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[sign creaking]
[guitar strumming]
♪ Did you have a good time? ♪
♪ Yeah ♪
[breathes deeply]
♪ Did it make you feel like you're on ♪
♪ Top of the world? ♪
[distant crowd roaring]
[muffled sound of band playing]
[muffled singing]
[music growing louder]
[crowd cheering]
♪ Did you have a good time? ♪
[crowd applauding, cheering]
Thank you.
- Thank you. - [crowd whistling, cheering]
Uh, I'd like to dedicate this next song to my...
[cheering fades]
To my...
[high-pitched ringing]
[ringing fades]
[sighs]
See you at the studio.
[woman] Okay.
All right, guys.
Avea, wake up.
Time to get up. [clicks tongue]
Come on, honey.
Hey, time to get up.
Come on. Let's go.
Come on, buddy. Come on.
Wake up, it's time for school.
[school bell rings]
- Bye, honey. - I love you.
- Okay. - Bye, Dad.
Bye, buddy.
- [Avea] Love you, Dad. - Okay, I love you. Bye.
Hey, Nance. Where's the band?
Oh, yeah, Diane just called.
She said that she and Jack had a really big fight
and it's over, for real this time.
And they bailed.
- Sorry. - Seriously?
Yeah.
Did you remind them about the cancellation policy?
- She was in tears, Donnie. - [exhales sharply]
Tryin' to run a business here.
- I know, I know. - Mm-hmm.
Okay, who's next?
Unbooked the whole day.
Also the bank called.
[strumming guitar]
♪ You're out of touch ♪
♪ I'm out of time ♪
♪ But I'm outta my head when you're not around ♪
[Nancy] ♪ You're out of touch ♪
[Donnie] ♪ I'm out of time ♪
♪ But I'm out of my head when you're not around ♪
♪ Whoa, ho ♪
♪ Oh, oh, oh ♪
[crowd applauding]
Thank you, ladies and gentlemen.
And congratulations to Frank and Georgia.
Third time's a charm.
That's Donnie Emerson on the guitars and vocals.
Carlos Fox on the keys and Ryan Walker on the bass.
I'm Nancy Emerson. See you folks later.
- [woman laughs] - Hey, Carol, how'd it go?
Hey. I'm sorry, I couldn't get Chance to sleep.
- Oh. - He was waiting for you two.
Typical. Patients are running the asylum again.
Oh.
Okay, I'll get him. Do you have enough?
Yeah, I do.
- Hey, Dad. - What's going on?
- You're not sleeping. - I don't wanna sleep.
You don't wanna sleep?
[Donnie sighs]
[Donnie grunts]
Come on, bud, you don't sleep, you don't dream.
I don't like dreams.
No. You don't like the bad ones, the nightmares, but...
you gotta dream.
You gotta dream.
Close your eyes, bud.
Come on, give it a try.
[contemplative music playing]
[telephone ringing]
[telephone continues ringing]
- Hello. - [man] Hey, hey, brother.
Joe? How you doing?
Good, real good. You doing okay?
Yeah, doing good. So far.
I-I didn't wake you up, did I?
No, no, I was just getting up.
What's up?
Well...[sighs]
You know, I've got, uh, I've got something
kind of surprising to tell you.
What is it? Are Mom and Dad okay?
Yeah, no. Yeah, they're good.
Listen, uh, Dad, he got a call yesterday
from a guy at a record company.
And you're not gonna believe this, but he says, uh,
he says he heard our record and, uh...
Our record? What do you mean?
Dreamin'... Dreamin' Wild.
He said he loves it, you know? He said...
He said he's never heard anything like it.
Dreamin' Wild? I don't get it, Joe.
Is this a joke?
No, no. No, I don't-- I don't think so.
Uh-huh.
Look, he wants to come up to the--
to the farm on Friday and talk about it.
Well, no, I got things going on
at the studio on Friday.
I got it. [grunts]
This could be real important, Donnie.
You know, Dad-- Dad's real excited. I'm--
- I mean, everybody's excited. - Yeah, no, uh...
Let me... Can I call you back later today on this, Joe?
- Okay, all right, goodbye. - Okay.
[Nancy] What was that about?
I don't know. Probably nothing.
[Donnie groans]
["Stranger In A Strange Land" by Leon Russell playing]
♪ How many days ♪
♪ Has it been since I was born? ♪
♪ How many days ♪
♪ Till I die? ♪
♪ Do I know any way ♪
♪ I can make you laugh? ♪
♪ Do I only know how to make you cry? ♪
♪ When the baby looks around him ♪
♪ Such a sight to see ♪
♪ He shares a simple secret ♪
♪ With the wise man ♪
♪ He's a stranger in a strange land ♪
♪ Just a stranger in a strange land ♪
♪ Tell me why ♪
♪ He's a stranger in a strange land ♪
♪ Whoa, oh, oh ♪
♪ Stranger in a strange land ♪
- [car door closes] - Hey, brother.
[Donnie] Hey, Joe.
- Hey, Dad. - Good morning, son.
- Good to see ya. - Uh, Donnie,
this is Matt Sullivan, Light in the Attic Records.
- Great to meet you. - Ah, you too.
Thanks for having me out here, guys.
Oh, glad to have you. Come on inside.
- [Donnie] Hey, Ma. - Hey! [gasps]
- Oh, my son. - Matt, this is my wife, Salina.
Mrs. Emerson. So nice to meet you.
- Oh. - [Salina chuckles]
[in Maltese accent] Come in, come in.
- Uh, Matt, uh... - [Salina chuckles]
She's the brains of the operation,
- so you better be on your toes. - [Matt] Good to know.
[Don Sr.] And these are my daughters, Maria and Rose.
[Matt] Hi, Maria. Hi, Rose.
I've been trying to track you guys down for a while now.
You were not easy to find.
I'm sorry we didn't know you was lookin'.
We'd have sent up one of those flares or something.
- [Salina chuckles] - Well, as you know, I...
I wanted to talk to you...
wanted to talk to you about this.
- [Joe] Huh. - [Don Sr.] Hmm.
[Matt] My colleague sent it to me and said,
"You've got to listen to this immediately,"
and I did, and... and wow.
There it is, that's Dreamin' Wild.
- [Don Sr. chuckles] - [Matt] That's you guys?
Yeah, yeah. That's us, yeah. Right.
- [chuckles] - This album is unbelievable.
- [Joe chuckles] - No, really,
it's, it's amazing, truly.
It really just blew my mind.
Well, that's nice, Matt. Thank you.
Oh, I'm not being nice, I'm telling you, it just...
this album knocked me out.
It knocked me out.
I never expected it to have the depth
and complexity that it does.
It's bluesy, it's funky, it's...
Man, it's got so much soul.
That song "Baby," it's amazing.
Where did it come from?
- [Joe] Uh, the music? - [Matt] Yeah.
Oh, well, I guess... I guess it came from Donnie, mostly.
Did I get that right, you wrote most of the songs on the album?
[Joe] Yeah, he also played most of the instruments too.
Yeah, I mean, I played drums.
- We had a friend of ours... - Yeah, yeah.
...sit in on bass for a couple of songs,
but Donnie, he played everything else.
- Mm-hmm. - [Joe] Yep.
[Matt] That's quite impressive. Uh, how old were you two?
[Joe] Oh, God, must have been what, 16, 17?
[Salina] Donnie was 15 and Joe was 17.
[Matt] Wow, 15 and 17, that's... that's... [chuckles]
How did you do it?
I mean, record an album like this?
- Who was your producer? - [Don Sr.] Donnie produced it.
He made it all right here.
[Joe] Yeah. Yeah, Dad built us a place out in the woods
to practice in.
We called it "the practice place."
We recorded the whole thing,
you know, right... right there.
- [Matt] Wow. - [sighs]
- [Matt] And then what happened? - [Joe] Well, not much.
[parents laugh]
[Joe] Uh, we-we didn't know
really anything about selling records, Matt.
