Music documentary and concert film looking at the music, life, and times of Delbert McClinton and his road warrior musical friends.
The life and times of 3-time Grammy® Award winning roadhouse roots rock legend Delbert McClinton shot mostly aboard his annual floating music festival, the Sandy Beaches Cruise. Live performances by Delbert McClinton, Marcia Ball, Rodney Crowell, Stephen Bruton, Al Anderson, Paul Thorn, Tommy Castro, Wayne Toups, Jimmy Hall, and Teresa James & the Rhythm Tramps.—Jay Curlee
The 12th Annual Sandy Beaches Cruise is the centerpiece of a film that celebrates the independent spirit and talent of Delbert McClinton and several of his singer/songwriters friends. McClinton throws a floating music festival and fan/family reunion that features music from 11 a.m. 'til 3 or 4 a.m., every day for 7 days. He invites musicians and their families with the only proviso that they nominally behave themselves and "plug in, play, and blow my socks off." It is an artist and fan love fest.
This cruise took place in late January of 2006. Artists such as Marcia Ball, Rodney Crowell, Stephen Bruton, Al Anderson, Wayne Toups, Tommy Castro, Jimmy Hall and Paul Thorn all played multiple sets. Director Jay Curlee weaves interview stories of showmen's lives with songs and lyrics that advance the narrative. That narrative explores what it is like to be a working artist who is not a household name or celebrity.
The cast also contains a who's who of the best side men and songwriters working in America today. What they all have in common is that they resist the cookie cutter pressures of the industry. These artists rock the boat by showing up for work every day and hanging onto their artistic values. It's about talent, integrity, and tenacity. As Delbert states in the closing credits song, "took off my shoes and dumped out the rocks, put all the snakes back into the box, now I'm where I want to be, sitting here watchin' the rain."
