O Brother, Where Art Thou?
Other Works / Media (Movie)
O Brother, Where Art Thou? is a 2000 comedy written, produced, and directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, loosely based on Homer's Odyssey and set in Depression-era Mississippi. George Clooney, John Turturro, and Tim Blake Nelson star as escaped convicts who stumble into fame as the "Soggy Bottom Boys." Producer T Bone Burnett built the film around period folk, gospel, blues, old-time, and bluegrass, and the soundtrack was recorded before filming began. Dan Tyminski sang "Man of Constant Sorrow" for Clooney's character. Ralph Stanley, Alison Krauss, Gillian Welch, Emmylou Harris, John Hartford, the Cox Family, the Whites, and the Fairfield Four also contributed, and Krauss and Welch recorded "I'll Fly Away" for the album. The soundtrack won the Grammy for Album of the Year in 2002 and set off a national revival of interest in bluegrass and old-time music. Its musicians went on to tour together as Down from the Mountain, which was also filmed.
In the newsletter
- No. 26 Spring 2001