I mean, Mom and I tried to sell them around here,
but, yeah, that was... that was about it.
[Salina] We still do. I sold three just last month.
- [Matt] All right. - [chuckles]
There's a whole long story there.
Uh, but what--
you know, just what's the...
what's the idea here, Matt?
The idea is that I really wanna help you guys.
We can release Dreamin' Wild
the way an album of this caliber should be released.
Okay, and how are you gonna do that?
Well, it's what we do. My partner and I formed
Light in the Attic to help overlooked artists.
We find albums that never found an audience,
didn't quite work the first time around.
We try to give them a second chance,
a chance to succeed.
And based on all the buzz the record has gotten...
Wait, what did you say, buzz?
- What do you mean? - Yeah, I'm sorry.
The buzz online for the record.
You've seen that, right?
- No. - We don't really have
- Internet here. - No.
[Matt] Okay, so let me take it back for you.
A record collector in Montana found this album somewhere.
He starts passing it around to his buddies,
he loves the album. Then these vinyl collectors
on the West Coast get ahold of it and...
it just starts spreading and it keeps going and going.
- Yeah. - [both laugh]
[Matt] I'm telling you guys, there's a lot of love for you out there.
And... I think it's time
for the rest of the world to hear it.
And we wanna be in business with you
to make sure that happens.
Okay, so, what's that gonna cost us?
[Matt] Uh... it won't cost you anything.
We're gonna re-press the album,
promote it, market it, put it out the way
an album of this caliber should be released.
Donnie, it's not gonna cost you a thing.
In fact, if I'm right,
there's a good chance you'll make money.
[parents and Joe laughing]
[both laughing]
- [Matt] We'll be in touch. - [Donnie] Okay.
[Matt] I'd love to work with you guys. It'd be an honor.
[engine spluttering]
[engine starts]
[Joe] I wonder what kind of store?
It must have been, like, an antique store or something.
[family chatting, laughing]
Donnie, is this... I mean, is this real?
I guess we'll just have to wait and see.
Should be an answer to our prayers, though.
You stay for dinner and we celebrate.
- No, Mama, I've gotta go. - No, no, no.
It's been too long, and I feed you.
You know your mother, you're not gonna get out of here
without her feeding you. [chuckles]
What do you think, Donnie, huh?
What he said about all those people loving the album?
- What about that, huh? - [Don Sr.] Yeah.
- [Joe] That's crazy. - Yeah, pretty cool.
- [Joe] Yeah. - You know, I think, uh...
we've been promised things before, you know,
and we get left holding the bag.
- Yeah. - [Don Sr.] Good to see you
- back out here, son. - Yeah. You too, Dad.
[chuckles] How are things?
- All right. Good. - How's Nancy?
- Yeah, she's good. - Yeah?
Um, running around with the kids, and, um...
we've been playing some gigs, mostly around town, and...
and she's trying to keep the studio busy.
Yeah. I hear it's been kind of tough.
Yeah, well, we're trying.
Oh, you're doing good, son. Don't you worry.
No, no, I know, but it might be that the business
just isn't there right now, you know.
It's just... just not.
And as much as I hate to say it,
no, Dad, it might be that we have to close it down.
Well, I'll talk to the bank again, see what we can do.
Dad, I don't want you to call the bank again
because you've done too much already.
I know you didn't like the bankruptcy idea,
but that was supposed to take some pressure off,
and not just me and Nance but you and Mom too,
and now the studio's another thing that's dragging you down.
No, it's not dragging us down. We're doing okay.
- [soup sloshes] - That smells good.
[sniffs]
Anyway, you need somewhere to play, don't ya? Especially now.
[Joe] Who do you think these people are?
They found, uh... they found it in Montana.
I wonder what kind of store.
Must have been, like, an antique store or something.
They must have listened to it...
[Salina laughing]
[needle scratching record]
[teenage Donnie, softly] Dad?
[uneasy music playing]
[panting]
- [switch clicks] - [bowl sets on table]
Aw, shoot, Mom, I forgot.
I had promised Nance that I would be back for dinner.
She's making something special tonight.
No, no, no. Can't you call her?
Tell her you are celebrating with us.
Oh, no, Mom, I love you. I can't...
'Cause she's making something special.
- Okay. - [kisses]
- All right. - We love you.
Thank you, Mom, I love you too. All right.
Okay, Don. Yeah. Yes, it's good to see ya.
- [Donnie] Okay, yeah. - Yeah.
- Yep, I'll see you soon. - Okay.
[Don Sr.] Safe travels, son.
- [door shuts] - [Salina sighs]
- [Don Sr, chuckles] - [Joe] Huh. I'm hungry, Mom.
[Salina] Come smell. Well, then set the table.
[sighs]
[engine starts]
["Baby" playing]
♪ Ooh, ooh, baby ♪
♪ When we're out in the moonlight ♪
♪ Lookin' up on the stars above ♪
♪ Feels so good when I'm near you ♪
♪ Holdin' hands and makin' love ♪
♪ Ooh, ooh, baby ♪
♪ Yes, oh, baby ♪
♪ Sandy beach and was making love ♪
♪ As the tide moves in on us ♪
♪ Feels so good walking side by side ♪
♪ Wanna be with you all my life ♪
♪ Oh, oh, baby ♪
♪ Yes, oh, baby ♪
♪ Dreams of you all the time ♪
♪ Feels so good when we're together, love ♪
♪ Just can't wait until tomorrow night ♪
♪ Hey, baby, let's shake it ♪
♪ Oh, hey, baby ♪
♪ Hey, hey, baby ♪
♪ Yes, oh, baby ♪
♪ When we're out in the moonlight ♪
♪ Lookin' up on the stars above ♪
♪ Feels so good when I'm near you ♪
♪ Holdin' hands and makin' love ♪
♪ Ooh, ooh, baby ♪
♪ Yes, oh, baby ♪
♪ Yes, oh, baby, oh ♪
♪ Yes, oh, baby ♪
[gasps]
[Matt] Here it is.
Dreamin' Wild on Light in the Attic Records.
Wow!
Wow, look-- look at that, Dad.
There it is.
Oh, that's beautiful.
- [laughs] - Matt, that's real...
It's nice. It's real nice, it looks great.
Wait till you hear how it sounds.
It's really rich and warm.
I think you're gonna be real happy with the remastering.
- Thanks, Matt. - No, you hold onto it.
It's yours. Uh, Pitchfork heard it.
You guys ever hear of Pitchfork?
It's an online magazine, super popular.
They're giving the album eight out of ten stars.
- Is that good? - Oh, it's great.
I mean, they're reviewing a reissue
from 30 years ago. It's fantastic.
- [Joe] Eight out of ten is great, Dad. - It's okay?
- Yeah. - [Matt] Listen to this.
"During its finest moments,
to twist a Brian Wilson phrase,
Dreamin' Wild is a Godlike symphony to teenhood."
- Brian Wilson? - Yeah.
[Joe and Salina laughing]
- Well, heck, let's celebrate. - [Matt] I'd love to celebrate.
[Joe] Oh, thanks, man! Yeah, let's celebrate.
["When I Paint My Masterpiece" by The Band playing]
[Joe] Well, Matt came out to the house
and then he had this article...
[indistinct chatter]
"Like a teenage symphony to teenhood" or something.
Right, Matt? That's what he said, right?
[Matt] That's what they said.
- Hey, Dion. - What's up, Joe?
- [Joe] You made it. - Hey, Donnie, long time, man.
- Good to see you, bro. - Good to see ya.
So, uh, Donnie, you finally made the big time, huh?
Oh, I don't know about that.
You ain't been around. Where you been?
Uh, Nance and I play on the road a little bit.
Just not around here though, huh?
Your brother's place not good enough for you?
Uh, Dave, can we get Dion a beer?
Get him a cold beer?
["When I Paint My Masterpiece" playing continues]
- Hold on, Matt Sullivan. - [all laughing]
Hold on, Matt Sullivan. Hold on, Matt Sullivan.
