Forty Years Later, Seeing One Film Can Help Us Finish Another
Join us October 16th at the Hi-Pointe Theatre for a screening of Chuck Berry: Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll benefiting Johnnie Be Good
On October 16, 1986, Taylor Hackford and an extraordinary collection of musicians gathered at the Fox Theatre in St. Louis to celebrate Chuck Berry’s 60th birthday.
Keith Richards served as musical director. Eric Clapton, Robert Cray, Etta James, Linda Ronstadt and others joined Berry onstage. Hackford captured it all for the documentary Chuck Berry: Hail! Hail! Rock ’n’ Roll.
Sitting behind the piano was Johnnie Johnson.
That night became an important turning point in Johnnie’s life.
Johnnie had helped create the sound we associate with some of Chuck Berry’s most famous recordings, but by the mid-1980s his career as a professional musician had largely receded into the past. His appearance in Hackford’s film helped introduce—or reintroduce—Johnnie to the world.
What followed was an extraordinary second act. Johnnie recorded albums of his own, earned a Grammy nomination, performed with some of the biggest names in music and was eventually inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
Now another filmmaker is trying to make sure Johnnie’s full story is told.
My friend Art Holliday has spent 22 years working on JOHNNIE BE GOOD, a feature-length documentary about Johnnie’s remarkable life and musical legacy. Art has assembled an extraordinary collection of interviews, including Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, Buddy Guy, Paul McCartney, Taylor Hackford, Michael McDonald, John Goodman and many others.
Most importantly, the film isn't starting from scratch. There is already a 95-minute rough cut. The interviews have been shot, and the story has been developed. What remains is the difficult and expensive work required to take a documentary from rough cut to finished film.
That is why STORYSMART® agreed to come aboard as a finish-line partner.
And it is why I hope you will join us on Friday, October 16, exactly 40 years after those historic concerts at the Fox.
Proceeds from the evening will help support the work required to finish JOHNNIE BE GOOD.
General admission tickets are $40.
A limited number of $100 VIP tickets are also available.
They include reserved seating and admission to a special Boogie Woogie reception beginning at 6:00 PM, where guests will have an opportunity to meet musician and Johnnie Johnson protégé Doña Oxford.
Doña will also perform as part of the evening.
There is something wonderfully appropriate about using this film to help finish ours.
Forty years ago, Hail! Hail! Rock ’n’ Roll helped put Johnnie Johnson back on the stage and introduced his remarkable talent to a much larger audience.
Forty years later, we are working to finish a film that can tell the rest of his story.
Come see a great movie and help us finish another one.
Friday, October 16
6:00 PM - VIP Reception
7:00 PM - Film
Hi-Pointe Theatre, St. Louis
General Admission — $40
VIP — $100
