| The Road to Memphis | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Richard Pearce |
| Written by | Robert Gordon |
| Produced by | Robert Kenner |
| Starring | B. B. King Bobby Rush Rosco Gordon Ike Turner |
| Cinematography | Richard Pearce |
| Edited by | Charlton McMillan |
| Distributed by | BBC |
Release date | September 30, 2003 |
Running time | 119 min |
| Country | Germany / UK |
The Road To Memphis is a documentary directed by Richard Pearce.[1] The film is part of The Blues, a seven part PBS series, with Martin Scorsese as the executive producer.[2]
The Road To Memphis follows the career of Blues musician B.B. King as he returns to his hometown where he got his start at WDIA radio station.[3] It features interviews and performances by B.B. King, Bobby Rush, Rosco Gordon and Ike Turner as they come together in Memphis for the W. C. Handy awards in 2002.[1] The film also contains historical footage of Howlin' Wolf and Rufus Thomas.[3]
Variety (September 6, 2003):
Road to Memphis" is about the blues in the here and now — historical footage is kept to a minimum — and it establishes the notion that this remains a hard life for anyone who chooses it...Pic's cornerstone is a reunion show of the four Memphis artists, and Pearce introduces them in a hierarchical scale: King is a passenger in his well-appointed bus; Rush is his own bus driver. Everyone seems to know Ike Turner, whose musical reputation keeps doors open; Gordon pleads for recognition.[3]
