Biography
The Blues Brothers are a fictional-but-real blues and soul band created by comedians John Belushi and Dan Aykroyd in the late 1970s, originally as a musical sketch for NBC’s Saturday Night Live.[3][4] Belushi (as “Joliet” Jake Blues) and Aykroyd (as Elwood Blues) first appeared in character on SNL in 1978, dressed in black suits, skinny ties, fedoras, and dark sunglasses, fronting a band of top rhythm-and-blues session players.[3][7] Their act grew out of the pair’s deepening passion for American blues: Belushi’s interest was sparked when he met bluesman Curtis Salgado while filming Animal House in Oregon, who introduced him to classic blues and soul records, a love that Aykroyd already shared.[1] The combination of comedy personas with an authentically powerful backing band quickly proved popular with television audiences.
On September 9, 1978, the Blues Brothers made their full-scale concert debut opening for Steve Martin at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles, recording the live album Briefcase Full of Blues during this run of shows.[2][7] Released later that year, the record reached number one on the charts and produced hit singles, showing that the project had evolved beyond a novelty into a successful recording and touring band.[3][4][7] Between 1978 and 1980 they issued two live albums, Briefcase Full of Blues (1978) and Made in America (1980), followed by the compilation The Best of the Blues Brothers in 1981, while also starring in John Landis’s 1980 film The Blues Brothers, which mixed slapstick comedy with elaborate musical set pieces featuring legends like Aretha Franklin and Ray Charles.[4] Musically, the group specialized in electrified Chicago-style urban blues and Memphis soul, powered by a crack rhythm section and horn line, and their high-profile success helped bring classic R&B to a new generation of rock and film fans.[4][5]
The sudden death of John Belushi in 1982 brought the original run of the Blues Brothers to a halt and cemented their status as a cultural phenomenon of a brief but intense era.[2][4] In 1989, core band members such as guitarist Steve Cropper, bassist Donald “Duck” Dunn, keyboardist Paul Shaffer, and saxophonist “Blue” Lou Marini re-formed as The Original Blues Brothers Band, reviving the repertoire for international tours and new recordings and further extending the brand’s legacy.[3][4] Dan Aykroyd continued to champion blues and soul by co-founding the House of Blues venue chain in 1992, which became one of the largest live music promoters in North America and a continuing platform for the music that inspired the Blues Brothers.[1] Decades after their debut, the band’s blend of comedy, cinema, and serious musicianship remains an influential gateway into blues and soul for mainstream audiences.[3][4]
Fun Facts
- The idea for the Blues Brothers band was first discussed in the fall of 1973 at Aykroyd’s Toronto speakeasy, the 505 Club, where he and Belushi spent a night listening to blues records and imagining a band built around the music they loved.[5]
- The name “Blues Brothers” was suggested with help from Howard Shore, who would become Saturday Night Live’s music director and later an acclaimed film composer.[5]
- Their very first major concert as the Blues Brothers, opening for comedian Steve Martin at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles in 1978, doubled as the recording sessions for their debut album Briefcase Full of Blues.[2][7]
- Dan Aykroyd later co-founded the House of Blues venue chain in 1992, extending the Blues Brothers’ mission of celebrating and promoting American blues and roots music in clubs and theaters across North America.[1]
Members
- Elwood J. Blues - harmonica, lead vocals, original
- Zee Blues - additional
- Cab Chamberlain
- Steve Cropper - guitar, original
- Donald “Duck” Dunn - bass guitar, original
- Murphy Dunne - keyboard, original, tambourine
- Anton Fig - drums (drum set)
- Eddie Floyd
- Willie "Too Big" Hall - membranophone, original, percussion
- Birch Johnson - original, trombone
- Steve Jordan - drums (drum set), original, percussion
- Tom “Bones” Malone - original, saxophone, trombone, trumpet
- Lou Marini - original, saxophone
- Mack McTeer
- Matt Murphy - guitar, original
- Al Rubin - original, trumpet
- Tom Scott - original, saxophone
- Paul Shaffer - keyboard, original
- Jake E. “Joliet” Blues - lead vocals, original
Musical Connections
Mentors/Influences
- Curtis Salgado - Belushi met Salgado while filming Animal House in Oregon and “studied at the feet” of the bluesman, who awakened in him a love for America’s roots music, directly shaping the conception of the Blues Brothers. (Influence on repertoire and styling of Briefcase Full of Blues and the SNL/film performances) [circa 1977–1978]
