What started as a joke on Saturday Night Live turned into million-selling records and a movie featuring comedians John Belushi (Jake Blues) and Dan Aykroyd (Elwood Blues). In fall 1977 Belushi and Aykroyd concocted the Blues Brothers as a preshow warmup act for SNL studio audiences. Dressed in baggy Fifties-style suits, narrow ties, fedoras, and Ray-Ban sunglasses, Belushi sang Sixties soul songs and Aykroyd played middling harmonica.
Their top-notch backing band included such Memphis session musicians as guitarist Steve Cropper and bassist Donald "Duck" Dunn (members of Booker T. and the MG's), who'd performed on some of the original hits the Blues Brothers covered (Sam and Dave's "Soul Man" and "Hold On, I'm Comin'"). During a September 1978 engagement opening for comedian Steve Martin in Los Angeles, they recorded Briefcase Full of Blues live. With two hit singles -- "Soul Man" (#14) and "Rubber Biscuit" (#37) -- the album was platinum by 1979. They toured occasionally, particularly to promote their 1980 film "biography," The Blues Brothers, which grossed over $32 million in its first two months of release. They had further hits with covers of the Spencer Davis Group's "Gimme Some Lovin'" (#18, 1980) and Johnnie Taylor's "Who's Making Love" (#39, 1980). Belushi died in Hollywood of an accidental drug overdose.
In 1988 the Blues Brothers Band (Steve Cropper, Duck Dunn, Matt Murphy, Alan Rubin, and Lou Marini) reunited and began touring the world, often with soul singer Eddie ("Knock on Wood") Floyd. The lineup has expanded to include keyboardist Leon Pendarvis, trombonist Birch Johnson, drummer Steve Potts, and vocalist Larry Thurston. In 1992 this group released Red, White & Blues, on which Aykroyd made a guest appearance.
Formed 1977, New York City, New York
Jake Blues (b. John Belushi, Jan. 24, 1949, Chicago, Ill.; d. Mar. 5, 1982, Los Angeles, Calif.), voc.;
Elwood Blues (b. Dan Aykroyd, July 1, Ottawa, Can.), harmonica, voc.
1978 -- Briefcase Full of Blues (Atlantic)
1980 -- Made in America; The Blues Brothers soundtrack
1981 -- The Best of the Blues Brothers
1992 -- The Definitive Collection
Rolling Stone Press