“On a mission from god”: Which musicians appeared in The Blues Brothers?
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A musical for people who don’t usually like musicals, The Blues Brothers is essential viewing for American comedy fans and, of course, fans of blues, soul, and R&B music. For the uninitiated, the 1980 film follows the exploits of Jake and Elwood Blues – John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd – as they attempt to reform their old rhythm and blues band in order to raise money for the orphanage that raised them. At the heart of the film, however, is an unwavering adoration for American R&B and blues music.
The story of The Blues Brothers begins in 1978, two years prior to the release of the blockbuster film. Belushi and Aykroyd were cast members on the long-running sketch show Saturday Night Live at the time, and they quickly found that they had great chemistry together as performers. During an edition of the show in April 1978, the pair debuted their characters Jake and Elwood Blues, bedecked in black suits, dark sunglasses, and trilbys.
Later that year, the band opened for Steve Martin at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, spawning the incredibly successful live album Briefcase Full of Blues, and earning the comedy blues band a spot opening for psychedelic icons the Grateful Dead. By that point, it was clear that the band’s next step was on the silver screen – particularly given that the pair had already starred alongside each other in the Steven Spielberg war comedy 1941 in 1979.
When creating the film, it became immediately clear that R&B music would play a key part in the storyline, but the admittedly impressive tones of Belushi and Aykroyd could not carry the film alone. So, the production team recruited a star-studded cast of musicians in cameo roles in addition to making up The Blues Brothers band within the film. An amalgamation of legendary soul and R&B musicians, along with members of the Saturday Night Live house band, the musicians in the film were essential in capturing the musical spirit of the story.
Within the group, SNL band members Thomas “Bones” Malone and Alan “Mr. Fabulous” Rubin performed in the brass section, while other band members included figures like Steve Cropper, who lent his guitar playing to artists like Otis Redding, Sam and Dave, and Wilson Pickett while playing in the Stax house band. Donald “Duck” Gunn was also featured in the band, playing bass guitar, and he had similarly earned his stripes in the Stax house band, as well as drummer Willie “Too Big” Hall, who regularly backed Stax artists.
Other musicians in the band included Matt “Guitar” Murphy, the legendary blues artist who played alongside the likes of Howlin’ Wolf and Memphis Slim. George “Murphy” Dunne, who had previously played with Cropper, and former Frank Zappa collaborator “Blue Lou” Marini rounded off the band, but they are far from being the only real0life musicians included in the film.
So, which famous musicians appeared in The Blues Brothers?
Along with the various talented musicians included in the band itself, the film also featured a plethora of cameos by truly iconic artists. James Brown, for instance, appears as the sweat-soaked preacher at the South Chicago gospel church where Jake Blues first drums up the idea of reforming his band. Meanwhile, Ray Charles plays the role of a keyboard salesman attempting to sell equipment to the group by launching into a rendition of ‘Shake A Tail Feather’. John Lee Hooker also makes a passing appearance in the film, singing his defining anthem ‘Boom Boom’ on the streets of Chicago.
Throughout the film, the jazz titan Cab Calloway plays an essential role, advising The Blues Brothers in the orphanage and playing ‘Minnie The Moocher’ at their pivotal reunion gig. However, Calloway’s role in the film is perhaps overshadowed by one of the film’s most memorable scenes, which featured none other than Aretha Franklin.
Working as a waitress in a soul food restaurant, where “Blue Lou” Marini and Matt “Guitar” Murphy are working in the kitchen, Franklin launches into a blistering version of her 1968 single ‘Think’ upon learning that her husband, Murphy, is thinking about rejoining the band. Franklin’s performance is a notable highlight within the film, and her reaction to the brothers’ order of four fried chickens, a coke, and dry white toast is played perfectly by the legendary vocalist.
Franklin’s role in the film marked one of only two film acting roles she took on during her extensive career in music, the other being The Blues Brothers‘ much-maligned sequel, Blues Brothers 2000. That sequel, made years after the death of Belushi, featured performances from Franklin and James Brown, along with the likes of B.B. King, Wilson Pickett, Eric Clapton, Issac Hayes, Eddie Floyd, and various other big names from the world of soul and R&B music.
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