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The Blues Brothers
Whether celebrated as a sincere tribute or derided as
a tongue-in-cheek put-on, the Blues Brothers -- Joliet Jake and his silent
brother Elwood -- was among the most popular groups of the late '70s;
what started as a skit on the hit NBC television sketch comedy series
Saturday Night Live quickly snowballed to become a true phenomenon, complete
with hit records, a sold-out concert tour, and even a feature film. Clad
in vintage black suits, narrow ties, fedoras, and omnipresent wrap-around
sunglasses, the Blues Brothers delivered spirited renditions of classic
soul hits in the tradition of the signature Stax-Volt sound; purists may
still cringe, but if nothing else the group deserves credit for introducing
any number of soul and blues classics to a new generation of listeners
while also allowing some of the most gifted session men in the business
a chance to shine on-stage and -screen.
According to "Don Kirshner" (actually Saturday Night Live bandleader
Paul Shaffer in disguise), the Blues Brothers' history was as follows:
"In 1969, Marshall Checker, of the legendary Checkers Records, called
me on a new blues act that had been playing in the small, funky clubs
on Chicago's South Side....Today they are no longer an authentic blues
act, but have managed to become a viable commercial product." In
reality, however, vocalist Jake and harpist Elwood Blues were music lovers
John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd, two of SNL's brightest stars who created
their respective aliases in early 1976 to warm up crowds before performances
of the hit series. The Blues Brothers made their national TV debut with
Belushi and Aykroyd outfitted in the bee costumes they often wore for
another sketch, performing (naturally enough) Slim Harpo's "I'm a
King Bee," and in the months to follow they grew in popularity, appearing
on the program with increasing regularity.
The Blues Brothers' band included top Memphis session men like guitarist
Steve Cropper and bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn, who together appeared
on many of the original Stax label recordings of songs in the group's
repertoire; later incarnations also featured notables like bluesman Matt
"Guitar" Murphy. While opening for comedian Steve Martin in
Los Angeles in 1978, the Blues Brothers recorded their debut live LP,
Briefcase Full of Blues; the album quickly went platinum, launching Top
40 hit covers of "Soul Man" and "Rubber Biscuit."
They also toured in 1980 to promote their feature-length movie, The Blues
Brothers, a sprawling musical comedy featuring cameos by everyone from
Cab Calloway to Aretha Franklin, as well as their second LP, Made in America;
two more Top 40 hits -- "Gimme Some Lovin'" and "Who's
Making Love" -- appeared that same year.
In 1981, The Best of the Blues Brothers was released, further solidifying
their massive popularity; however, on March 5, 1982, Belushi died in Hollywood
of an accidental drug overdose, and the Blues Brothers' saga was effectively
over. Or so it seemed; as the movie remained a cult favorite and old Saturday
Night Live sketches continued to run in syndication, the group's "legend"
continued to grow, and, in 1988, Cropper, Dunn, Murphy, and other players
re-formed the Blues Brothers Band for a world tour, often backing singer
Eddie Floyd. In 1992, they even cut a new LP, Red White and Blues, which
featured a guest appearance from Aykroyd/Elwood. Around the same time,
Aykroyd also mounted his House of Blues franchise, an international chain
of upscale blues joints; he, actor John Goodman, and Belushi's brother
Jim appear on occasion now in a new Blues Brothers lineup. ~ Jason Ankeny,
All Music Guide
Let us connect you with a Blues Brothers Agent now to book The Blues Brothers to appear at your next corporate, private or special event!
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*Headline Entertainment, LLC, the booking agent working on your behalf, acts only as an entertainment broker/producer for corporate functions, private engagements and special events and does not claim or represent itself as the exclusive booking agent, booking agency or management of any artist on this website.
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