There it is.
[Don Sr.] Are you okay?
[indistinct chatter]
[music stops]
This is where it happened.
Wow.
Looks like a special place.
[Joe] Yeah. We came here every day,
you know, after working out in the fields.
I mean, we'd get washed up first, you know?
We'd put on some clean clothes and we'd just... come here.
It was like, uh...
like going to church, you know?
Yeah, I bet.
Yeah.
Donnie, let's go inside. Come on, let's take Matt in.
- All right, hold on. - [Matt] Let's check it out.
[Joe] Here we go. Let me turn on these lights.
Yeah, come on in.
[Matt] Wow. This is it.
- Holy shit. - [Joe laughs]
[Matt] Hello? Hello?
Test, one, two.
Test, one, two, three.
So, how was it set up back then?
Had the drums there and the keyboard over there,
and then kind of wander around with the guitar and microphone
trying to find the right sound, you know?
Huh.
Yeah. I love it.
Yeah, it's special, huh?
Oh, yeah.
Oh, look at this.
- [Joe] Oh, yeah, this is the... - [Matt] This the control room?
- [Joe] Yep, it's the control room. Yeah. - [Matt] Oh, wow.
- This was it, right here. - [Matt] This is--
- Oh, this is awesome. - [Joe] Yeah.
- [Matt] Beautiful, fantastic. - [Joe] Oh!
- Look at these eight-tracks. - Oh, Matt, I think we got a little mouse
that made a home up here.
- [Matt] Oh, yeah? - [Joe] I'm sorry about that.
[Matt] That's okay. They gotta live somewhere, right?
[Joe] Yeah.
Well, it's pretty simple, huh?
- Oh, it's great. - Yeah, it's simple.
It's got a great vibe. You can-- You can feel it, it's special.
Yeah.
- Hey, where's that beer? - At my house.
My house. You wanna get a beer?
- Yes. - Okay, let's get a beer.
Go ahead, I'll take care of the mouse.
- You sure? Yeah? - Yeah.
- Okay. - Okay, all right. Okay.
Okay.
[door closes]
[tape rattles]
[electric piano playing distantly]
[disembodied singing]
[discordant chords playing]
[teenage Joe] Are you still thinking about going to Hunter's?
I don't know, my Pops has some work he wants me to do.
- So... - Yeah?
- [teenage Donnie vocalizing] - We'll see how that goes.
[teenage Joe] Yeah, I'm not sure either. We might, uh...
I might-- I might just stick around here.
Boom, boom.
[all laugh]
I'm Deuce, the drummer.
That's Cricket, my assistant.
- This is, uh, Cameron. - [laughs]
Hear what he said? He said "when we play live."
I said " if we play live," he said "when we play live."
Donnie, what you got going on over there?
- I was playing around. - He just came up with this.
He comes up with all this stuff, isn't it amazing?
[teenage Donnie] No, I thought about it last night.
He dreams. He comes back the next day,
he's got a whole bunch of ideas.
- How'd he that? - Don, what you got
going on over there?
"Dream Full of Dreams."
- Is that what it's called? - Yeah.
- How does it go? - [teenage Donnie playing piano]
["Dream Full of Dreams" playing]
♪ Looking back on how it was ♪
♪ It will never be the same ♪
[playing off-key]
[song continues]
♪ Looking back on how it was ♪
♪ Will it ever be the same? ♪
[crickets chirping]
[Dion and Joe whooping]
[Matt laughs]
[Joe whoops, laughs]
[Matt] Hey, man.
- [laughter continues] - How's the stars look up there?
[Dion and Joe laughing]
Nice.
Can I join you?
Sure, come on up.
- [Dion and Joe whooping] - [Matt grunts]
You wanna hold that for me?
Not sure that beer and flares
are supposed to be mixed.
[sighing] Oh, shit.
Yes.
[sighs]
[chuckles] How you doin'?
Good.
Thanks for having me out.
Yeah, thanks for coming out.
- Mm. - [Joe whoops]
So check this out, New York Times called me.
They wanna send a writer out...
- [Joe laughs, whoops] - ...to do a story on you guys.
- Are you pulling my leg? - [chuckles]
No.
It's pretty exciting.
You make an album when you're 16 years old
and nobody likes it.
Thirty years go by...
The New York Times wants to come out and talk to you.
Not too bad.
I'm a drummer in a rock n' roll band! [whoops]
You know, when we made that album, we were so happy.
Just...
didn't know anything about the world.
Literally just here.
Yeah.
Just here, playing music.
Put everything we had into it.
And no one liked it.
Nothin'.
It's so weird to have this,
you know, now, and I'm not sure what, what...
what... what to do with all of it.
Hmm. I get it. I mean, I can imagine it's a lot.
But, uh, people are starting to hear it,
and people are starting to feel it.
What do you do with it? You know, that's...
Well, it's a good question.
Maybe you could try...
[Joe and Dion laughing]
...enjoying it?
[both laughing]
And we have Donnie and Joe Emerson here with us,
two musicians from Fruitland, Washington,
who recorded an album when they were teenagers
back in the late '70s.
Did I get that right? Is it Donnie or Don?
Well, now people call me Don,
but when we made the album, people called me Donnie,
so I guess it could be either one, you know.
You can call me Don or you...
- [both laughing] - Shut up, bro!
[laughing]
- Joe Emerson? - Yeah.
I'm Steven Kurutz from The New York Times.
- We spoke on the phone. - Ah! Yeah, hey, Steven.
Welcome, welcome.
- Thank you. - Yeah, good to meet ya.
[Steven] How did Donnie get started?
He started playing some at school.
Uh, taught himself piano.
And guitar.
And then he started writing songs,
and I don't mean like little kid songs,
these were like real songs, and he was writing
one or two a day.
[Joe] Growing up on the farm, we were pretty protected
from outside influences.
We didn't really watch television that much,
didn't really buy records or anything. I mean, heck,
I don't even think-- did we even have, like, a record player?
Well, I remember we got a tractor when I was, like, 12.
And that had a radio in it, and that was pretty cool
'cause then we could listen to music.
[Donnie] ♪ I don't want you ♪
♪ To be no slave ♪
♪ I don't want you ♪
♪ To work all day ♪
♪ But I want you ♪
♪ To be true ♪
♪ And I just wanna make love to you ♪
I didn't know that much about music,
but, uh, it seemed like something we shouldn't ignore.
- Whoa! - [Don Sr.] So...
we got him some equipment, Joe too,
- drums and guitars. - [indistinct chatter]
We built them a little place to practice in.
[Joe] My dad is a man of faith.
He believes in his family and... he believes in Donnie.
- This is perfect! - Ah!
- [laughter] - All right, boys.
[Steven] You and Donnie still play together?
[Joe] Nope, no.
When Dreamin' Wild didn't work out,
we made the decision that,
that Donnie would be better off
as a solo act, you know?
I mean, he was the one with the talent.
Anybody could see that.
You know, Donnie's a...
he's a complicated sort of guy.
He's got a...
a lot going on in his head.
And what he did, you know, Steven,
I mean, what he does, it's, uh...
I don't know, it's just kind of like a genius, truthfully.
But it's not always easy for him.
How about for you?
Oh, me, I get along fine, you know.
I just keep... I keep working on my house.
Wait, you built that?
Yeah, yeah, I sure did.
[Steven] And it's just you there?
You never married?
[Joe] No. No, no,
I never, never, never did.
No.
You know, there was a...
there was someone special.
You know, she was real special.
And I was building it for her.
And, um...
she passed away.
[Don Sr.] Headin' back to New York?
I am.
But I wanna thank you
for, for welcoming me and being so open.
Ah.
You've got a wonderful family here.
I suppose you know that, though.
Well, if you're ever in the neighborhood,
the door's always open.
- Thank you, sir. - [Don Sr. chuckles]
- So, where are you headed? - Taking this load to Colville.
