The film will be shot August 18-19, 2005 when Young performs at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium, the original home of the Grand Ole Opry. Young will be joined by special guests including Wayne Jackson of the Memphis Horns, the Fisk University Jubilee Singers, Spooner Oldham, Ben Keith, Chad Cromwell and Karl Himmel, Rick Rosas, Grant Boatwright, Clinton Gregory, Tom McGinley and Jimmy Sharp. Young will premiere a couple of new songs off of his Prairie Wind album as well as performing his classic hits.
"Prairie Wind" marks Demme's second concert film. 20 years ago Demme directed the critically acclaimed film "Stop Making Sense" featuring the Talking Heads.
Jonathan Demme said, "All my life I have been in love with film and music, and this feels like the best opportunity I have ever had to work with a fusion of the two artistic mediums. I am so excited to have the chance to collaborate with Neil Young on Prairie Wind; which I consider to be a real masterwork, and it is a joy to play a part in bringing Neil's music alive on film at this moment in time."
"We are so pleased to take part in what looks to be a one of a kind groundbreaking film with Neil Young, who is certainly one of the most phenomenal musicians of this or any time ... captured on film by one of the brilliant visionaries in the world of film, Jonathan Demme. This will wind up being a truly historic event," said Ruth Vitale and David Dinerstein, Co-Presidents of Paramount Classics.
Ilona Herzberg will produce "Prairie Wind" and Gary Goetzman, Elliot Rabinowitz and Bernard Shakey are executive producing the project.
SOURCE: Paramount Classics
