If you’re up on your music history, you already know that there would be no T.I. or Weezy without Robert Johnson and W.C. Handy. Generally speaking, it was Johnson and Handy’s Delta Blues that first opened Ray Charles’ musical eyes. Ray subsequently inspired Curtis Mayfield. Mayfield then touched Kool Herc. And Kool Herc, well, if you don’t who Herc influenced, you’re probably on the wrong website.

The Blues serves as the musical and metaphoric backdrop on Charles S. Dutton’s latest big screen effort, Honeydripper [click here to read review]. When we recently spoke to Emmy Award-winning Dutton, probably best known for his title role on the hit 90s television series Roc, he had a bounty to say on the importance of music in his life. Being a two-time Tony Award winner, Dutton’s take on the subject resounds with authority. DX faithful, consider the first class in Acting 101 now in session…

HipHopDX: What drew you to Honeydripper?
Charles S. Dutton: John Sayles is one of the last great independent filmmakers. So, his movies are always interesting. Actors like to act with directors like him. You know they’re not big, commercial films but they’re always good scripts and good stories and great characters. I’ve been wanting to work with John for a while, but I was never really available when he called on other pictures. I was off doing something else. That and the fact that Danny Glover and I have known each other for nearly 30 years and have never worked together- in a play or anything. This is actually our first time ever working together. When I knew Danny was attached, I said, "Okay, this will be great." Also, when I read the script, it was just a great story. It was really vivid characters. You have to make them vivid. And John Sayles is a good human being. He and his wife Maggie are really good people. You don’t make any money doing a John Sayles movie or any independent movie, for that matter. You stay in shitty conditions. You stay in ugly, dirty, old trailers or run-down hotels where anybody can knock on the door anytime, day or night. [Fans] ask, “Can I have your autograph?” at three in the morning.

DX: This movie has some very strong musical elements to it. And if I recall correctly, so too did your show. Charles, exactly what role does music play in your life?
CD: It’s interesting that you ask that question. Any good actor, or any actor that thinks he’s good, has to be in love with music. You can’t be a good actor unless you have a real appreciation for it. There are times when I’m on the stage and I envision myself as Marvin Gaye or a soul singer. The crowd is enraptured. But I’m not singing; I’m acting. That’s the kind of image I do for it. Or, when I’m getting ready to come on, I’ll listen to all kinds of stuff. I’ll listen to Nina Simone or some old school like The Miracles. Not Smokey Robinson & The Miracles, but The Miracles. I just sort of get an appreciation for rhythm and beat into your head. When you go out to perform, that’s kind of like what you’re doing.

In Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, I had to learn to play the trumpet. It’s interesting because that character I played, and all of the players in the band, was an extension of the instrument. Slow Drag, the bass player, was the easy-going, mellow guy, so he was an extension of the bass. Toledo was the most intelligent band member. He was the only one that could read, so he was the piano player. The piano has more keys than any other instrument. Cutler, the leader of the band, was the guitar player and he held the beat together. And Levy, the young, hot-headed band member, played the trumpet. The trumpet, as you know, is loud and brass. But even as a young theater actor, I used to listen to Mozart or Bach or Shubert and just listen to the way the music changed. It went this way and that way and this way. That’s the way a performance on the stage should be. It should be totally unpredictable, totally spontaneous. I started my career off in the theater with August Wilson, whose plays are motivated by music, particularly the blues. It all fell into place. Even today, when I listen to a certain song, I say, The next time I’m on a stage, that’s going to be my theme, motivational song backstage. Every good actor has to love and appreciate music. All kinds. It doesn’t have to be old-school stuff; it can be anything. When this role came in, I was almost tempted to ask John –I punked out in the end- to let me play [the guitar]. But then I thought, Well, actually the character shouldn’t be able to play it. He shouldn’t be able to just pick up the guitar and play it. Danny’s character would have had me up there playing it. Acting and music go hand-in-hand, I think. Continued on page 2 »