INDEPENDENT LENS on PBS to Air 'Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World'

A musical celebration of how Native American musicians transformed blues, jazz and rock, RUMBLE: The Indians Who Rocked the World, will premiere on Independent Lens Monday, January 21, 2019, 10:00-11:30 PM ET (check local listings) on PBS, and will also be available simultaneously for online streaming at pbs.org. As the film reveals, early PIONEERS of the blues such as Charley Patton had Native as well as African American roots, and one of the first and most influential jazz singers, Mildred Bailey, had a voice trained on Native American songs. As the folk rock era took hold in the '60s and '70s, Native Americans such as Robbie Robertson and Buffy Sainte-Marie helped to define its evolution, and Native guitarists and drummers like Link Wray, Jimi Hendrix, Jesse Ed Davis and Randy Castillo forever changed the trajectory of rock and roll. The film is directed by Catherine Bainbridge (Reel Injun), co-directed by Alfonso Maiorana, executive produced by legendary rock guitarist Stevie Salas (Apache) and Tim Johnson (Mohawk), and produced by Christina Fon, VP and Executive Producer of Rezolution Pictures.

RUMBLE brings the music and musicians to life using innovative re-creations, archival concert footage and interviews. Their stories are told by some of the music legends who knew them, played with them and were inspired by them, including George Clinton, Taj Mahal, Slash, Jackson Browne, TABOO (Shoshone/Mexican), Buddy Guy, Quincy Jones, Derek Trucks, Tony Bennett, Iggy Pop, Steven Tyler and Stevie Van Zandt. Also featured are Native American poet and activist John Trudell, rock critic David Fricke, director Martin Scorsese and many more.

"Anyone who loves contemporary music will hear something they connect with in RUMBLE," said Lois Vossen, Independent Lens executive producer. "From Link Wray's iconic guitar riff that made an indelible mark on the evolution of rock, to how Jimi Hendrix's part-Cherokee heritage shaped his genius, to the spoken music of John Trudell, and Tony Bennett being 'completely influenced' by jazz improviser Mildred Bailey, American music is steeped in Native American sounds from Native musicians. History never sounded so good."

Visit the RUMBLE page on INDEPENDENT LENS, which features more information about the documentary.