Taylor Hackford shares his insights.
I’ve gone Hollywood…literally. On what I assume is a typically sunny Cali morning, I drove my rental car into the Hollywood Hills to meet and interview movie director Taylor Hackford (“Officer and a Gentleman”, “Delores Claiborne”, “The Devil’s Advocate”).
Going West!
Holliday in California
I’ve been invited to California to interview Hollywood director Taylor Hackford. Hackford’s connection to the Johnnie Johnson story is that he directed “Chuck Berry: Hail! Hail! Rock ‘N’ Roll” The 1986 documentary shot in St. Louis that made the music world rediscover Johnnie Johnson.
Happy Birthday, Johnnie!
“Grateful” to Ratdog
Today would have been Johnnie Johnson’s 82nd birthday, so I hosted a birthday party at my home in suburban St. Louis and it was a blast because two Rock and Roll Hall of Famers were in the house! Bob Weir of Grateful Dead fame brought several members of his current band Ratdog and hung out for about an hour before they left for their performance at the Fox Theater.
“Peek” At The Sheldon
Went to see former Chuck Berry and Rod Stewart guitarist Billy Peek perform at his cd release party at the Sheldon Concert Hall in St. Louis. Billy’s CD, “Tribute to a Poet” features Chuck Berry’s greatest hits. Peek, who recently did an interview for the documentary, totally rocked a packed house at the Sheldon. Listening to Peek perform classics like “Roll Over Beethoven”, “Johnny B. Goode”, and “No Particular Place to Go” made me wonder what it was like to hear Chuck Berry and Johnnie Johnson in their prime. When I interviewed Peek, who performed with both Berry and Johnson, here’s what he said about Johnnie’s contribution to the Berry hits: “He had so much input on the piano on those Chuck Berry hit records. It was like, maybe they would have been hits without him, but with him they were monsters.”Art HollidayDirector, JOHNNIE BE GOOD
“Rolling” Along
Eleven hour drive from St. Louis to Dry Branch, Georgia, home of Rolling Stones keyboardist Chuck Leavell. Very much looking forward to meeting him and talking about Johnnie Johnson and music in general. Got good progress reports from my executive producer George Hickenlooper about an A-list interview, and from a representative of Aerosmith about another A-list interview. More to come on this.Art HollidayDirector, JOHNNIE BE GOOD
Honkin’ WIth Joe Perry
My amazing week continues:
Just got a phone call saying Aerosmith guitarist Joe Perry is going to do an interview for “Johnnie Be Good”, probably late summer when I’m making an east coast trip for several other interviews. Johnnie recorded with Aerosmith a few years back on the cd “Honkin’ on Bobo”.Art HollidayDirector, JOHNNIE BE GOOD
Interview with Chuck Leavell
Spent the morning with a Rolling Stone, just one more example of how the documentary journey is an amazing experience. Chuck Leavell’s immense Georgia plantation was impressive, exceeded only by his hospitality and willingness to talk about Johnnie Johnson. Leavell performed with Johnnie on several occasions, most notably the Chuck Berry documentary “Hail! Hail! Rock ‘N’ Roll” and the “24 Nights” concerts in London in Eric Clapton’s hand-picked blues band. Leavell had plenty of stories about both, as well as interesting observations about the Johnnie Johnson/Chuck Berry collaboration process and whether Johnnie should have received a song-writing credit. Regarding the Berry/Johnson collaboration, Leavell said “they went into a different direction and turned boogie woogie and blues into rock and roll. I have to give credit to both those guys and certainly to Johnnie where the piano was concerned. In my mind he was the father of rock and roll piano.” I think I can find use for that piece of videotape! I already respected Chuck Leavell’s long, productive career; I respect him even more for inviting me to hang out and talk. There won’t be many documentary days better than this. Leavell wrote the following inscription in his autobiography: “Art, So great to work with you on your tribute to Johnnie Johnson and to have you as a friend. Groove on. Chuck Leavell. That’s what I’m talking about! Art HollidayDirector, JOHNNIE BE GOOD
An Unexpected Gift
Frances Johnson Shares Memories
The last few days have been rewarding and exciting. Frances Johnson called me to say she had found other photos of Johnnie. Understatement of the day. There was a photo of Johnnie in grade school, and Johnnie sharing lens time with Keith Richards, Chuck Leavell, Chubby Checker, John Lee Hooker, George Benson, “Pops” Staples of the Staples Singers, Aerosmith, Rufus Thomas. There were also love letters Johnnie wrote to Frances while he was on the road. That was a good day.Art HollidayDirector, JOHNNIE BE GOOD
You’re Nobody Till You’re Somebody!
Hunting down the Elusive Interview.
On a project like the Johnnie Johnson documentary, I spend a lot of time trying to get the attention of famous musicians because Johnnie shared stages with some of the most famous musicians in history. Case in point: Chuck Leavell who’s currently playing with the Rolling Stones. Leavell has had an amazing career, playing with the likes of Eric Clapton, George Harrison, The Allman Brothers Band, The Black Crowes, the list goes on and on.
A Legend Remembered…
April 13, 2006 is the one year anniversary of Rock and Roll Hall of Famer Johnnie Johnson’s death.
Two years before Johnnie died, I had begun working on a feature length documentary about Johnnies life, music, and relationship with the legendary Chuck Berry. This email is an update on Johnnie Be Good and the documentary web site, http://www.JohnnieBeGood.net, which is online now. JohnnieBeGood.net includes a trailer for the documentary, a photo gallery and quotes from some of the musicians who admired Johnnie.
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