In his final on-camera interview for the upcoming documentary “Echo in the Canyon,” Tom Petty spoke about the magic of the Laurel Canyon music scene in the 1960s.
“California was like this legendary paradise,” the “Free Fallin’” singer said in the trailer.
The documentary features a collection of interviews from legendary musicians including the Beach Boys’ Brian Wilson, the Beatles’ Ringo Starr and Eric Clapton, who describe the folk music scene as it developed.
The interviews, which were conducted by Jakob Dylan of The Wallflowers, also were with Stephen Stills, The Byrds’ Roger McGuinn, David Crosby, Graham Nash, The Mamas and the Papas’ Michelle Phillips and Jackson Browne. Other musicians not from that specific era who spoke of that scene’s influence include Beck, Fiona Apple, Cat Power, Norah Jones and Regina Spektor.
Originally a concert that took place at Los Angeles’ Orpheum Theatre in 2015, Echo in the Canyon featured of songs from that era performed by artists including Dylan, Apple, Cat Power, Beck and others. Archival footage from that period, as well as rehearsal and studio footage of the musicians performing at the concert, are intercut throughout the film.
“Echo in the Canyon” opened at the Los Angeles Film Festival and was the first documentary chosen for the opening-night slot at LAFF.
The film is directed by former music journalist, record producer and label executive Andrew Slater. “Echo in the Canyon” is a Mirror Films production and is distributed by Greenwich Entertainment.
“Echo in the Canyon” will premiere in Los Angeles on May 24 at Arclight’s Cinerama Dome and The Landmark.