How far is that?
Uh, it's about a 100 miles round trip.
Not too bad.
How old are you again, Don?
I don't keep track of those things, Steven.
- [chuckles] - Well, enjoy the journey.
[contemplative music playing]
[Avea] Come on, Dad.
Here it is.
[Donnie] Hold on, hold on. Oh, boy.
- Gosh. Oh, my gosh. - You look good.
- Oh. - [Nancy and Donnie laugh]
[Donnie] Okay.
" 'A Time Capsule Set to Song.'
By Steven Kurutz, Fruitland, Washington.
By the time he was in his teens in the late 1970s,
Donnie Emerson..."
[Avea] "Donnie Emerson could play the trombone,
clarinet, piano, guitar,
and was writing and singing his own songs,
musical gifts that took shape in a cabin
set among the Ponderosa pines on the Emerson family farm."
"Joe accompanied him on drums,
and the brothers formed a close musical bond.
They would play for hours at home
or drive over to Fruitland Valley,
where other farm boys had wild parties."
- [laughter] - "And they would jam
in a ramshackle house known as the Hilton."
Let me tell you what, those parties, they were wild.
Those parties were wild, wild.
"Maria, who is now 50
and lives with her husband near Spokane,
remembers that the entire family
rallied around their music
and attached a lot of hope to the album.
'My dad and mom both are big dreamers,' she said.
'We were wanting something good to come of it.'
'What happened next? Not much.'"
[Don Sr. and Salina laugh]
[indistinct chatter]
[Don Sr.] So, where do you boys see this all going,
this music thing?
Hell, we got 1,600 acres here.
Probably get more,
if we keep going the way we're going.
But it don't come easy.
It's a lot of work, a lot of responsibility.
But you give it your life
and it gives you back a life.
That's how I brought you boys up.
But, uh, now... [chuckles]
I got this problem.
I got this son... two sons, really...
going off and spending a lot of time making music
and all this writing songs and whatnot.
Wouldn't really be a problem, though,
if I didn't think that there was a...
a talent there.
So, what I wanna know...
is how serious you boys are about all this.
Real serious.
Yeah, yeah. Real serious, Dad.
Yeah, well, you can see the problem then.
I can do both.
I'll do my chores and I'll make my music
- and I'll make it work. - [Don Sr.] Uh-huh.
I expect you will.
But if you're serious about the music,
you gotta work on it, hard, same as on the farm.
No slackin' off, 'cause that's what it'll take.
Remember...
you exhaust the body, you free the mind.
Hmm?
Got me?
Yes, sir.
One condition, though.
I want you to do your own songs.
Playing other people's songs is...
okay for fun and whatnot,
but it's not gonna get you anywhere.
You got a mind for it, son.
A gift.
You gotta use it.
You do that,
you work hard.
And I'll support you.
I'll do whatever I can to help.
I believe in you boys.
Hmm?
[Don Sr. chuckles]
Don't let me down.
Oh!
Yeah, okay. Yeah. That's enough of that.
- [teenage Donnie and Joe laugh] - [rock music playing]
[both laughing]
♪ Talkin' 'bout China Grove ♪
♪ Whoa, ho ♪
♪ Whoa, ho, China Grove ♪
- [crowd cheering] - Thank you.
We're gonna play something new for you guys.
So, hope you like it.
[romantic ballad playing]
♪ Thoughts in my mind ♪
♪ About to unfold ♪
♪ What life is about ♪
♪ Just grieve all alone ♪
♪ There's no one there ♪
♪ When I need someone ♪
♪ To give me love ♪
♪ And strengthen my heart ♪
Thanks a lot.
[scattered applause]
Okay, this next one is by Jackson Browne.
♪ Between the darkness on the street ♪
♪ And the houses filling up with light ♪
♪ Between the stillness in my heart ♪
♪ And the roar of the approaching night ♪
♪ Somebody's calling after somebody ♪
♪ Somebody turns the corner out of sight ♪
♪ Looking for somebody ♪
♪ Somewhere in the night ♪
♪ Tender is the night ♪
♪ When you hold your baby tight ♪
♪ Tender, tender are the motions ♪
♪ Tender is the night ♪
♪ When just outside there are people laughing ♪
♪ Living lives we used to lead ♪
♪ Chasing down the love they need ♪
♪ Somewhere in the night ♪
♪ Tender is the night ♪
♪ And the benediction of the neon light ♪
♪ Tender, tender are the hunters ♪
♪ Tender is the night ♪
- [Joe] Jimmy Fallon? - Jimmy Fallon, he comes out,
he says "Baby" is his new favorite track.
- [Salina] On TV? - [Matt] Last week.
- His new favorite? - [Matt] Yes.
And-and the response has been terrific.
A big bump in sales,
and that's on top of the strong numbers
we've already been seeing,
so things are really just cookin'.
In fact, I wanted...
- Wow, - ...to deliver this to you personally.
Your first royalty check.
Now, it's just the first quarter, so it's not a big one,
but it's just the beginning, there'll be more to come.
You know, that's a royalty check.
That is a... that is... Wow!
That's a real check.
Um... Matt, thank you so much.
Thank you so much. [exhales]
You're welcome. Thank you.
I've been getting a lot of calls. I tell ya,
lots of calls, requests from all over,
for you guys to come play.
I think we could put together a pretty decent tour.
[Joe] Oh, you mean with me and...
- [Donnie] A tour? - ...and Donnie, on stage?
- A tour. - The two of us together?
- The two of you together. - Just us?
Yeah. I mean, a tour would, uh, put you out there
in front of people just to...
show 'em what you got.
- Now, uh, our company's... - [Joe laughs]
...putting together an anniversary show
at the Showbox in Seattle in October,
and we'd love for you guys to play.
- [Donnie] At the Showbox? - Yeah.
[Donnie] What would we play?
Just a couple of tunes off the album, you know.
- Shake a few hands. - [Joe and Donnie] Yeah.
It'd be fantastic. Don't answer me now.
Just-just, just think about it.
- [Donnie sputters] - But it means something...
It'd mean a lot to me personally.
- The Showbox? - [Donnie] Yes.
- Are you kidding me? - No, I'm not.
- No? In Seattle? - Yeah.
How many times have we said we wanted to play there?
So many times, so many times we've said we wanted to play there,
and now he wants it to be the kickoff for a tour,
and he says that there are, you know, a hundred places
have called to request us for after.
Wait, so...
you and Joe... you and Joe, right?
[Donnie] Yeah.
Which is weird 'cause it was our thing for so long.
So it's kind of like...
this dream is coming true, but kind of the wrong people
are in it, or something.
Oh, I think it's great. I'm... I'm really happy for you.
["Good Time" playing over record]
♪ Did you have a good time while it lasted... ♪
[strumming guitar]
[drumming out of sync]
♪ Have a good good time, now ♪
- ♪ Did it make you feel... ♪ - Okay.
♪ ...like a fool? ♪
Sorry. [sighs]
Sorry about that, brother.
It's been a while. [chuckles]
That's all right. You're gonna have to work into it.
I just can't believe we're back here doing this, you know?
[sighs] I mean, you and me, here...
it's, uh...
Well, um...
- Let's go again. - Yeah. Yeah.
♪ Don't go lovin' nobody else, oh, baby ♪
♪ Don't go lovin' nobody else ♪
♪ Can't you see I need you? ♪
♪ Ooh ♪
♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪
♪ Nobody else ♪
♪ Ooh, ooh, ooh ♪
♪ Nobody else ♪
How was that? Gee!
Don, what did we think of that?
Did we dig it or what?
Um... Joey, hey.
- Yeah. - You gotta...
You gotta, gotta keep the pace, though.
On that, just... [stammers] Some bits,
you're just slowing down a little bit.
You just gotta keep the... the pace steady, okay?
- Well, yeah. - You know?
Like, the, um, the bit that...
♪ Can't you see I need you? ♪
- Yeah. - That bit, right?
