As part of a Texas-wide tour to celebrate the life of Blaze Foley, the unsung songwriting legend of the Texas outlaw music movement, Houston is the first stop in a seven cities series to promote the upcoming film, BLAZE. Academy-Award nominee and Director Ethan Hawke, actor and musician Ben Dickey, and Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter Jack Ingram held an intimate acoustic performance and fireside chat at Rockefeller’s in Houston on Sunday, August 12th to commemorate the occasion.
Landry’s “Taco Me Crazy” food truck offered food selections for the evening and Tequila 512 provided complimentary tequila sunrises for guests in attendance. The Houston crowd was ecstatic to be included in this grand event.
Ethan Hawke captured the true essence of this project when he stated, “Getting inside something is the goal of what we do.” Therefore when Hawke made the decision to select newcomer Ben Dickey for the role of Blaze Foley, it was evident in the musician’s ability to carry an audience on stage that sparked his approval for acting in this film. Dickey wanted to capture Blaze mathematically and spiritually as he encompassed his body of work. Country musician Jack Ingram is quite impressed with Dickey’s portrayal in the film.
Sybil Rosen, the woman who knew Blaze Foley best due to her innate love affair, provided a thorough backdrop for the script when Hawke read her memoir titled, “Living in the Woods in a Tree: Remembering Blaze Foley.” Rosen gave insight during the production of the film and it was a joy to have her on the set.
Overall you can feel the unity and passion expressed to tell a story that deserves the recognition and honor of being seen wholeheartedly. Austin, Dallas, Amarillo, El Paso, Fort Worth, Houston, and San Antonio will be introduced to the BLAZE life story film first before Los Angeles and New York. View the schedule below for the premiere dates in a Texas city near you.
ABOUT THE FILM:
Directed by Ethan Hawke, BLAZE stars newcomer Ben Dickey as Blaze Foley, the unsung songwriting legend of the Texas outlaw music movement that spawned from the likes of Merle Haggard and Willie Nelson. The film weaves together three different periods of time, braiding re-imagined versions of Blaze’s past, present, and future. The different strands explore his love affair with Sybil Rosen (Alia Shawkat); his last, dark night on earth; and the impact of his songs and his death had on his fans, friends, and foes. The storyline terminates in a bittersweet ending that acknowledges Blaze’s profound highs and lows, as well as the impressions he made on the people who shared his journey.
BLAZE premiered at the 2018 Sundance Film Festival where Dickey’s performance won him the Special Jury Award for Achievement in Acting. Dickey stars alongside Alia Shawkat, Charlie Sexton, Josh Hamilton, Richard Linklater, Alynda Segarra, Sam Rockwell, Steve Zahn and Kris Kristofferson. Co-written by Hawke and Sybil Rosen, BLAZE is based on Rosen’s memoir Living in the Woods in a Tree: Remembering Blaze Foley.
