Austin, TX -- (SBWIRE) -- 03/03/2014 -- ‘Road to Austin’ will world premiere at SXSW on Thursday March 13th at the VIMEO Theatre in the Austin Convention Center at 4:30pm. Immediately following the film screening, in the spirit of the movies dedication to the Austin music scene, there will be a music showcase on the main stage of the Austin Ballroom also within the Austin Convention Center. The showcase will include live performances from some of the artists featured in the movie, such as; Joe Ely, Bobby Whitlock & CoCo Carmel, Ian McLagan and many more.

Road To Austin, chronicles how Austin, Texas became the Live Music Capital of the World, dating from 1835 to present day. The film highlights early 1800s Austin, the psychedelic movement, Armadillo World Headquarters, and numerous iconic musical inflection points that shaped the American musical culture of today. Vintage photos, rare posters, and never-seen-before video footage are presented with a soundtrack that truly inspires and reveals why Austin is such a magical epicenter of music.

This feature length documentary builds to a climax as the storyline weaves its way towards an all-star live concert featuring Kris Kristofferson, Bonnie Raitt, Delbert McClinton, Eric Johnson, Joe Ely, Ian McLagan, Bob Schneider, Bobby Whitlock & CoCo Carmel and 40 other artists - all led by musical director the late Stephen Bruton. Bruton is best know for his musical contributions with Kris Kristofferson, Bonnie Raitt, Bob Dylan, and movies such as, Crazy Heart, Across the Universe, and Don’t Come Knocking.

About “Artist Wellness Program”
One of the main focuses of the project will be to establish the film’s musical director, the late Stephen Bruton, as the namesake for the “Artist Wellness Program”. Bruton passed away on May 9th at age 60 due to complications from throat cancer. He was working in Los Angeles at the time on the film Crazy Heart, where he served as music producer and won a GRAMMY award for the film’s score. The program will afford Artists free of a charge, advanced biomarker medical screening for the early detection of life threatening diseases like Cancer, Heart Disease and Type II Diabetes. The results from these screenings will be the artist’s baseline as they are provided a 90-day program that guides them towards healthier choices and a higher state of wellness.

Celebrities attending the premiere include; Gary Fortin (Writer/Director/Producer), Ken Kushnick (Associate Producer), Molly McDermott (Senior Editor), Vance Holmes (Director of Photography), Ian McLagan (Small Faces, Faces, Rolling Stones), Suzanna Choffell (The Voice Season 3), Bobby Whitlock & CoCo Carmel (Derek & The Dominoes), Joe Ely (Recording Artist), Malford Milligan (Recording Artists), David Grissom (Guitarist), Carolyn Wonderland (Recording Artist), Cara Johnson (Opera Singer), Turk Pipkin (Sopranos, Angels Sing, Night Court).