You gotta... You're slowing down a little bit.
I know. That's where I keep getting tripped up.
Right, so you just gotta...
If you can keep that steady pace
right there, that'll be perfect.
'Cause I gotta keep the tempo.
- Yeah. - It sounds good, though.
I mean, I know, I'm working on the pace.
Where I'm getting tripped up is when you start going...
♪ Nobody else ♪
- That's where I'm... - I think just focus on the...
- You know, the steady pace. - Yeah. The timing.
- Yeah. Timing and everything. - Right.
- Should we go for one more? - [teenage Joe] Great idea.
B-side, "Don't Go Lovin' Nobody Else."
Okay.
["Don't Go Lovin' Nobody Else" playing]
♪ Don't go lovin' nobody else ♪
♪ Oh, baby, don't go lovin' nobody else ♪
♪ Don't go lovin' nobody else ♪
♪ Oh, baby, don't go lovin' nobody else ♪
♪ Can't you see I need you? ♪
♪ Don't go lovin' nobody else ♪
♪ Oh, baby, don't go lovin' nobody else ♪
♪ Don't go lovin' nobody else Oh, baby ♪
♪ Don't go lovin' nobody else ♪
♪ Can't you see I need you? ♪
[song fading]
♪ What's wrong with you, honey? ♪
[contemplative music playing]
♪ I thought it was all right ♪
Donnie! Hey.
You okay?
Man, this is not gonna work, playing this old stuff.
[strumming guitar] We gotta do something new.
Donnie, I... You know, I think this is...
you know, this is what they wanna hear, you know?
I mean, this is what everybody's loving.
They wanna hear this, you know?
Come on, we're just getting back into it.
Let's, uh... let's just give it another chance, okay?
All right, here, I'll, uh...
[clears throat] I'll count it off, all right?
All right.
[somber music playing]
[sign creaking]
[Joe] He risked a lot, my dad.
He... He lost a lot.
This farm here, you know, it...
it used to be 1,700 acres.
We're down to about 65 now.
[Don Sr.] Hey, son, what are you doing out there?
- Hey. - [chuckles]
I was just taking a walk,
letting off some steam.
Yeah, yeah.
It's sure good having you back around the farm more.
I know your mother likes seeing you.
- Yeah. - [chuckles]
I like seeing you too.
- Yeah. - Yep.
Mm-hmm.
Hmm.
Big chance you got going.
Yep.
Good chance for people to finally see what you can do.
Yeah, well, that's what we're hoping.
You know, I...
I'm hoping for that, Dad, because I'd...
I'd like to, you know...
Oh, you'll do all right.
Yeah, you just wanna go out there and do your best.
- Yeah. - Yeah?
- Yeah, I'm trying. - Oh.
I'm trying.
Oh, okay.
["Willin'" by Linda Ronstadt playing]
♪ I've been warped by the rain ♪
♪ Driven by the snow ♪
♪ I'm drunk and dirty ♪
♪ Don't you know? ♪
♪ But I'm still ♪
♪ Willin' ♪
♪ Out on the road late last night ♪
♪ I seen my pretty Alice in every headlight ♪
♪ Alice ♪
♪ Dallas Alice ♪
♪ And I've been from Tucson to Tucumcari ♪
♪ Tehachapi to Tonopah ♪
♪ Driven every kind of rig that's ever been made... ♪
- [line rings, connects] - [Matt] Hey, Donnie?
Great to hear from you. What's going on?
First, I just wanna tell you how grateful I am
for this opportunity, Matt, um...
I'm so glad you're doing it, man.
The only thing is, you know, on the record,
there was Joey on drums and me on...
well, on everything else.
Right, so you need some backup.
I've already got the band,
and they'd be willing to do it for free.
Awesome. Bring 'em. What else?
[Donnie] You know, Dreamin' Wild...
I got a lot more than that.
[Matt] Look, I'm glad you're bringing this up.
I've been wanting to ask you about it.
[Donnie] I've been writing and playing music
this whole time, jazz and rock and country.
Anyway, I've been working on some new stuff with Nancy.
- I think you'd dig it. - [Matt] I'd love to hear it.
Maybe after the show?
[Donnie] Sure.
- Should we go for one more? - We're supposed to be meeting
Linda and Heidi at the barn about now.
Oh, yeah. Okay. You comin'?
No, no, no, I'm better back here.
- I'm good. - Come on, man.
They said they might bring some more girls.
- It could be fun. - No, that's okay.
I'm gonna... [stammers] Ray's gonna come over,
and he's gonna help me with the car, so...
we're gonna get that done.
And I want it to be just right.
- You sure? - Yeah!
Yeah, no, I'm good. I'm gonna work on this. Everything...
You guys go. You guys go and have fun.
Joe, are you sure? Okay. I'll see you later.
Have fun, you guys.
[teenage Joe] Yeah. See you later.
- [Eldon] See ya. - [door opens]
[door closes]
♪ Can't you see... ♪
[kissing]
♪ What that woman, Lord She been doin'... ♪
Let me catch my breath, will ya?
Oh, I'm... I'm sorry.
I'm just kidding. I don't mind.
You know, I remember the first time I saw you...
- Hmm? - ...was when you joined school
in second grade,
and I remember hiding under the bus
and staring at how beautiful you were.
- In second grade? - Yeah.
All right, you two, break it up.
There's a party going on over here, you know.
Eldon says you guys are recording an album.
Yeah, well, I mean, we're working on it.
You mean like a real music album?
Yeah. That's what we're going for.
[Linda] Like the Eagles or something?
- I don't know, I... - They ain't doin' nothin' like the Eagles.
Shit, it's probably more like the Canaries.
- Oh, shut up, Darrel. - [friends laughing]
[bluesy guitar riff playing]
♪ Ooh ♪
♪ Give me the chance ♪
♪ To come and love you ♪
♪ Ooh, give me the chance chance... ♪
♪ Give me some chance now ♪
[birds chirping]
["Give Me The Chance" playing on headphones]
[knock on door]
How are we doing in here, brother?
Just listen.
♪ Ooh, give me the chance ♪
♪ Chance ♪
♪ To come and love you ♪
♪ Ooh ♪
♪ Ooh, give me the chance ♪
♪ Chance ♪
♪ Give me some trouble ♪
- Brother! - Yeah?
- What have you done? That was too good. - Yeah?
You blew me out of the water, son!
Far out, man! Oh, my...
That's impressive. Seriously.
I mean, did you spend all night working on that?
I guess so. Yeah.
- How was the party? - Good.
It would've been more fun if you'd have been there.
Man, you're kidding me. I wouldn't--
- I'm not kidding you. - I'm a stick-in-the-mud.
- What do you mean-- Joey, are you kidding? - I'm not social in that way.
You would've been making everyone laugh,
you would've been the life of the party.
I'm serious. Just listen, brother,
you just gotta put it out there, be brave.
You're a really cool dude.
- I appreciate that. - Anyways,
you got it made, you know.
Everyone knows the drummer always gets
- the best girls, right? - Ah.
I'm a lucky guy, then, huh?
- [girl whoops] - [family exclaiming, laughing]
[indistinct chatter]
- You look beautiful! - Thank you, Mom.
- [laughs] - Oh, thank you.
- Is it good? - It's beautiful.
It fits you great.
[indistinct chatter]
- [Donnie] Okay, let's get... - [camera shutter clicking]
[indistinct chatter]
[Joe] Dreamin' Wild!
- [horn honking] - We got it, people.
Come and get it! Whoo! Yow!
[horn blares]
Hey! Donnie!
- Hey, brother, how you doing? - Hey. I'm doing great.
- Good, good, me too. - Donnie, I've been practicing,
and I think this is gonna be so much better.
- It's getting really good. - Oh, yeah. Okay, amazing.
- Uh, listen... - What?
You know, I was so stressed out. Oh, my God.
Joe, I'm sorry I was so stressed out the other day.