- Chicago and Memphis blues & soul artists (Stax/Volt tradition) - Aykroyd described the Blues Brothers as a Chicago/Memphis fusion band, drawing on the sound of Stax/Volt sessions featuring players like Steve Cropper and Donald “Duck” Dunn, whose earlier work with artists such as Otis Redding defined the band’s style. (Stylistic model for the Blues Brothers’ covers and arrangements on Briefcase Full of Blues and Made in America) [1960s influences informing the 1978–1980 recordings]
Key Collaborators
- Steve Cropper - Legendary Stax guitarist and songwriter, recruited as a core member of the Blues Brothers band and later of The Original Blues Brothers Band. (Briefcase Full of Blues, Made in America, The Original Blues Brothers Band tours and recordings) [1978–1982; band revival from 1989 onward]
- Donald “Duck” Dunn - Esteemed bassist from Booker T. & the M.G.’s, part of the original Blues Brothers backing band and later the re-formed Original Blues Brothers Band. (Briefcase Full of Blues, Made in America, The Original Blues Brothers Band projects) [1978–1982; revival from 1989 onward]
- “Blue” Lou Marini - Saxophonist from the Saturday Night Live Band who became a key horn player in the Blues Brothers ensemble. (SNL performances, Briefcase Full of Blues, film band, later Original Blues Brothers Band work) [late 1970s–1980s; revival from 1989 onward]
- Paul Shaffer - Keyboardist and arranger closely associated with SNL who helped assemble and musically direct the early Blues Brothers band. (Live arrangements and early concert lineups including the 1978 Universal Amphitheatre shows) [1978–early 1980s]
- Dan Aykroyd & John Belushi (as a duo) - Co-creators and frontmen, performing in character as Elwood and Jake Blues, whose chemistry defined the act’s identity on SNL, records, and film. (SNL sketches, Briefcase Full of Blues, The Blues Brothers (1980 film)) [1978–1982]
Artists Influenced
- Younger rock and mainstream audiences discovering blues and soul - The band’s hit albums, SNL exposure, and blockbuster film introduced classic R&B and soul repertoire to listeners who might not otherwise have encountered it, effectively serving as a gateway to the genre for an entire generation. (Briefcase Full of Blues, Made in America, The Blues Brothers (1980 film) and subsequent reissues/compilations) [late 1970s through the 1980s and beyond]
- The Original Blues Brothers Band and later tribute iterations - Surviving members re-formed the group in 1989, building on the original concept and repertoire and continuing to tour and record under the Blues Brothers banner, perpetuating its sound and stage style. (The Original Blues Brothers Band albums and global tours after the 1989 reunion) [1989 onward]
Connection Network
Discography
Albums
| Title | Release Date | Type |
|---|---|---|
| The Blues Brothers Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | 1980 | Album |
| Briefcase Full of Blues | 1978-11-01 | Album |
| Made in America | 1980-12-01 | Album |
| Real Tight! (Live San Francisco 1978 KSAN) | 2021-09-10 | Album |
| Live - The Closing Of Winterland, 31St December 1978 | 1978 | Album |
| Blues Masters: The Blues Brothers | 2014-06-03 | Album |
| 100 Tubes Soul Vol.2 | 2010-09-27 | Album |
| Las 101 grandes canciones del Soul | 2009-05-26 | Album |
| 15 Of The Best - Driving Songs Vol. 2 | 2009 | Album |
| TPH Production Perform The Blues Brothers | 2005-08-08 | Album |
| TPH Production Perform The Blues Brothers | 2005-08-08 | Album |
| Les Daltons (Bande Originale du Film) | 2004-12-01 | Album |
| Live From The House Of Blues | 1997-07-11 | Album |
Top Tracks
- Everybody Needs Somebody to Love (The Blues Brothers Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
- Think (The Blues Brothers Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
- Sweet Home Chicago (The Blues Brothers Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
- Shake a Tail Feather (feat. Ray Charles) (The Blues Brothers Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
- Theme from Rawhide (The Blues Brothers Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
- She Caught the Katy (The Blues Brothers Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
- Peter Gunn Theme (The Blues Brothers Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
- Soul Man - Live (Briefcase Full of Blues)
- Gimme Some Lovin' (The Blues Brothers Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
- Minnie the Moocher (The Blues Brothers Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
External Links
Tags: #blues, #blues-rock, #cowboy
References
Heard on WWOZ
Blues Brothers has been played 5 times on WWOZ 90.7 FM, New Orleans' jazz and heritage station.
| Date | Time | Title | Show | Spotify |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 5, 2025 | 07:58 | Green onions | The Morning Setw/ Dave Dauterive | |
| Dec 5, 2025 | 07:39 | soul man | The Morning Setw/ Dave Dauterive | |
| Oct 30, 2025 | 11:16 | Season Of The Witchfrom Blues Brothers 2000 | New Orleans Music Showw/ Michael Dominici | |
| Oct 23, 2025 | 13:43 | Season Of The Witchfrom Blues Brothers 2000 | New Orleans Music Showw/ Michael Dominici | |
| Oct 9, 2025 | 13:31 | Season Of The Witchfrom Blues Brothers 2000 | New Orleans Music Showw/ Michael Dominici |