A Dr. John documentary is in the works
Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach will direct an in-depth story about the famed New Orleanian musician
Last updated 21st Jul 2021
It has been revealed that a new documentary about New Orleans legend Dr. John is in the works.
The new project - which has yet to be named - will be directed by Black Keys frontman Dan Auerbach, making his directorial debut. The feature documentary hopes to tell an in-depth story about the famed "night tripper", revealing his elaborate life as well as showing the cultural and musical impact he had.
Dr. John was known as the funky New Orleans “night-tripper” musician. The cultural icon blended blues, jazz and R&B to create his unique style, mixing genres with a hoodoo-infused stage persona and gravelly bayou drawl. Dr. John was a six-time Grammy winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, passing away in 2019 after suffering a heart attack, aged 77.
Auerbach said he’s honoured to create a project focused on Dr. John, who he called a friend. He said Dr. John - whose real name was Mac Rebennack - was a “shining example of the great melting pot of American music.”
“From his mysterious voodoo stage persona Dr John, to his real, humble self Mac Rebannack, the street poet, the family man, the junkie, the Grammy award winner and all that’s in between, this documentary will introduce the world to him in a way they haven’t seen him before,” Auerbach said in a statement. “I’m still learning bits about him that I never knew, and I hope the movie provides a lens into the story of the life of Dr John.”
Dan Auerbach will be working with RadicalMedia to create the film, the team responsible for the recently released critically acclaimed film Summer of Soul. Summer of Soul - which traces the 1969 Harlem Cultural Festival - was directed by Ahmir "Questlove" Thompson, who similarly to Auerbach made his directorial debut.
“We’re here to help (Auerbach) shape this story,” Jon Kamen - CEO of RadicalMedia - said. “We’re here to help support it the same way we did on Questlove’s ‘Summer of Soul.’ We’ve done this before, and we’ll do it again without any trepidations. We have the confidence that with the right team around an artist like Dan, you can do wonderful things. I’m sure this will be an amazing story as well.”
Read more:
Dr. John: Get to know the Night Tripper
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