On August 21, Bar Sol at Navy Pier became a mecca for blues enthusiasts who gathered to screen the Darryl Pitts-produced film "The Rhythm and the Blues," starring actor and singer Leon, who is known by his first name. The musical celebration included performances by Isaiah Sharkey, a house music tribute by Joe Shanahan of the Metro and Smart Bar, and Mrs. Dee Alexander, who paid homage to the venerable Dinah Washington.
The event also featured the Living Legacy Award, which honored legendary musician Herbie Hancock and Kirkland Townsend. Audience members arrived with harmonicas in hand and were encouraged to accompany some of the best blues musicians in the city as they paid tribute to Chicago’s own blues legend, Eddie Taylor. VIP guests enjoyed a premium experience in a private lounge sponsored by the Black-owned American whiskey brand Uncle Nearest. The yet-to-be-released film is several months into a nationwide screening tour and will be available in theaters and on streaming platforms later this year.
"The Rhythm and the Blues" tells the true-life story of Eddie Taylor, a musician and singer who revolutionized the electric guitar, making it a central sound in blues and rock music and influencing artists such as Elvis Presley, Tina Turner, and Waylon Jennings, to name a few. Both Presley and Turner covered Taylor’s “Bad Boy,” while Jennings featured the Taylor original "Bad News" on his 1967 album "Waylon Sings Ol’ Harlan."
Pitts viewed Taylor’s story as part of the "American story of musicians who came from the South" and left an indelible mark on music. The film chronicles the self-taught musician's life from his humble beginnings in Benoit, Mississippi, where he taught a young Jimmy Reed to play the harmonica and guitar, to his rise as a singer and electric guitarist playing with blues legends such as John Lee Hooker and Sam Lay.
Pitts describes Taylor as a "complex character who was hurt by the music industry and who, in turn, hurt those closest to him." One of those people was his wife, Vera, a blues singer who, like Taylor, hailed from Mississippi and was influenced by the Delta blues sound. The film highlights the tumultuous relationship between the husband and wife and the disappointment that the groundbreaking musician experienced as his music was appropriated by rock artists who never acknowledged his work or compensated him for his artistry.
Pitts’ desire to elevate Taylor’s legacy from a footnote in the annals of blues and rock history to the forefront is what pushed him to see the project through to completion. The producer described the process of bringing the bluesman's story to life as "long and hard" and admitted that securing the funds for the project was challenging. However, he believed that Taylor’s spirit was with him during the process, pushing him to persevere through the difficult times.
Pitts proudly shared that “money was not a deterrent,” adding that “money might delay you, but it will not deny you.” Pitts was certainly not denied; he soon moved from securing funding for the film to the important work of identifying an actor well-suited for the leading role. After considering who could embody such a dynamic character, he settled on industry veteran Leon, impressed by his portrayal of David Ruffin in the 1998 television miniseries "The Temptations." Robinson's ability to embody a music legend who was both loved and loathed by audiences was exactly what Pitts was looking for in telling the story of Taylor.
Robinson recounts being approached by Pitts for the role and accepting it because of his great regard for the writer and producer because of how Taylor’s story resonated with him. He described Taylor's story as “the story of other artists who have been taken advantage of, whose music we’ve heard through other people but who never got paid and didn’t get their just due.” It was in the spirit of giving the legend his "just due" that Leon took on the lead role of Taylor, hoping that the world would finally know his name and appreciate his contributions to American music. When asked what he wanted the audience to walk away learning about the blues legend after watching the film, Leon simply said, "him."
"You probably didn’t know him before the film, but you know him now," he added.