Dan Aykroyd has appeared as a co-lead in at least thirty feature release motion pictures with brief appearances in thirty more.
In 1983 he co-ventured as an investor with the co-founder of Hard Rock Cafe International, Mr. Isaac Tigrett to open U.S. outlets of the famous British American establishment in New York, Dallas and Washington, D.C. It was at the New York's Hard Rock Cafe Inaugural Concert that Dan reconvened the original Blues Brothers band for the first time since the death of his partner John Belushi aka Jake Blues.
Performing thereafter in the Elwood Blues Revue Mr. Aykroyd opened the Supreme Court of Rock n' Roll Hard Rock in Dallas Texas in 1985. Mr. Tigrett sold the Hard Rock Cafe International Company to British entrepreneur Robert Earl in 1989.
Dan then recruited Jim Belushi to perform as Jake's blood brother Zee (Zurashayda) for a benefit concert underwriting Carleton University's Alumni fund in 1997 in the Opera Chamber at the National Arts Center in Ottawa Ontario Canada.
Mr. Aykroyd and Mr. Belushi have since performed as Elwood and Zee Blues for audiences at private and corporate events as well as for sold out audiences in casinos around the U.S.. They have also performed opening for the House of Blues venues in America.
The House of Blues Entertainment Inc. was founded in 1993 by Mr. Isaac Tigrett, Mr. Aykroyd and Mr. Laurence Bilzerian.
There are House of Blues concert hall/ restaurant/ retail stores in Cambridge, Massachusetts; Los Angeles, California; New Orleans, Louisiana; North Myrtle Beach, South Carolina; Chicago, Illinois; Orlando at Disney West Florida; Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay Resorts in Nevada; Anaheim at Disneyland, California. In 2000 House of Blues Entertainment Inc. acquired the Concerts Division of Universal Studios and currently operates twenty-five venues in North America making it the third largest purveyor of live entertainment on the continent. As Elwood Blues, Dan hosts the 10 year running House of Blues Radio Hour which is syndicated on 180 radio stations through the United Stations Radio Networks.
After numerous live musical performances with both the original Blues Brothers Band and with the house band for House of Blues, the Sacred Hearts; Aykroyd and Belushi have decided to employ the talents of their current band in an entirely different way.
About two years ago they began an active search for material outside of what they were performing from the traditional Blues Brothers CD repertoire. The result is their new 'HAVE LOVE WILL TRAVEL REVUE' in which Aykroyd and Belushi work as co-emcees, vocalists and dancers. "The songs and our band are the stars. We are there in service to these classic American songs" says Aykroyd.
"Whereas the Blues Brothers sound is a Chicago-Memphis fusion, Have Love Will Travel has Cali-Texas-Louisiana infusion" adds Belushi. "Most of the band is from Texas and the music we're doing now is different from what John and Danny were doing as Jake and Elwood."
The HAVE LOVE WILL TRAVEL REVUE debuted at the House of Blues- Mandalay Bay Resorts in Las Vegas Nevada on March 20 for a private corporate event. "The reaction to the new music was extremely positive. It's a collection of songs we loved as kids" says Aykroyd. Belushi notes: "I think this country is ready for some new interpretations of joyous, funny, positive, up-tempo dance and party music. "
Jim Belushi and Dan Aykroyd can be seen performing their HAVE LOVE WILL TRAVEL REVUE at select famous venues this summer. Mr. Belushi will be adopting the persona of Full Daddy Diamond and Mr. Aykroyd, Bad Daddy Sweet or The World Famous Dancing Refrigerators: Amana Avocado and Amana Plum respectively.
The HAVE LOVE WILL TRAVEL Revue featuring Full Daddy Diamond and Bad Daddy Sweet, the world famous Dancing Refrigerators and starring the master show band of Jimmie Wood, Glenn Clark, Tony Braunagel, Larry Lee Lerma, JJ Holiday, Johnny Lee Schell, John Rubano, Julie Delgado and the Texicali Horns Joe Sublett and Darrell Leonard will be touring the United States and Canada during the summer of 2003 in support of their new CD - HAVE LOVE WILL TRAVEL, BIG MEN - BIG MUSIC.
Dan Aykroyd can be next seen in the upcoming Stephen Fry directed adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's book VILE BODIES - "BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS" in which he plays Lord Monomark a 1930's press baron; in the Dave Thomas directed comedy "WHITECOATS" in which he plays Dr. Cyril Kipp a hospital administrator; and in the Pete Segal directed Adam Sandler-Drew Barrymore produced comedy "50 FIRST KISSES" in which he plays Ms. Barrymore's neurologist.
Dan has been married since 1983 to his first and only wife Donna Dixon of Alexandria, Virginia. Any other biographical information on this point is fictitious. They have three children and reside primarily in North America.
Contact Info
Susan Patricola / Jenni Weinman
Patricola / Lust PR
(323) 655-5150
Susan @ plpr.com
Jenni@ plpr.com