7:15 pm | 1 hr 17 min | Documentary, Biography, History
Q&A after the film on Tuesday, Aug 2 with Hubert Sumlin’s manager, Toni Ann Mamary.
Co-Presented by
The Woodstock Film Festival Save the date: The 17th annual Woodstock Film Festival Oct 13 – 16.
Sidemen: Long Road To Glory is an intimate look at the incredible lives and legacies of piano player Pinetop Perkins, drummer Willie ‘Big Eyes’ Smith and guitarist Hubert Sumlin, all Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf sidemen. The film captures some of the last interviews and their final live performances together, before their deaths in 2011. The historic live shows are accompanied by performances and personal insights from many of the blues and rock stars these legendary sidemen inspired including; Bonnie Raitt, Gregg Allman, Derek Trucks, Shemekia Copeland, Robby Krieger, Kenny Wayne Shepherd, Joe Perry, Joe Bonamassa and Johnny Winter. Directed by Scott D. Rosenbaum.
Having grown up on Martin Scorsese’s valediction to The Band, The Last Waltz, Rosenbaum wanted to make a film that similarly honored the life and musical legacy of these aging bluesmen. When Pinetop, Hubert and Willie “Big Eyes,” along with Sugar Blue, Robert Stroger and Bob Margolin hit the road as The Perfect Age of Rock ‘n’ Roll Blues Band, Rosenbaum, along with producers Jasin Cadic, Tony Grazia and Joe White were determined to capture this important moment and fleeting history. Over the next three years they would follow these blues legends, shooting live performances, an historic Grammy win, dozens of intimate interviews, countless behind-the-scenes moments, and documenting their lives on the road. Sadly, the 2011 deaths of Willie, Pine and Hubert altered the film’s initial Last Waltz style vision; to capture these legends performing live versions of classic blues songs with the musicians they had so heavily influenced. Luckily, several of these performance pairings were filmed before their deaths. Those treasured moments are complimented by over two dozen subsequent interviews with some of blues and rock’s biggest names, demonstrating the true impact and tremendous respect that these men engendered over the course of their long careers.
Hubert Sumlin’s manager, Toni Ann Mamary, will be present on Tuesday’s screening. Toni Ann grew up five doors down from Laurie Giardino, the Rosendale Theatre’s volunteer coordinator. When Laurie visited her mother, she’d see Hubert walking his dog passed the house. Toni Ann’s family gave Hubert a place to live until he died in 2011. Ms. Mamary will talk about the home side of Hubert’s life in Totowa, New Jersey; a behind the scenes personal story that the film doesn’t include, along with some never-before-seen home photos and she will discuss the importance of The Pinetop Perkins Foundation.
The Rosendale Theatre will accept donations for The Pinetop Perkins Foundation, whose primary mission is to, “provide encouragement and support for youth and young people at the beginning of their musical career; and help provide care and safety for elderly musicians at the twilight of their career.” Please consider honoring Pinetop’s legacy by donating to The Pinetop Perkins Foundation.
The theater’s Music Fan Film Series has presented documentaries, feature films and concert films of all kinds, mining the lives of artists across the entire spectrum of our collective musical history.