Art Holliday partners with STORYSMART to finish Johnnie Johnson documentary

Veteran broadcaster Art Holliday has teamed with STORYSMART to complete and release Johnnie Be Good, a feature documentary on Rock and Roll Hall of Fame pianist Johnnie Johnson. The film is in post-production now, with a planned festival premiere in 2028 after completion expected in late 2027.

Why it matters: - Johnnie Be Good aims to spotlight Johnnie Johnson’s role in shaping early rock and roll, including work that many fans know but often do not connect to his name. - The partnership gives the project a path to completion, fundraising support, rights clearances, and distribution planning. - The film also adds attention to Johnson’s military service and his place in the history of the Montford Point Marines.

What happened: - Art Holliday entered a finish-line producing partnership with STORYSMART to complete and release the documentary. - The film centers on Johnnie Johnson, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame pianist whose playing helped define the sound of early rock and roll. - Holliday said the project has been a labor of love for more than two decades. - Holliday recently retired after a 46-year career at KSDK-TV in St. Louis. - STORYSMART will serve as executive producer and strategic producing partner.

The details: - The documentary has been in development for 22 years. - Holliday conducted about 50 interviews over the course of the project. - Holliday assembled more than 110 hours of footage. - The film is currently in post-production. - The estimated running time is about 95 minutes. - The filmmakers expect to finish the project in late 2027. - The team plans to pursue a festival premiere before a broader release in 2028. - The film features interviews and appearances by Chuck Berry, Johnnie Johnson, Frances Johnson, Keith Richards, Eric Clapton, Bonnie Raitt, Bob Weir, Bo Diddley, Joe Perry, Michael McDonald, Taylor Hackford, Buddy Guy, Bruce Hornsby, Paul Shaffer, John Goodman, Malcolm McDowell, Chuck Leavell, John Sebastian, Eddie Money, Lou Gossett Jr., and others. - John Goodman and Michael McDonald narrate the film. - The documentary follows Johnson from leading his own trio in St. Louis to hiring an unknown guitarist named Chuck Berry for a New Year’s Eve show in 1952. - The film also covers Johnson’s service as one of the historic Montford Point Marines and his role in breaking racial barriers in the military. - The story includes Johnson’s partnership with Chuck Berry, his rediscovery by Keith Richards in the 1980s, and the continuing debate over his contributions to iconic rock songs. - The project page is available at more information. - STORYSMART’s information page is available at the company’s announcement.

Between the lines: - The partnership suggests the project has reached a stage where outside producing support is needed to move from a long-running archival effort to a finished release. - Holliday’s decades-long reporting background and STORYSMART’s finish-line model point to a documentary strategy built around access, preservation, and audience reach. - The film’s focus on Johnson reflects a broader documentary trend: revisiting under-credited figures whose influence was central but not always widely recognized.

What's next: - STORYSMART and Holliday will work through completion, fundraising, post-production, rights clearances, audience development, and distribution planning. - The filmmakers plan to announce additional project updates and support opportunities soon. - The team is targeting completion in late 2027, followed by a festival run and a broader release in 2028.