Crew Diaries:
BARKLIE GRIGGS
Music Supervisor

everyone's toes curled

I had just driven Madeleine Peyroux to the recording studio to begin recording the classic song "In The Wee Small Hours" for the film. The song was going to be used in an important scene in the film and everyone was excited about the recording session. We were late arriving at the studio, and we had an enthusiastic greeting by all involved, especially since everyone was anxious to meet Madeleine. This overwhelming Texas-style greeting made Madeleine a little nervous and to me, she started to shy away from the group. Because we only had one night to work with Madeleine, my imagination began to wander and I fantasized that Madeliene would be overwhelmed by this attention and the session would go to pieces. Then the Southern charm of our Producer Marshall began to loosen her up and Jim (the Director) whisked her up to the mic and began to talk to her about the film. At this point everyone had settled into the control room anxiously waiting for Madeleine to start singing.

Finally everything was ready, the tape began to roll, the scene came up on the video monitor and all focus was on Madeleine. The moment her magic voice hit the microphone and floated over all ears in the room there was a swell of emotion and a great harmony. Harmony between singer and the song, song and picture, picture and romance. It felt like a warm, gardenia-filled breeze just swept through the room, curling everyone's toes and making them fall in love for the first time.

...Barklie K. Griggs - Music Supervisor

Director's note: What would this film be without Barklie Griggs? A music supervisor does most everything in regards to the music for a film, from helping the composer do his job to finding great songs to clearing music rights to worrying about the vocalist's moods during the recording sessions. Barklie introduced us all to Madeleine Peyroux, who we are all sure is destined to become one of the greats.



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