A documentary film on the life of bluegrass bandleader and entrepreneur Lorraine Jordan, Living Like I’m Dying, was given the Audience Choice award at the recent Fuquay Film Festival in North Carolina.
The documentary, which premiered at the festival, was produced by Mickey Stroud, and directed by Stroud and Todd Tinkham. Running to 54 minutes, it looks at Jordan’s life in full, not only her music career. They chose the title as it is the name of a song Lorraine wrote with Donna Ulisse about her mmotherom, inspired by something her mom about her frantic pace. “Lorraine, you live your life like you’re dying.”
Starting with her troubled childhood, which included witnessing crosses burning on their front lawn (her father was involved in integrating local schools), Living Like I’m Dying next goes on to examine Lorraine’s success in business. Before she was well known in bluegrass, she had established a local driving school in Garner, NC, and has recently opened Lorraine’s Coffee House, which also offers live music both in person and online.
Of course, her work in bluegrass takes up a big part of the film, as the leader of Lorraine Jordan & Carolina Road who have recorded for many years for Pinecastle Records, plus her efforts to bring the Daughters of Bluegrass and Country Grass projects to fruition. Not to mention her annual Bluegrass Christmas in the Smokies festival going on this weekend in Gatlinburg, TN.
The trailer offers a nice glimpse at what’s in store in the full documentary.
Boosted by the success at the film festival, plans are now underway to bring the documentary to the bluegrass world. Some of the considerations are to present Living Like I’m Dying in auditorium showings to include Carolina Road concerts as fundraising events for charities, potential airing on cable and public TV, or direct online streaming.
Congratulations to Stroud and Tinkham, and to Lorraine Jordan, for the film festival award!
Fans of the Lady of Tradition should keep their eyes peeled for future announcements on how to see Living Like I’m Dying next year.