- No, it's okay. - And I just...
I know that you were frustrated too, you know,
so I figured that, uh, we could use some help.
- So I got some reinforcements. - [car doors closing]
What? Some reinforcements?
Yeah? Oh!
Hey.
- Hi. - Hey, Joey.
- Hi, Nancy. - How are ya?
- I'm good, Nancy, how are you? - I'm good.
- Yeah, hi. Hey. - So excited to be here.
Hey. Well, good, I'm glad you're...
Hey, do you remember Carlos, the Fox?
- Hey, man, how you doing? - Yes. Hey, Carlos. How are ya?
- It's Dion the Disaster. - Hey, what's going on, Joe?
- Hey, Dion, how are ya? - [Dion] Good, good.
- Good. - What do you think?
I mean, I figured it'd just take some pressure off,
and then I also wanted to work on some new arrangements.
Okay. Yeah, yeah.
- Is that all right? - Okay. Yeah, no, that's fine.
Yeah. Yeah, absolutely.
- Okay. - Yeah, okay, that's great.
Okay.
[guitar riff playing]
[stammers] You're gonna hold on the four and then you come in on one.
♪ Did you have a good time as long as it lasted? ♪
♪ Did you make you feel ♪
♪ Like you were on top of the world? ♪
♪ Do you feel good now you got a man now? ♪
♪ Did it make you feel like a fool? ♪
- ♪ Did you have a... ♪ - drumming out of sync]
♪ Did you have a good time? ♪
[drumming out of sync]
Okay.
I'll do it. Hey, I'll do the kick.
You'll do... you'll do what?
I'll do the kick.
You don't want me to play the bass drum?
No, I don't want you to play the bass drum.
You're not keeping up, man.
- Wouldn't it be easier? - Can we just go one more time?
- I'm just... - Really not that big of a deal.
I'd like you to play the bass drum in time.
[snare drum claps]
Hey, Donnie, that's not necessary.
Yeah, that is necessary because it's not working.
No. It sounds good.
[Donnie] Everything else sounds good except for that,
so then we fix it because it's a rehearsal.
[Nancy] Can you loosen up?
- I'm loose. - Really?
- Yeah, I'm loose. - It doesn't seem like it.
Well, look closer. I'm loose.
- Okay, I'm looking. - Yeah.
- You're not. Okay? - Yeah.
What's the song called? What's it called? "Good Time".
Why don't you try having one? For real.
We've been doing this for four hours.
[tambourine rattling]
Should we do it again?
[softly] Don't question me about my music.
Why not? You're acting crazy in there.
- [softly] I'm acting crazy? - Yes! You're acting crazy.
- [softly] Be quiet! - You're acting crazy in there.
- [softly] He can't keep a beat. - He's doing all right.
[softly] Doing all right? An "all right" is not good enough.
It's been 30-odd, 45 years.
He doesn't-- It's not good.
And then Matt's gonna book the tour for us if this works out,
so you could say it's kind of the biggest show of my life.
And I don't want it to get messed up.
Okay. It's not gonna get messed up, okay?
It's gonna be fine.
- It's gonna be great, okay? - [exhales]
Just let him play drums.
He's your brother.
[teenage Joe] Hey, are we getting this done or not?
Oh, sorry, man. Here.
You'll need another one of them.
- Oh, I do. Think so. - Yes?
Yeah, all's I gotta do is just finish up this gap here
and I think we'll be good.
Don't you need, um... two more?
- Yeah, I'll get two more. - [Rose] Donnie, Joe!
- [Joe] Yeah? - [Rose] Dad's looking for us.
Wants us to come inside.
[Donnie] Well, can't it wait a second?
[Rose] I don't think so.
So, I got this call from Los Angeles.
- [Joe] Whoa! - [Rose] Really?
Yeah, uh...
- a record producer. - [Joe laughing]
- [Rose] What? - Yeah,
he heard the record, thought it was great,
one of the best things he's heard.
- Yeah! Gosh! - [all laughing]
[Don Sr.] He said he thought it showed a lot of promise and whatnot
and wanted to know if there was any more where that came from.
Well, there sure is. Yeah! How about that, Donnie?
So this guy, he says he's a producer,
not a record company,
so he can't really help us in selling Dreamin' Wild.
What he wants is, he wants to help us
make a new album.
He says he works with these record company guys all the time,
and he knows what they want.
And he... he thinks...
Donnie should be a solo act.
- [Maria] What? - No.
Solo?
No. No. What? No.
- [Rose] No way. - Well, that's what I said.
It's, it's the Emerson Brothers.
- Donnie and Joe. - [Rose] Yeah.
Anyway, he seemed kind of set on that.
But I told him...
no, that's not gonna happen. We don't...
we don't operate that way in our family.
They're music people, they don't understand.
We know what it is to do things together,
so I'll talk to them and we'll work it out.
It'll be fine.
Yeah?
Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
♪ It's a hard, it's a hard ♪
♪ It's a hard, and it's hard ♪
♪ It's a hard rain's ♪
♪ A-gonna fall ♪
- [woman] I like your drumming. - [Joe] Hey, thanks, thank you.
[woman] How old are you?
I'm 20. How about you?
Don't do that, Joe. Lorna's trouble.
[Joe] How do you mean?
[Lorna] Wanna go somewhere?
She has two kids and, uh...
a problem.
[contemplative music playing]
Hey, baby. [voice echoing]
[peaceful ballad in piano playing]
[playing somber notes]
[stops playing]
How you doing there, Don?
Hey.
I wanna talk to you about something
I've been thinking about.
That producer fellow?
I think it's a good idea. I think you better do it.
No. No, I can't do it without you.
What are you scared of? You're great.
- You're my drummer. You're my brother. - I know I'm your brother.
And I'll always be your brother, Donnie.
I'm never gonna not be your brother,
but I'm always gonna support you.
Donnie, look at me, I'mma be all right.
I'll be okay, I'll be out on the farm
doing what I love, doing what I'm good at.
And you do the same.
You got a whole 'nother trajectory.
- Joey. - No, look at me.
I've never been no rock star, anyway.
I ain't planning on being one.
This is you.
And I'm here for you.
[sniffles, sighs]
- Thank you. - I'm proud of you.
It's gonna be great.
Wow, Showbox. Never thought we'd get here.
- [man] Can I help you guys? - Yeah, we're the Emersons.
[Matt] Oh, there they are. Hey!
- [Joe] Oh, hey, Matt. - Welcome to the Showbox.
- Hey, buddy. How are ya? - [Donnie] Hey.
- Matt, man, how are ya? - Good to see you.
- [Donnie] Hey. - [Nancy] We haven't met yet.
- I'm Nancy. - [Matt] Good to meet you.
Jack Fleischer. He's the one that found the album.
- Okay. - Forced me to listen to it.
You guys mind signing some autographs?
Guys, come here. Um,
these guys won tickets from the local station.
- Say hi to Tom, Sarah. - Oh.
- How are you doing? Hi. - They want some autographs.
- [Joe] Wow. Hello. - Hello.
- Will you sign this for me? - Uh, sure, yes, yes.
- What's your name? - Uh, Lindsay.
To Lindsay. Lindsay, with a "Y" or an "I"?
- A "Y". - A "Y." Yes.
- [Lindsay] Which one are you? - Oh, well, that's me.
Right there, yeah, yeah. I'm, uh, Joe.
Yeah, I'm the drummer. How old are you, darling?
- 18. - 18?
That's about how old I was,
uh, when this photo was taken, Lindsay.
- [Nancy] Wow. - [Joe] Wow. Wow.
- [Nancy] Can you believe that? - [Joe] Look at this.
Look at this. That was something, wasn't it?
[Nancy] Yeah. You were signing autographs.
[Joe] An autograph for Lindsay.
[Nancy] Joe Emerson!
- [Joe] An autograph. - [Nancy laughs]
- [Joe] Look at this, man. - [Donnie] Oh, wow.
