Immediate Family

Those classic singer/songwriter hits of James Taylor, Jackson Brown, Linda
Ronstadt, and Carol King all featured a handful of L.A. studio musicians who
played on virtually everything round, plastic, and successful in the 1970s. Their names are etched into the memories of anyone who stared at album liner notes—Danny “Kootch” Kortchmar, Leland Sklar, Russ Kunkel, and Waddy Wachtel. Their bluesy, rock-friendly sound literally defined American radio of the era, so why didn’t they become stars in their own right? This doc, helmed by Danny Tedesco (The Wrecking Crew! FFF 2009), offers one possibility: they were too damn successful and having too much fun as studio players to care about solo careers! Tedesco packs this elegant musical with tall tales, big riffs, and interviews with the countless stars who hired them over and over. The personal history of each player is recounted, as well as their recent formation into an actual band called The Immediate Family (with the addition of guitarist Steve Posner). Getting to know the personalities of studio and stage players can be jarring fun. Kortchmar is surprisingly cool and elegant, while Waddy Wachtel chatters on like Larry David in a curly wig. They all have great stories and songs, which makes this flick an easy crowd pleaser.