The Blues Brothers: An Epic Friendship, the Rise of Improv, and the Making of an American Film Classic

The pair shared an affinity for blues music and wanted to showcase it on Saturday Night Live. Dan Aykroyd and John Belushi had previously hinted at what was to come when they played the blues classic “I’m a King Bee” in the inaugural season of SNL. Within a few years, the pair formed a conceptual blues band dubbed “The Blues Brothers.” Belushi was “Joliet” Jake Blues while Aykroyd was Elwood Blues, and the backing band was composed of an eclectic and immensely talented set of musicians.

The path to stage and screen immortality began in Chicago for John Belushi and Ontario, Canada for Aykroyd. The comedy improv scene would bring the two together in the mid-1970s and a lasting friendship was born. Belushi was a force of nature, while Aykroyd was a comedy chameleon. Their ascent was meteoric, their fall was tragic. Their legacy is uncontested.

The Blues Brothers brings a hefty dose of humor, heart, and music in charting the life, death, and resurrection of the iconic band. Author Daniel De Vise (King of the Blues) brilliantly makes the past come alive with his well-rounded biography of Belushi, Aykroyd, and the band that defined their careers.