- [Joe] Well. - [Donnie] Huh.
- I'm gonna keep one of these. - [Donnie] Yeah, me too.
- I'm gonna keep this. - [Donnie chuckles]
[Nancy] You look good, Joe.
There's nothing you can really do with this mustache.
[Nancy] So...
I think you have to tune, right? When you get out?
[knock on door]
[man] All right, you guys, you're on in ten minutes.
- Let's do it! - [Nancy] Thank you.
- Thank you. - [Donnie] Dear Lord,
thank you so much for this time together
with friends and family.
We thank you for bringing us together
- to sing your praise. - [Joe] Amen.
- Thank you for rock and roll. - [Nancy] Amen!
- Okay, come on. Let's go. - Let's go.
[crowd cheering at distance]
[exhaling]
Okay, this is it. Hey, don't forget the change in tempo. Right?
- [Joe] Yeah. Yeah. - [Nancy] Yeah.
- [Donnie] 'Cause it's new. - Yeah.
[Joe clears throat]
Man, we gotta knock these people out.
[Joe] All right, here we go.
- [Nancy whoops] - Here we go.
- [crowd whistling] - [Joe] Here we go!
[crowd applauding]
♪ Ooh, ooh ♪
♪ Oh, baby ♪
♪ Whoa, ooh ♪
♪ Baby ♪
♪ When we're walking in the moonlight ♪
♪ Looking up at the stars above ♪
♪ Feels so good when I'm near you ♪
♪ Holdin' hands and makin' love ♪
♪ Oh, baby ♪
[crowd cheering]
♪ Oh, so baby ♪
- Can you feel it? - [cheering]
♪ Oh, so baby ♪
Hey, man, I want y'all to stay just like that, don't move.
♪ Sandy beaches, makin' love ♪
♪ As the tide rolls in on us ♪
♪ Feels so good walking side by side ♪
♪ Wanna be with you all my life ♪
♪ Oh, baby ♪
♪ Oh, so baby ♪
[piercing note echoing]
Hey, bring it down, Joseph.
Joseph, bring it down here.
Hey, bring it way down, Joseph.
[percussion fading]
Can you feel the ocean?
Can y'all feel the ocean? [echoing]
I wish you guys could be with us out in Fruitland Valley.
Man, we played... played some real little places out there.
[voice echoing]
[distorted] I can tell you what a trip that was, man.
It was a time. We had a time out there.
[music muffled, distorted]
I think y'all would fit right in, you'd have a blast.
- We'd have a blast out there. - [discordant noises]
[heavy echoing] Y'all should come out to Fruitland Valley.
That's where we're from.
[discordant music playing]
[cheering]
- [laughter] - [Joe] Huh?
Wasn't that something? Wasn't that something?
Everybody was on their feet. Everybody was on their feet!
- [Don Sr.] It was good. - [Joe] Did you see everything?
[overlapping chatter]
[Joe] Did you see it, Dad? Did you see it?
Yeah, yeah, you saw it, didn't you, Dad?
- Yeah, huh? - Such a great show.
[indistinct chatter]
Yeah, wow, what a feeling!
That was so... Ah, that was so cool!
- [Nancy] That was good! - [Joe] Wasn't it so good?
- [indistinct chatter] - No, it was crap.
- [Joe] It was just so cool! - It was crap. It was crap.
- It was so much fun. - It was crap.
What are you talking about, Donnie?
What do you mean? Were you on stage with me?
Yes, I was on stage with you.
Okay, well, it was a disaster.
Donnie. No, the crowd... the crowd loved it.
You heard... Everybody was cheering, everybody stood up.
Everyone was cheering because they're company people, Joe,
so they have to cheer. Do you understand? They have to.
If a monkey walked out on stage, they would cheer.
And that's what I was, I was a talking monkey.
Instead of just singing the songs...
- Donnie, you were great. - No, I wasn't great.
- [Joe] Yes, you were. - [Donnie] I was crap.
- No, you weren't. - [Donnie] No, no, no.
It was crap. But I didn't wanna play that music.
- What do you wanna play? - [Donnie] But you did.
You wanted to play the old stuff.
'Cause you said that's what everybody wanted
and you thought it would be fun.
There we were, pretending that we're 17 years old on stage.
It's pathetic.
So now what?
- I don't know. - Yeah,
well, I tell ya, there's no tour,
there's no album, there's no frickin' comeback.
- Yeah, but what do you care? - What do you mean, "What do I care?"
[Donnie] What do you care? You haven't spent your whole life
trying to make music, trying to make stuff that someone's gonna listen to.
So you don't care.
But it's a little bit more than that for me.
Because I have spent my whole life trying to make music
that people might wanna hear.
Because you do something else, Joe.
You cut down trees, and you build stuff.
And you do whatever you want.
But you're not busting your ass trying to make music.
You're not doing that. That's what I'm doing.
Okay, Donnie.
So when you say, "Let's play the old stuff,"
it's just fun for you. It's not just fun for me.
- It's not fun for me! - I didn't...
To do what everyone wants isn't fun for me!
But you're having fun! I'm not having fun!
So don't tell me what I need to do!
Because it's my music!
Because I've been working at it!
And now there's nothing.
Sorry, Mom and Dad.
[door slams]
[contemplative music playing]
[record player needle scratching]
[Nancy in distance] Donnie.
Joey and your dad, they keep calling.
[record player needle continues scratching]
It's nice. I like it.
[bells tinkling]
[contemplative music continues playing]
[Donnie singing indistinctly]
It's a bit sad, though, isn't it?
So serious?
[somber instrumental music playing]
I don't know if I wanna be that serious.
[bells continue tinkling]
[faint singing]
[teenage Joe] They robbed us.
[telephone ringing]
Hello?
[teenage Donnie] Joey? Is that you?
Yeah. Donnie?
It's Donnie.
Yeah, hey, brother, how you doin'?
How is Hollywood treating you?
Good. Good, very good.
Uh, I need to talk to Dad. Is he there?
Yeah, okay, yeah, sure. Here, he wants to talk to you.
How are things, son?
Dad? Oh, things are going great.
Hal is so fantastic, really talented.
You know, I've got-- He's got so many great ideas,
and he's bringing in the best for me.
I-I really think you're gonna love it.
- [chuckles] - But, anyway, Dad,
I think we're gonna need some more money.
More money?
Yeah. But not a lot.
Just a little more to get these last few--
to get these last few songs finished, and then...
- [sighs] - I know we've gone over
what he said, but I think it's gonna be worth it.
I think you're gonna love it.
I'm... I'm gonna make you proud.
I know you are, son. I know you are.
[man] You know what this means, don't you, Don?
- [Don Sr.] I do. - If this doesn't work
and you can't pay this off,
you're gonna lose most of your farm.
- I don't advise it. - I know.
I'm sure Donnie's got the talent,
but these things don't often work out.
...the music business, but you gotta know,
the percentage chance of success is like...
We'll do it for you, really low.
I just don't wanna see you gamble your livelihood.
[Don Sr.] It's not a gamble. It's an investment.
Salina and I are making an investment in our son,
in our family.
If you don't believe in family,
what can you believe in?
[contemplative music playing]
Mom? Mom?
Dad?
Oh...
Dad?
[Don Sr. groaning]
[Salina] Don't. Come!
- Let me help you. - I'm okay, I'm okay.
No, I get liniment.
No, no, no, I'll be fine.
Just give me a minute.
[Salina] Oh! Oh.
- Something for my head. - Okay.
It's just a muscle spasm. I'm okay!
It's the bank and the payments.
It's too much.
- [Don Sr.] I'm all right. - [sobbing] It's too much.
I'm all right. Look, I'm all right.
I'm fine.
[contemplative music playing]
[sobbing softly]
[sniffles, continues sobbing]
[music growing louder]
[Donnie] No, no, no!
[Nancy] Donnie, Donnie. Donnie.
Donnie, stop, stop, stop.
