Trailer for ‘Sidemen – Long Road To Glory’

In the summer of 2008, a group of lbluesmen, some of the last surviving members of the Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters bands, were brought together by director Scott Rosenbaum for an appearance in his feature film, ‘The Perfect Age of Rock ‘n’ Roll’.  Pinetop Perkins, Willie “Big Eyes” Smith and Hubert Sumlin were cast for their authenticity and ability to underscore the film’s critical subplot, the evolution of rock ‘n’ roll through the blues. 

During breaks in production, these bluesmen told their tales of a lifetime spent on the road.  First hand accounts of experiences with Robert Johnson, Howlin’ Wolf, Muddy Waters along with Jimi Hendrix and The Rolling Stones – which got the director’s creative wheels spinning.

When Pinetop, Hubert and Willie “Big Eyes,” along with Sugar Blue, Bob 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, Pinetop 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.Members of The Doors, The Allman Brothers, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, Aerosmith, The Dave Matthews Band, as well as Bonnie Raitt, Johnny Winter, Bobby Rush and Shemekia Copeland share their personal and professional recollections of these men and the impact that they’ve had on their own careers.  When asked how they hoped to be remembered, Willie, Pinetop and Hubert consistently expressed their wish to be known for both having kept the blues alive and to serve as an inspiration for the younger generations of musicians.