20 Things You Didn't Know About The Blues Brothers
19. Their Backing Band Members Were Famous Long Before The Movie
You couldn't have The Blues Brothers without the Blues Brothers band. Or, as Elwood calls them at one point, 'The Good Ole' Blues Brothers Boys Band From Chicago.'
Every member of Jake and Elwood's backing band were talented musicians with long histories in the music world before Hollywood came calling.
Drummer Willie Hall had been part of Isaac Hayes' back-up band. 'Blue' Lou Marini and Tom 'Bones' Malone had been in Blood, Sweat & Tears. Steve 'The Colonel' Cropper and Donald 'Duck' Dunn were in Booker T and the M.G.'s.
Matt 'Guitar' Murphy had been a session player with legendary blues singers since the '60s and Alan Rubin was a gifted trumpeter who had attended the prestigious Juilliard School of Music.
(Paul Shaffer, best-known as the leader of David Letterman's house bands, was in the original band when they performed on SNL. Unfortunately, his contract with NBC prevented him from being in the movie.)
Aside from being fantastic musicians, it just so happened that they were likable, funny, and a perfect fit for the Blues Brothers world. The movie was simply recognition of their tremendous talent.