Horn from the Heart: The Paul Butterfield Story

Horn from the Heart: The Paul Butterfield Story is a riveting and emotionally engaging documentary that examines the life of one of the most influential blues musicians in history, Paul Butterfield. Released in 2017, this movie offers a detailed introspection into Butterfield’s life, struggles and profound influence on the American music landscape. His sound was characterized by a potent cocktail of blues, rock and jazz, with an indomitable spirit that pushed musical boundaries and blazed a trail for upcoming generations of musicians.

The essence of this anthology is captured through interviews with those who knew him best, including fellow blues maestros Elvin Bishop and Mike Bloomfield. Their heartfelt recollections provide emotional depth to this film, allowing viewers to understand Butterfield's personas both on and off the stage. The film spotlights Butterfield's instrumental prowess, his relentless pursuit of authentic blues sound, and his cultural impact, especially during the American Civil Rights era.

Directed by John Anderson, the movie deftly presents Butterfield’s meteoric rise from his early days in Chicago's south side listening to Muddy Waters and Howlin’ Wolf, to his iconic performances at the Newport Folk Festival and Woodstock. These performances left an indelible mark on the world of music, and the film brilliantly brings these moments to life through archival footage. It reveals how Butterfield's innovative style synthesized Chicago blues with rock and jazz elements, ultimately bringing blues into the mainstream consciousness.

This compelling movie delves into the profoundly multicultural aspect of Butterfield's bands, especially during a time when American culture was heavily divided racially along many fronts. He integrated with musicians from various backgrounds, effectively breaking racial barriers at a time when such alliances were not common, employing an integrated band and playing "black" music to "white" audiences. This made the Paul Butterfield Blue Band a pioneering force that transcended racial and musical boundaries.

Paul Butterfield's personal life gets a fair share of attention in the film as well. Audiences get insight into his family life, including his relationship with his encouraging parents. His personal struggles, featuring battles with alcoholism and drug addiction that led to his untimely death at the young age of 44, become a focal point of the narrative. Through testimony from his brother Peter, his son Gabriel, and former band mates, the film paints a picture of his life that was turbulent, yet rich, showcasing Butterfield as a man who expressed his deepest experiences through his artistry.

So much of Butterfield's life and many aspects of his music were grounded in the history and culture of his day, and the film explores his role during the Civil Rights Movement. It does a great job of placing his strides in integration, both musical and racial, within the broader societal context of the 1960s.

The intense dedication to his craft comes to the forefront as the movie progresses, spotlighting his determination as he battles through a significant vocal cord operation. His relentless desire to perform live music in spite of his health problems is both heartbreaking and inspiring, serving as a testament to his sheer passion for the blues.

Horn from the Heart: The Paul Butterfield Story is remarkable not only for its historical significance but for its well-crafted storytelling. It balances the celebration of an icon with the exploration of the person behind the music. Blending in a series of intimate interviews, electrifying archival performance footage, and previously unseen photos and home movies, the documentary applies a careful blend of music, history, and human interest.

Whether you are a blues aficionado or a casual fan, this movie provides an absorbing glimpse into the life of an individual whose deep influence on blues music is often under-recognized but cannot be overstated. It's an intimate and touching portrait of a trailblazer and a tumultuous era of American music and culture. Horn from the Heart: The Paul Butterfield Story comes out as a soulful ode to a musician whose legacy continues to reverberate through the music world up to the present day.