Mos Def, Jeffrey Wright, Columbus Short, and Eamonn Walker recorded songs for the soundtrack, and Raphael Saadiq, Beyoncé's sister Solange, Mary Mary, Nas, Buddy Guy, and Elvis Presley also appear on the album. īeyoncé recorded five songs for the soundtrack, including a cover version of Etta James' ' At Last' which was released on Decemas its lead single. (guitar), Barrelhouse Chuck (piano), Kim Wilson (harmonica), Danny Kortchmar (guitar), Hubert Sumlin (guitar), and Bill Sims (guitar) who, along with Jordan on drums, recorded all of the blues songs used in the film. He also picked a group of blues musicians, including Billy Flynn (guitar), Larry Taylor (bass), Eddie Taylor Jr. The American multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and record producer Steve Jordan produced the soundtrack to the film. Main article: Cadillac Records: Music from the Motion Picture Final line ups of the cast also grew to include rapper Yasiin Bey as Chuck Berry, and Gabrielle Union in the role of Geneva Wade, Muddy Waters' common law wife. Īs production increased, the roster grew to include Canadian actress Emmanuelle Chriqui as Revetta Chess, Tammy Blanchard as Isabelle Allen, English actor Eamonn Walker as Howlin' Wolf, and comedian Cedric the Entertainer as Willie Dixon. According to director Martin, the role of James was written with Beyoncé in mind. Early announcements of the cast also included Columbus Short as Little Walter, Golden Globe winner Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters, and multi- Grammy Award winner Beyoncé as Etta James. Originally, Matt Dillon was slated to play the role of Chess, but the role was ultimately given to Adrien Brody due to scheduling conflicts with Dillon. Cadillac Records was produced by Andrew Lack and Sofia Sondervan, and co-executive produced by Beyoncé. Martin directed the film, financed by Sony BMG Film. Filming locations included Louisiana, Mississippi, and New Jersey. The filming of Cadillac Records started in February 2008. The screenplay was written by director Darnell Martin. Production Beyoncé at the premiere party for the release of the film The label started selling records from the back of Chess' Cadillac, and launched the careers of legendary musical personalities such as blues singers and harmonica and guitar players Little Walter and Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf, soul legend Etta James and guitarist singer-songwriters Chuck Berry and Willie Dixon. He ran the legendary company with his brother, Phil, through the 1950s and '60s. Leonard Chess was the co-founder of the 1950s American record label Chess Records, located in Chicago, Illinois. Elvis Presley as himself (archive footage uncredited).Vincent D'Onofrio as Mississippi DJ (uncredited).Eamonn Walker as Chester Burnett/Howlin' Wolf.Columbus Short as Walter Jacobs/Little Walter.Jeffrey Wright as McKinley Morganfield/Muddy Waters.Inevitably, business and personal lines blur as the sometimes-turbulent lives of the musicians play out.

This attracts stars like Etta James ( Beyoncé), Howlin' Wolf ( Eamonn Walker) and Chuck Berry ( Mos Def). Waters' and Walter's success leads to Chess opening the doors for black musicians and beginning a new record label in 1950 – Chess Records. In 1947 in Chicago, a Jewish immigrant from Poland and bar owner Leonard Chess ( Adrien Brody) hires a blues combo, including guitarist Muddy Waters ( Jeffrey Wright) and harmonica player Little Walter ( Columbus Short). The soundtrack was released on Music World/Columbia and Sony Music.

The film was released in North America on December 5, 2008, by TriStar Pictures. The film stars Adrien Brody as Leonard Chess, Cedric the Entertainer as Willie Dixon, Yasiin Bey as Chuck Berry, Columbus Short as Little Walter, Jeffrey Wright as Muddy Waters, Eamonn Walker as Howlin' Wolf, and Beyoncé as Etta James. The film explores the musical era from the early 1940s to the late 1960s, chronicling the life of the influential Chicago-based record-company executive Leonard Chess, and a few of the musicians who recorded for Chess Records. Cadillac Records is a 2008 American biographical drama film written and directed by Darnell Martin.

Cadillac records movie