›› MUSiC
On the music screen New West Marin film series showcases music documentaries by G re g Cahill
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cigar-box guitar aficionado who has been ack in the 70s, my hometown overshadowed by such better-known hillhad a midnight movie, at the Los Gatos Theater, where I got country artists as Junior Kimbrough and hooked on the music-documentary genre: R.L. Burnside, but who is no less deserving Gimmie Shelter, Wings Over America, of praise. The Song Remains the Same,” says Dave The film was judged as second best in Whitney of Inverness. “I’ve been collecting the category for Best Documentary at them ever since.” the 2007 Macon And he’s been sharFilm Festival and NOW PLAYING ing his passion. Best “Sweet Home Richard Johnston: Hill Country On Thursday, July Alabama” Film at Troubadour will screen Thursday, July 31, Whitney launches 31, at 7pm, at the Pt. Reyes Dance Palace, the 2007 George a new monthly film 503 B St., Point Reyes Station. Admission Lindsey UNA Film series, Music Docuis free; a donation is requested to benefit Festival. mentary Night, with public school music programs. “The mule-team Richard Johnston: Hill muscle in Johnston’s Country Troubadour. picking and the The screening, to be held at the Pt. dirt-road fiber in his voice are the real apReyes Dance Palace, will benefit West peal, ” David Fricke wrote in Rolling Stone Marin public school music programs. at the time. The obscure documentary, directed “I selected this documentary because by Max Shores, chronicles the career of it’s an award-winning film, very well a Mississippi hill-country bluesman and
Richard Johnston’s one-man-band performs around the world, but his home stage is the sidewalk along Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee.
made, that was never released,” Whitney explains. “Also, it really educates the audience regarding hill-country blues, which the vast majority of people know nothing about. “I discovered it in my own research learning how to play hill-country blues.”
Whitney, a self-described “music documentary/performance film buff,” delves into music docs every chance he gets: flying to New York last weekend he watched the newly released All My Friends: Celebrating the Songs and Voice of Gregg Allman, a new concert film featuring Allman, Warren Haynes, Derek Trucks, Susan Tedeschi, Taj Mahal, John Hiatt, Jackson Browne and Dr. John, to name a few. “Great film,” Whitney reports. Other music docs he’s been enjoying of late include the Oscar-winning 20 Feet From Stardom, Muscle Shoals and Jacob Hatley’s 2013 documentary Ain’t In It For My Health: A Film About Levon Helm. “I recently purchased Love For Levon: A Benefit to Save the Barn, another tribute to Levon Helm, but haven’t had a chance to watch it yet,” he says. Whitney plans to screen music documentaries “once per month or so.” Currently, additional upcoming screenings are scheduled for Sept. 4, Sept. 25 and Oct. 30. Admission to the screenings is free, but donations are requested and will benefit the West Marin School music program in Pt. Reyes Station. “I’m the full-time music teacher at Inverness and West Marin Schools, and our district is recently in financial crisis,” Whitney says. “I’m trying to raise $8,500 to purchase some cutting edge, digital-music curriculum and the technology to deliver it to the students. “While we might raise a few bucks for the kids, really the vision is to get folks who love these types of films in the same room and to build community.” Y Light up the silver screen with Greg at gcahill51@gmail.com. JULY 25 - JULY 31, 2014 PACIFIC SUN 15