Dr. John — a unique, multi-genre music legend beloved in New Orleans and beyond — passed away around this time in 2019, at 77 years old. Now that Dr. John’s (whose real name is Malcolm John Rebennack) life story is complete, Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach is stepping up to tell it in a new documentary, which will be his directorial debut.
Press materials note the film, which does not currently have a confirmed title, “is about a man and his home: how a city raises him, shapes him and how a city’s trajectory changed his life and how his life shapes the city right back. This is the story of the intricate life and prolific musical and cultural impact of Mac Rebennack, best known as Dr. John, the Nite Tripper.”
Auerbach says of the project:
“I’m thrilled to be partnering with RadicalMedia and Impact Artist Productions to try my hand at directing a documentary feature for the first time and I’m honored to have the subject be my friend Dr John. He was such a unique individual and a shining example of the great melting pot of American music. From his mysterious voodoo stage persona Dr John, to his real, humble self Mac Rebannack — the street poet, the family man, the junkie, the Grammy award winner and all that’s in between, this documentary will introduce the world to him in a way they haven’t seen him before. I’m still learning bits about him that I never knew, and I hope the movie provides a lens into the story of the life of Dr John.”
Auerbach got to know Dr. John when they worked on Dr. John’s 2012 album Locked Down together; Auerbach produced the album and performed on it. The album was Dr. John’s final studio album of original material — Dr. John’s final record overall was his 2014 Louis Armstrong tribute album, Ske-Dat-De-Dat: The Spirit Of Satch. Locked Down was a successful farewell project, as it earned Dr. John his sixth and final Grammy win, for Best Blues Album at the 55th Annual Grammy Awards in 2012.
