me my Cheez Whiz, boy?" The character portrayed by Cab Calloway is named Curtis as homage to Curtis Salgado, a Portland, Oregon, blues musician who inspired Belushi while he was in Oregon filming "Animal House".
The Blues Brothers (film) | Casting
Oklahoma Blues is a 1948 American Western film directed by Lambert Hillyer and written by Bennett Cohen. The film stars Jimmy Wakely, Dub Taylor, Virginia Belmont, I. Stanford Jolley, Zon Murray and George J. Lewis. The film was released on March 28, 1948, by Monogram Pictures.
Oklahoma Blues | Introduction
During the 1960s, he used a nearly identical 1959 model, but it was outfitted with a rosewood fretboard. He was an avid user of thick La Bella flatwound strings, as was James Jamerson. While filming "The Blues Brothers," Dunn used a sunburst early ‘70s Fender Precision bass with a rosewood fretboard and a "tortoiseshell" pickguard. He also used a red 1966 Precision in some of the scenes; a bass stamped "Demo" on the back, which was later fitted with a late '60s Jazz Bass neck. It was a combination that was popular with other top-level players, including Carl Radle, and Billy Cox.
Donald &quot;Duck&quot; Dunn | Musical equipment
Hemings, Samuel H. James, and Eddie L. Houston, Spencer Williams, and Amos Droughan, among others. It also included a dancing and band sequence, depicting a fun looking, middle class oriented club with drinks and gambling, as its opening backdrop.
James Weldon Johnson | Film
High Society Blues (1930) is an American pre-Code film starring Janet Gaynor and Charles Farrell. The movie was written by Howard J. Green from the story by Dana Burnett, and directed by David Butler. Gaynor and Farrell made almost a dozen films together, including Frank Borzage's classics "Seventh Heaven" (1927), "Street Angel" (1928), and "Lucky Star" (1929); Gaynor won the first Academy Award for Best Actress for the first two and F. W. Murnau's "Sunrise" (1927).
High Society Blues | Introduction
Music was originally conceived as a major component of the film, not merely as a background or a support. Producer and musician T Bone Burnett worked with the Coens while the script was still in its working phases and the soundtrack was recorded before filming commenced. Much of the music used in the film is period-specific folk music, including that of Virginia bluegrass singer Ralph Stanley. The musical selection also includes religious music, including Primitive Baptist and traditional African American gospel, most notably the Fairfield Four, an "a cappella" quartet with a career extending back to 1921 who appear in the soundtrack and as gravediggers towards the film's end.
O Brother, Where Art Thou? | Music
It features a band that included James P. Johnson on piano, Thomas Morris and Joe Smith on cornet, as well as the Hall Johnson Choir with some thrilling harmonies at the end. The film has an all African-American cast. Bessie Smith co-stars with Jimmy Mordecai as the boyfriend and Isabel Washington as the other woman.
St. Louis Blues (1929 film) | Introduction
Directed by Clint Eastwood, this episode is dedicated to blues music played on the piano. Eastwood, a piano player and accomplished composer, interviews such key figures as Dr. John, Ray Charles, Jay McShann (shown on the DVD cover), and Pinetop Perkins.
The Blues (film series) | "Piano Blues"
The film also featured appearances by rocker Billy Morrison and blues musicians Pinetop Perkins, Hubert Sumlin Willie "Big Eyes" Smith, Bob Stroger and Sugar Blue.
The Perfect Age of Rock 'n' Roll | Cast
Fields film with a score by Richard Rodgers and Lorenz Hart. It is also the only film in which Fields co-starred with Crosby. Photographed by Charles Lang, the film featured art direction by Hans Dreier and Bernard Herzbrun and was edited by Chandler House. The sound man was Eugene Merritt. The original running time of this black-and-white film was 80 minutes. The film has been released on VHS and DVD as part of the W.C. Fields Collection in the United Kingdom.
Mississippi (film) | Introduction
In an April 1988 interview he gave to the "Chicago Sun-Times", Aykroyd said the Blues Brothers act borrowed from Sam and Dave and others; the "Sun-Times" quoted him as explaining: "Well, obviously, the duo thing and the dancing, but the hats came from John Lee Hooker. The suits came from the concept that when you were a jazz player in the '40s, '50s '60s, to look straight, you had to wear a suit."
The Blues Brothers | Origins