"J.D. Simo reveals he advised Jeremy Allen White on mastering Boss-like guitar skills for the Springsteen movie"
Bruce Springsteen's life is set to receive the Hollywood treatment, with a biopic in the works. For the role of the Boss, Jeremy Allen White will be slinging a guitar, and it's none other than session guru J.D. Simo who has been tasked with teaching White and helping him transform into Springsteen.
Simo, who has worked with music greats like Jack White, Tommy Emmanuel, Samantha Fish, Joe Bonamassa, and even on the Baz Luhrmann Elvis biopic, emphasised the importance of hand strength, finger control, and using the least amount of vocabulary to make music effectively. He acknowledged the pressure of wanting to set White up to win, but assured that his approach to teaching would focus on foundational skills and gradual progress to ensure the best possible performance.
Interestingly, White isn't the only actor diving deep into music for a biopic. Timothée Chalamet, for the Bob Dylan biopic, chose a budget Yamaha guitar as his starting point for learning Dylan's music, under the guidance of Larry Saltzman.
The biopic genre has seen a rise, with recent releases like Bob Dylan's A Complete Unknown, a confirmed four-part Beatles movie, and a film starring Lizzo as Sister Rosetta Tharpe.
Simo advised White to take it one step at a time, focusing on building a strong foundation for better performance. He warned about the challenges of the role, including the application process of learning one guitar phrase, and compared the learning process to an ocean, suggesting that taking it one step at a time would lead to a stronger performance.
Despite the hours of practice required for White to master the guitar for the Springsteen biopic, Simo made it clear that there is no fast way to learn guitar. He has never taught guitar lessons before, but he's ready to guide White on this musical journey.
The director of the Springsteen biographical film, "Deliver Me From Nowhere," is Scott Cooper, with White starring in the title role. Simo emphasised the need to prepare White for the journey ahead, without overwhelming him with the challenges of the role.
As the countdown to the Springsteen biopic begins, fans are eager to see White's transformation and performance under Simo's guidance.
