Learn about the rediscovery of three American music legends -- Creole blues guitarist Paul "Lil' Buck" Sinegal, Texas R&B shouter Roy Head, and zydeco pioneer Classie Ballou -- in this film directed by Jeff Nichols. In it, Ponderosa Stomp founder Ira "Dr. Ike" Padnos describes the Stomp's musical mission and its role in spotlighting the inventors and innovators of rock 'n' roll, blues, R&B, funk, swamp pop, garage rock, Louisiana rhythms, and more. “Once that’s gone, that’s a lot of the foundation of rock ‘n’ roll,” Padnos says.
Watch Sinegal, Head, and Ballou recount how surprise invitations from Dr. Ira to play the Stomp ultimately helped them retrace their own groundbreaking early roots, reconnect with their musical peers, meet and play with some of their own genuine heroes, and be rediscovered by a whole new generation of adoring fans. “It’s not just about music; it’s about life itself,” Sinegal observes. Head adds: “During the Stomp I got to meet all the legends – I mean the REAL legends – of R&B music.”
The film, whose executive producer is Brian Gourley, features cinematography by Adam Stone and commentary from renowned music journalist Peter Guralnick. It’s also chock full of footage and photos of numerous past performers, including Lazy Lester, Al "Carnival Time" Johnson, Robert Parker, Dave Bartholomew, James Burton, Mac "Dr. John" Rebennack, Little Freddie King, Buckwheat Zydeco, Little Jimmy Scott – the list goes on and on.
The Ponderosa Stomp Foundation (PSF) is a 501(c) (3), not-for-profit educational organization whose mission is celebrating the legacy, revitalizing the careers, and preserving the history of American music and musicians. We work to ensure that the unsung heroes of American music are given their due: celebrated, included, and remembered, but most of all, heard – during their lifetimes. We provide both a voice and a stage to overlooked sidemen, session musicians, and other influential pioneers whose contributions have shaped our culture for over 50 years. Our programming includes an annual music festival in New Orleans and shows at Lincoln Center, education initiatives and musical performances in schools and museums, an ongoing oral history project, and a music history conference. But we can't do it alone. Become a part of the music at ponderosastomp.com.
R.E.M. was an American rock band formed in Athens, Georgia, in 1980 by drummer Bill Berry, guitarist Peter Buck, bassist Mike Mills, and lead vocalist Michael Stipe, who were students at the University of Georgia. R.E.M. was noted for Buck's arpeggiated "jangle" guitar playing; Stipe's distinctive vocal style, unique stage presence, and cryptic lyrics; Mills's countermelodic bass lines and backing vocals; and Berry's tight, economical drumming. In the early 1990s, other alternative rock acts suc...
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