Willy Deville earned the praise of artists like Bob Dylan and Tom Petty. He cut his teeth on blues and rock. He had the looks. He had the talent. But he never broke into the mainstream. Why? In this film, director Larry Locke explores the personal and professional life of this underappreciated artist. If you like rock and roll but you’ve never heard of Mink Deville, you’re going to leave the theater with some new favorite songs. (dir. Larry Locke, U.S, 2020 100 min)
“Mr. DeVille is a magnetic performer, but his macho stage presence camouflages an acute musical intelligence; his songs and arrangements are rich in ethnic rhythms and blues echoes, the most disparate stylistic references, yet they flow seamlessly and hang together solidly.” – music critic Robert Palmer
