Happy 4th of July. I’ve always admired American music, technology, innovation, and film.

A perfect example is Blues Brothers 1980.

After Animal House, John Belushi had the #1 movie, #1 album, and #1 late night TV show. A huge star.

In The Blues Brothers, Jake and Elwood are on “a mission from God” to prevent the foreclosure of their Roman Catholic orphanage.

The Blues Brothers were controversial in a very American way. The intrinsically racist Hollywood film industry assumed they couldn’t sell a celebration of Black music and culture. The industry was wrong.

For example, Ted Mann, head Mann Theatres, refused to book the film as he didn’t want Black patrons. Mann was Jewish.

Click PLAY or watch it on YouTube.

Belushi was self-destructive, as is the USA.

I relate more to the Canadian, Dan Ackroyd.

Dan published Blues Brothers: The Arc of Gratitude in 2024. His personal recollections of the Band with interviews with many of the key players.