You know that feeling when you're listening to a classic track—maybe something by James Taylor or Linda Ronstadt—and the groove just feels right? It’s effortless. It’s warm. It’s that specific 1970s analog magic that nobody can quite replicate today, no matter how many vintage plugins they buy. Well, Immediate Family the movie finally pulls back the curtain on the four or five guys actually responsible for that sound.
They weren't the household names on the album covers. Honestly, most people couldn't pick them out of a lineup. But Danny Kortchmar, Leland Sklar, Russ Kunkel, and Waddy Wachtel played on pretty much everything that mattered for three decades.
Directed by Denny Tedesco—the same guy who gave us The Wrecking Crew—this film isn't just a nostalgia trip. It’s a masterclass in how the music industry actually functioned before everything turned into MIDI files and bedroom pop. It’s about the "Section." It’s about the session cats who were so tight, they were basically a telepathic unit.
The Session Gods Who Defined an Era
If you’ve ever turned on a radio, you’ve heard these guys.
Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar is the guy who helped define the singer-songwriter movement. Leland Sklar is the man with the wizard beard and the most recorded bass lines in history. Russ Kunkel redefined drumming by playing "for the song" rather than for his own ego. And Waddy Wachtel? He’s the rock-and-roll heart of the group, the guy who brought the grit to Stevie Nicks and Keith Richards.
Immediate Family the movie treats these legends with a level of respect that’s long overdue. It’s weird, right? We worship the frontmen, but these session players were the ones in the trenches, often rewriting arrangements on the fly to save a mediocre song from obscurity.
Why the 70s Sound Actually Mattered
In the movie, there's this great focus on the transition from the 1960s to the 1970s. In the 60s, you had "The Wrecking Crew" in LA and "The Funk Brothers" at Motown. They were anonymous hit-makers. But by the time the 70s rolled around, the "Immediate Family" crew became more than just hired guns. They were collaborators.
They weren't just reading charts.
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They were creating the vibe.
Think about James Taylor’s "Fire and Rain." That’s Russ Kunkel on the drums using brushes in a way that feels like a heartbeat. That wasn't written down in a studio manual. It was a choice made in the moment by a guy who understood the emotional weight of the lyrics. The film does a killer job of showing how these guys became the "Immediate Family" for artists who were often lonely or under immense pressure to deliver hits.
What Most People Get Wrong About Session Musicians
A common misconception is that session players are just human jukeboxes. People think they show up, play the notes, take the check, and leave. Immediate Family the movie shatters that myth.
The documentary features interviews with the heavy hitters: Carole King, Lou Adler, Don Henley, Stevie Nicks, and Phil Collins. They all say the same thing. They didn't just hire these guys for their chops. They hired them for their taste.
- Danny Kortchmar wasn't just a guitarist; he was a co-writer on massive hits like "Dirty Laundry."
- Waddy Wachtel wasn't just a sideman; he was the guy who could tell a superstar their bridge sucked and actually get them to change it.
- Leland Sklar has played on over 2,000 albums. Two thousand. Think about that volume of work.
The film highlights the "Mates" era. It shows how these guys transitioned from being the backing band for James Taylor to being the guys Phil Collins called when he wanted to go solo. They were the glue.
Behind the Scenes: The Making of the Film
Denny Tedesco had a massive challenge here. How do you follow up The Wrecking Crew? That film was a love letter to his father, Tommy Tedesco. But with Immediate Family the movie, the stakes felt different. These guys are still around. They’re still playing. They’re still sharp as hell and funny as "kinda" grumpy old men who have seen it all.
The cinematography isn't flashy, and it shouldn't be. It’s gritty and intimate. It feels like you’re sitting in a booth at The Troubadour or hanging out at Sound City. The archival footage is the real gold mine here. Seeing a young, scruffy Waddy Wachtel in the studio with a high-as-a-kite rock star is a reminder of a time when the music industry was the Wild West.
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One of the most touching aspects of the documentary is the brotherhood. You see it in their eyes when they talk about each other. It’s not just "we work together." It’s "I know exactly what he’s going to play before he plays it." That level of musical intimacy is rare. In today's world of remote recording—where a drummer in London sends a file to a singer in LA—that "Immediate Family" vibe is becoming a lost art.
The Gear and the Tech (For the Nerds)
If you’re a gearhead, you’re going to love the shots of the old consoles and the vintage P-Basses. Leland Sklar’s "Frankenstein" bass gets some love. There’s a lot of talk about the "dead" drum sound of the 70s—those dry, thuddy snares that dominated the West Coast sound.
But the movie wisely doesn't get bogged down in technical jargon. It keeps the focus on the soul of the music. It’s about the air in the room. It’s about how a certain microphone placement could change the mood of an entire album.
Why You Need to Watch It Now
Honestly, we’re losing this era of music history. As the legendary studios close down and the legends of the 70s enter their twilight years, documentaries like Immediate Family the movie serve as vital historical records.
It’s not just for people who grew up in the 70s. If you’re a young musician today, you need to see this to understand what "pocket" actually means. You need to see how professional musicians behave. There’s no ego on display here—just a relentless drive to make the song as good as it can possibly be.
The film also addresses the shift into the 80s. That was a scary time for these guys. Suddenly, LinnDrums and synthesizers were taking over. The "Immediate Family" had to adapt or die. Seeing how they navigated the era of hair metal and synth-pop is actually pretty inspiring. They didn't complain; they just got better.
Critical Reception and Impact
When the film hit the festival circuit, it blew people away. It wasn't just another talking-head doc. It felt alive. Critics pointed out that while it follows a similar structure to other music documentaries, the sheer charisma of the central "Family" keeps it from feeling formulaic.
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They are hilarious.
They are honest.
They don't sugarcoat the drug use or the tensions of the road. But they always come back to the music. That’s the "Immediate Family" ethos.
Practical Insights: Lessons from the Session Legends
Watching Immediate Family the movie isn't just entertainment; it’s a lesson in career longevity and creative collaboration. Here is what we can actually take away from the lives of these session greats:
- Check your ego at the door. The biggest stars in the world kept hiring these guys because they didn't try to outshine the vocalist. They knew their role.
- Versatility is survival. Being able to jump from a folk ballad to a hard rock anthem is why these guys never stopped working.
- Relationships are everything. The reason they are called the "Immediate Family" is that they built trust over decades. In any industry, your "tribe" is your biggest asset.
- Listen more than you play. This is a recurring theme in the film. The best musicians are the ones who are the best listeners.
If you want to understand the DNA of American rock and pop, you have to watch this film. It’s currently available on various VOD platforms like Amazon Prime and Apple TV, and it occasionally pops up on streaming services like Hulu or Magnolia Selects.
Go listen to Carole King’s Tapestry after watching the movie. Then listen to Jackson Browne’s The Pretender. You’ll hear it. You’ll hear the "Immediate Family" in every note. You'll realize that the soundtrack of your life wasn't just made by the people on the posters—it was made by the guys in the shadows who were too busy playing to care about the fame.
Actionable Next Steps:
- Track Down the Soundtrack: Seek out the "Immediate Family" playlist on Spotify or Apple Music to hear the specific tracks discussed in the film.
- Watch the Prequel: If you haven't seen The Wrecking Crew, watch it immediately after this to see the evolution of the LA session scene from the 50s to the 70s.
- Support Live Music: Many of these guys still tour in their own right as "The Immediate Family" band. Check their official website for tour dates to see the legends in person while you still can.