Cotton Pickin' Smash!

Cotton Pickin' Smash! The Story of the Legendary Stardust Cowboy is a recently completed documentary detailling the rocket of the Ledge to stardom and beyond. Filmmaker Tony Philputt, of Indianapolis, Indiana has just completed the 8 year project with the help of fellow Hoosiers Michael Woods and Kurt Daneman. Philputt has tracked down nearly everyone involved in the Ledge's career, interviewed them, and concocted this funny, affectionate tribute to the quirky but charming Legendary Stardust Cowboy.

Describing the Ledge's first 45 Paralyzed as "2 1/2 minutes of unbridled chaos" Philputt hits the nail on the head. Watching the Ledge whoop, holler, and galavant on stage, it's hard not to love him, even if your first inclination is to turn the volume down a little on your hi fi. His love of music and obvious enthusiasm are contagious and charming (this is true both of the Ledge and of Philputt) and the story of his life and hard times, managers who cheated him, the musician's strike the hit the same time as Paralyzed, and his years' long struggle to generate interest in his music are compelling.

Clips of the Ledge on "Laugh In" and in concert are mixed with interviews with T Bone Burnett, Joe Ely, Butch Hancock and Jimmie Dale Gilmore, and the two guys who ran the vacuum cleaner store who "discovered" the Ledge.

The film is not yet commercially available, but should be making the festival circuit sometime soon. If you're interested, e-mail me at Diana1159@aol.com and I can put you in touch with Tony Philputt.

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