[whispering] You're okay.
- You're okay. - [breathing heavily]
You have to let it go.
Okay?
You have to find some way to let it go.
[door closes]
[contemplative music playing]
Hello?
Where are you?
[sighs]
[teenage Donnie on tape] Okay, here we go.
["Dream Full of Dreams" playing]
[sighs]
[Donnie sighs]
[teenage Donnie] ♪ Looking back on how it was ♪
♪ Will it ever be the same? ♪
♪ I'm just kidding ♪
♪ If I think it will ♪
♪ 'Cause feelings are changed ♪
♪ When you hold me and tell me you love me ♪
♪ Will I dream ♪
♪ A dream full ♪
♪ Of dreams? ♪
Can I ask you a question?
[Don Sr.] Donnie? Is that you?
[chuckles]
I thought I heard something going on out here.
I just stopped by, I was gonna come see you and Mom after.
You okay? You want me to...
No, no, I was just... I was just listenin'.
["Dream Full of Dreams" continues playing]
I don't know if you ever knew this,
but back when I was working on the songs,
at mostly in the middle of the night,
I'd just come sit out here
in the open by myself and listen to it.
That's how I knew if it was right.
Hang on, I'll get a chair for you.
♪ You kinda know it's gonna end ♪
♪ When two people start to ♪
♪ Think of themselves ♪
♪ What to say? ♪
♪ It's over ♪
♪ But I'd give ♪
♪ Anything in life ♪
Hmm.
Mmm.
[Don Sr. chuckles softly]
[Donnie chuckles softly]
Mmm.
Takes you back.
- Yeah. - [chuckles]
It does.
Seems like things were a lot easier
- when I was a teenager. - [chuckles]
Yeah, they weren't always so easy then, either.
I guess not.
It feels that way now, though.
I get ya.
When we were kids, the music just seemed to flow so easy.
[sniffles]
Coming out here and...
not think about anything. It just...
- It just kind of happened. - Mmm-hmm.
It was never like that again, though.
Didn't matter where I went.
Running around working, trying to make something
that would be successful.
But I never could.
Then I realized all that running around
I was really just...
running away from something.
From what?
Dad, I think I was running away from you.
[chuckles]
I was running away from all the guilt and the shame
that I felt about you putting up the money
and losing it and...
because you believed in me.
All this was yours, everything that we could see,
and then it was gone because of me.
But you never stopped believing and you never stopped trying,
and then...
everything you did, it just made me feel...
worse, you know?
Because I couldn't do anything about it.
And then all this happened
and it felt like a real shot for me to...
get something back for you.
Uh...
But I had to go back and be something that I was...
when I was 17 years old.
I had to go back and be someone else.
I can't do it. I can't do it.
Or it's real hard.
And I'm trying.
I don't know if I can. I can't figure it out.
Anyway...
just sorry, Dad, for putting you through all of it.
[Don Sr. grunts softly]
You know... [chuckles]
I'm a pretty sound sleeper.
Once I fall asleep,
Mom can't wake me up for nothing.
But I-I remember
waking up one night a long time ago.
I wasn't able to get back to sleep,
so I got up, I walked out on the porch,
and, uh...
I heard this music.
I wouldn't have thought that music would drift that far.
But...
I knew it was you.
Stood there the rest of the night...
till it stopped.
I woke up a lot more nights after that, just listened.
I could have stood there forever.
Just listening.
I could tell you, son...
I would've gladly given up all the land, all the farm,
just to hear that.
Just to hear you.
You're my son.
Even with all the hard times we've been through...
I don't regret any of it.
And I couldn't be prouder of you.
You play what you want.
I just want you to play.
Now, I gotta go check on a load
I'm taking to Wenatchee in the morning.
Go see your brother.
Okay, Dad.
[sighs]
[pensive music playing]
[welding gun whirring]
[switch clicks, whirring stops]
- Hey. - [exhales]
Hey.
Brother, what are you doing up here?
I come up to see Mom and Dad.
- Ah. - And, uh...
I came to tell you that I'm sorry I said
all those stupid things up at the show in Seattle.
Just, you know, shouldn't have said them.
And, uh...
That's all right.
You were... probably right about most of it.
I think I've come to the conclusion
that I'm...
I'm pretty good at bringing down trees and building things,
but when it comes to drumming, I'm never gonna be a...
[laughs]
A Ringo Starr, I guess.
I don't know about that.
You know, uh, I was listening to the old tapes
from Dreamin' Wild and...
just trying to figure out.
You know how everyone has been saying
it's got this weird, magical feel to it?
Uh, I couldn't figure out what it was,
or how to do it.
And then I was listening to the tapes
and I finally figured it out.
It's you.
You're the magic of it.
You really are. You're the heart of it.
Anyway, I know what you've done for me,
all the things that you gave up
so that I could do the things that I wanted to do.
And I... never will be able to thank you enough.
But I should probably try more often.
You know, I'll tell you, Donnie...
What a time to...
We played together growing up, you know, that was...
that was the best time of my life, you know.
It really was, and, um...
now when all this stuff about Dreamin' Wild came out...
It made me feel good.
And I'll admit that I'd hoped that you and me,
we might start playing together again, you know,
spending some time and...
and writing songs and...
and all that, you know, but I know that that...
I know it's more than that for you, Donnie.
You know, this is your...
it's your life, you know, it's your gift,
and it's what you...
And it's not me, you know.
And that's okay.
I'm just... I'm good here.
You know, I'm good here doing what I'm doing.
And, uh...
I'll always be here for you, though.
You hear me?
All right.
[Joe sighs]
I really love you, Joe.
[Joe clears throat]
- So, uh... [sniffles] - [huffs air]
Uh...
- So where do we go from here? - [both chuckle]
Hey, you wanna play one more show?
Yeah, okay. Yeah.
Hi, I'm Don Emerson. This is my brother Joe.
- [crowd cheering, applauding] - And this is "Baby."
["Baby" playing]
♪ Ooh, baby ♪
♪ When we're out in the moonlight ♪
♪ Looking out at the stars above ♪
♪ Feels so good when I'm near you ♪
♪ Holdin' hands and makin' love ♪
♪ Oh, baby ♪
♪ Yes, oh, baby ♪
♪ Oh, baby ♪
♪ Yes, oh, baby ♪
Hi, my name is Donnie Emerson, and this is my brother Joe.
- [crowd cheering] - And my wife, Nancy Sophia.
This is... "When a Dream is Beautiful."
♪ I thought it was gone ♪
♪ I thought it was far gone from me ♪
♪ I guess I was wrong all along ♪
♪ I guess I was wrong ♪
♪ When something's beautiful ♪
♪ You gotta let it show ♪
♪ A dream is beautiful ♪
♪ When a dream is beautiful ♪
♪ Mm ♪
♪ Searching to find ♪
♪ All of my wants and my needs ♪
♪ And there are the times ♪
♪ In all my wildest dreams ♪
♪ When something's beautiful ♪
♪ Well, you gotta let it show ♪
♪ Mm, mm ♪
♪ When something's beautiful ♪
♪ You gotta let it show ♪
♪ A dream is beautiful ♪
♪ When a dream is beautiful ♪
♪ Take another chance ♪
♪ It's all about the ride ♪
♪ Don't give another reason ♪
♪ Not to try ♪
♪ Take another chance ♪
♪ When something's beautiful ♪
♪ You've gotta let it show ♪
♪ When something's beautiful ♪
♪ You've gotta let it show ♪
♪ Oh, a dream is beautiful ♪
♪ Ooh ♪
♪ A dream is beautiful ♪
♪ When a dream is beautiful ♪
♪ Mm ♪
♪ La, la, la, la ♪
♪ La, la, la, la, la, la, la ♪
♪ La, la, la, la, la ♪
♪ La, la, la, la ♪
♪ La, la, la, la, la, la, la ♪
♪ La, la, la, la, la... ♪
[slow instrumental music playing]
[music ends]