Million Dollar Quartet

There's a new show that just opened at the Goodman Theatre called Million Dollar Quartet. The tag line is "Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins and Jerry Lee Lewis played together for the first and only time".

Million Dollar Quartet looks like fun at first glance, but it got me thinking. Nasty ‘ol me, first thought is “making money off a bunch of dead guys”, except for Jerry Lee Lewis, who ain’t gone yet. I then wondered about the performers who play these roles night after night. Do they lose themselves in the stage persona? Or is it a job, like any job, where you do it and then go back to what’s real? For example, do the kids who are the Jersey Boys on stage get lost in a time warp?

The website for MDQ lists the songs that are in the show. There are very familiar standards, not too many favorites. Still, fun.

Then comes the idea of supergroups. It’s kind of like the US Olympic basketball team (there’s still only one ball, who gets it?), or the end of the Grammy Awards, where a few dozen people pile on stage and play and sing together and the result is an amalgam of sound in which the sum is far less than the total of the parts. Kind of like a big rock ‘n roll glee club that didn’t rehearse. And really, should Kid Rock and Celine Dion ever, ever be paired up?

Some supergroups worked, like the Traveling Wilburys: Roy Orbison, Bob Dylan, George Harrison, Tom Petty and Jeff Lynne. Jeff Lynne, by the way, was from ELO, I had to look that up. Their album was excellent. I am of the opinion that Roy Orbison was one of the greatest talents ever, so it’s like the other four couldn’t screw it up with Roy in there. Next time you're at Best Buy treat yourself to Roy Orbison's Greatest Hits and listen to it real loud. The guy was incredible...but I am digressing, again. Back to the Million Dollar Quartet.

Let me qualify: I'm not reviewing a show that I haven't seen. I'm sure the guys who portray the MDQ are talented and hard working and put on a fine performance. I'm just not giddy about the concept.

Johnny Cash did pretty well when he teamed with Kris Kristofferson, Waylon and Merle—the Highwaymen. Their collaboration was unique and it worked; everybody had an opportunity to shine and there was a synergistic blend of talent.

Another digression: Johnny Cash’s best work ever was, in my opinion, the final album, one that my daughter gave me. I play it now and then, always at home, it’s not car music, and I get chills every time. On that album, he is absolutely alone.

Elvis…an individual performer, maybe the greatest individual performer ever (or maybe not), who should only be in the spotlight alone. Why would you want one of the megastars of the world as a background singer? It's like giving the Pips get their own tour with Gladys singing background.

Carl Perkins had his moment; his legend stands to gain the most from Million Dollar Quartet. I wonder how many times he crooned “…blue blue, blue suede shoes…blue blue, blue suede shoes…” and really felt protective of his footgear. And are blue suede shoes relevant in a Nike world?

Jerry Lee Lewis, hell, I never could stand Jerry Lee Lewis. Crazy ass hillbilly who married his 14 year old cousin. If I never again hear “Whole Lotta Shakin’”, that’s OK by me.

Tickets for MDQ are about fifty bucks a pop, so you won't go broke trying it out. For fifty bucks x 2 (you wouldn't go alone), you can buy the Roy Orbison CD, the Johnny Cash CD and the Frankie Jersey Boy's hits CD and still have cash left to go see some current talent at a place like Fitzgerald's in Berwyn.

Or not.