An upcoming two-part docuseries about the Native American chief Sitting Bull will feature some of the last music the late Band legend Robbie Robertson ever worked on. The show, titled Sitting Bull, will premiere on The History Channel in late May.
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As reported by Rolling Stone, Robertson and his son, Sebastian, were asked by the show’s creative team to write a musical score for Sitting Bull.
“We were thrilled by the prospect and dove right in,” Sebastian told Rolling Stone. “This was a complicated time in our lives as my dad’s health was declining. However, like for a lot of us, the art of music was an escape.”
Sebastian explained that he began writing the program’s title theme on his own, then showed what he came up with to his famous father.
“Trust me when I tell you he was a tough critic,” Sebastian noted. “The inspiration of this project, my heritage and honoring both my culture and my father, kicked me into the highest gear. He was thrilled with the demo. We batted ideas, guitar licks, and vocals back and forth until we were satisfied and sent it along to production. We nailed it.”
Robbie’s mother (and Sebastian’s grandmother) was of Native American descent, and was raised on the Six Nations of the Grand River reserve in Ontario, Canada.
The two-part Sitting Bull docuseries premieres on The History Channel on May 27 and May 28 at 9 p.m. ET. You can check out a trailer for the series now on the network’s YouTube channel. The clip features
More About the Robertsons’ Sitting Bull Score
Robbie Robertson died of cancer in August 2023 at age 80. Sebastian finished the score for the Sitting Bull series after his dad’s passing.
Sebastian told Rolling Stone that he cherished the opportunity to collaborate with his father on the project.
“Still by my side and breathing wisdom and artistry into my final choices, my dad and I created what will always be one of my proudest and most memorable compositions,” he said. “Harnessing the words of his mother, our people, and the rhythm of our lives in all existences, we created our final piece of music together … or maybe, just maybe, there’s more to come.”
Sebastian added, “I love you, Rob. And I have the deepest of gratitude for the Sitting Bull team for making this happen.”
More About the Sitting Bull Series
The docuseries tells the story of Sitting Bull’s life, examining the Lakota leader’s fight for the freedom of his people, his unifying of various warring Native nations against the U.S. government and its attempts take control of their land, his infamous battle with General George Armstrong Custer, and more.
The show features interviews with experts and historians, as well as dramatized scenes depicting historic events. Native American actor Michael Spears portrays Sitting Bull, while the docuseries is narrated by Yellowstone’s Mo Brings Plenty. Sitting Bull is executive-produced by Leonardo DiCaprio.
About Robertson’s Upcoming Posthumous Memoir, Insomnia
News about the Sitting Bull score comes on the heels of the announcement of an upcoming memoir written by Robbie. Titled Insomnia, the book will be published posthumously on November 11.
Insomnia focuses on Robertson’s four-decade friendship and collaborative relationship with filmmaker Martin Scorsese.
The memoir is described as “an intimate portrait of a remarkable creative friendship between two titans of American arts, one that would explore the outer limits of excess and experience before returning to tell the tale.”
Robertson composed the score and/or oversaw the soundtrack for many Scorsese films. Among them were Raging Bull, The King of Comedy, The Color of Money, Gangs of New York, The Wolf of Wall Street, The Irishman, and Killers of the Flower Moon.
You can pre-order Insomnia now.
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