Trippy ‘Swamp Dogg’ doc is sweet, sweet music
Rock was in its infancy when Jerry Williams began a 60-year career as a writer, producer and performer. So, just imagine the stories the 81-year-old has to tell while supervising the refurbishing of his cement pond in the utterly delightful and accurately titled doc, “Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted.”
I’m ashamed to say I’d never heard of Jerry Williams, or his alter ego, “Swamp Dogg,” before directors Isaac Gale and Ryan Olson brought him to my attention. And, boy, am I thankful that they did. That’s because Swamp Dogg is the very definition of a national institution. He’s funny, wise and hugely talented, attributes verified by the celebs joining him poolside at his modest Northridge home to shoot the shit and reminisce. There’s Johnny Knoxville of “Jackass” fame; Mike Judge, the creator of “Beavis and Butt-Head”; Alonzo Williams, a founding father of the West Coast hip-hop scene; and Tom Kenny, the voice of SpongeBob Square Pants.
They pop in and out like talk show guests, except they aren’t here to promote themselves or their next project. They are here to worship at the feet of one of the most unsung legends the music business has ever seen. He’s literally done it all, across a wide spectrum of genres, from country to R&B, blues, funk, soul and folk. His discography includes almost 30 solo albums. But he’s probably more renowned for his work behind the scenes as a composer and producer.
His clients have included Patti LaBelle, The Commodores, Gene Pitney, Doris Duke and Johnny Paycheck. All in all, he’s had a hand in creating more than 2,000 recordings, many of them hits. He’s also worked as an A&R man for just about every major label and recorded in such prestigious environs as Muscle Shoals in Alabama and Capricorn Records in Georgia. If that wasn’t enough, he’s found the time to appear on “The People’s Court” (he lost) and in infomercials promoting his recipe book, “If You Can Kill It, I Can Cook It.” Oh, he also started a novelty record label featuring dogs barking tunes by the Fab Four. The Beatles Barkers sold tens of thousands of copies, BTW.
Did I mention he was a featured performer on Jane Fonda’s infamous Free the Army tour of Vietnam in 1971? Or, that he was added to J. Edgar Hoover’s “watch list” because of it? If Gale and Olson didn’t have the goods, including tons of archival footage and newspaper clippings, you’d never believe a lick of it. But it’s all true. And much of it is jaw-dropping. How could any life be fuller? This guy has lived the vida loca to the max.
Well, not entirely. When you’ve survived as long as Swamp Dogg, there are bound to have been some dark days. More than he’d care to count. Such as the time he was swallowing Zoloff “like M&Ms.” Or, the intense anxiety attacks, as many as five per day. And, worst of all, the death of his beloved wife and business partner, Yvonne. You can tell that one hurt the most. But it helps having their daughter, Jeri Williams, a neurologist, around to make her Pops proud.
She’s among Swamp’s numerous house guests, along with David “Guitar Shorty” Kearney and Larry “Moogstar” Clemon, who came for a visit 15 years ago and never left. They are like family, and rival Swamp in the colorful-lives sweepstakes. Both are every bit as lovable and talented as Swamp, especially Moogstar, a multi-instrumental genius who lights up a room, never failing to elicit a smile. Although far more reserved, Shorty is no slouch, either. A clip of his victory on an episode of “The Gong Show” makes for one of the film’s most enjoyable moments. And there are a lot of them here.
They’re not about to end, either, as Swamp readies to release yet another album – at 81! Which is great, but what about the pool? How did that weeks-long paint job turn out? Pretty damn impressive, I’d say. And just wait until you see it. It will blow your mind. Just like Swamp Dogg, a man and an icon who’s seldom strayed from his secret of success: “Be cool!”
Movie review
Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted
Rated: Not rated
Featuring: Jerry “Swamp Dogg” Williams, David “Guitar Shorty” Kearney, Jeri Williams and Larry “Moogstar” Clemon
Directors: Isaac Gale and Ryan Olson
Runtime: 97 minutes
Where: In theaters May 16
Grade: B+
