Kiefer Sutherland: The Guitar Lesson That Inspired His Album's Title
Sutherland Recalls Encounter with River Phoenix on 'Stand by Me' Set
Reveals Genesis of 'Bloor Street' Album Title
For over three decades, the melody of Ben E. King's 1961 hit "Stand by Me" has been interwoven with the bittersweet memories of the coming-of-age classic film of the same name. Now, actor Kiefer Sutherland has shed light on a special moment that occurred on the set, one that would eventually inspire the title of his own album.
While filming "Stand by Me," an adaptation of Stephen King's short story "The Body," Sutherland played guitar on set. As he strummed the chords, he noticed fellow cast member River Phoenix, who was also learning to play guitar, intently listening.
In a recent interview, Sutherland recalled the encounter. "We were making 'Stand by Me,' which was a Stephen King short story called 'The Body,' and River Phoenix was learning guitar and playing guitar, and I was playing guitar," he said.
Years later, as Sutherland was working on his debut album, he couldn't shake the memory of that shared musical experience. "I thought about that moment, and I thought about River, and I thought about the film, and I thought about the song, and I thought, 'That's it,'" he said. "And that's how I came up with the title 'Bloor Street' for my album."
