Jim Belushi Recalls a Favorite Moment of His Early Career in Hollywood and How It Involves Late Brother John Exclusive
Jim Belushi is reminiscing about his early days in Hollywood
While speaking exclusively with PEOPLE at the Song Sung Blue premiere at AFI Fest in Los Angeles on Oct 26 the actor and comedian 71 shared what he loved most about the period when he and his late brother John Belushi were getting their showbiz careers off the ground
Beginning in 1975 John was a rising comedy star as an original cast member of Saturday Night Live and he and costar Dan Aykroyd developed their respective characters Joliet Jake Blues and Elwood Blues into The Blues Brothers a blues and soul band The duo made their debut as musical guest on SNL in April 1978 and after later recruiting a full band they opened for Steve Martin during a residency at the Universal Amphitheatre in Los Angeles in September 1978
Jim remembers those shows fondly
Ill tell you what I loved I loved going to the Universal Amphitheatre when they came to LA and they opened for Steve Martin Jim says
It was magic he remembers And John was so so magnificent I loved that moment to see my brother just hit the top of his chart
John and Aykroyd 73 went on to release a doubleplatinum album along with the hit movie The Blues Brothers in 1980
Just two years later John died on March 5 1982 at the age of 33 from an apparent drug overdose Following Johns death Jim began performing in his brothers place as Zee Blues alongside Aykroyd
Jim tells PEOPLE that he and Aykroyd still do the Blues Brothers now keeping his brothers musical legacy alive We just did a show last week in Leesburg Virginia he says revealing that keeping the group going was all Dannys idea referring to Aykroyd
He wanted me to do the Blues Brothers I said Absolutely not That was Johns not mine the Red Heat star recalls He goes Ah Jimmy Its like a law firm When one of the partners passes away the brother comes in and takes over Really He goes Yeah You dont think its weird He goes Absolutely not Im like All right
Jim adds Ive been having a ball for 25 years singing and dancing with that 64 Canadian beautiful man
Jim gets to lean into the musical vibes in his latest movie Song Sung Blue a biographical drama that tells the reallife story of Mike and Claire Sardina struggling musicians who formed the Neil Diamond tribute band Lightning Thunder together in 1987 Hugh Jackman plays Mike and Kate Hudson stars as Claire Jim plays the couples manager Tom DAmato
Jim says he was drawn to the project because he wanted to work with writerdirector Craig Brewer
He has the soul of a musician I did one thing with him before and I just love the connection with him he explains
As for costars Jackman 57 and Hudson 46 they are absolute thoroughbreds Jim says
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Katie Hudson is a lioness of an actress in this I think she deserves a lot of attention And Hugh is just a natural he adds
Song Sung Blue is in theaters Dec 25
Erin Clack
Scott Huver