Photo by Gary Heery
Heaven Stood Still: The Incarnations of Willy Deville, a documentary about musical shape-shifter Willy Deville, makes its New Orleans debut April 25 at 7 p.m. at the Broad Theater. The event will feature a post-screening Q&A with special guests including Carlo Ditta, producer of DeVille’s made-in-New Orleans album, Victory Mixture.
Tickets for the Heaven Stood Still: The Incarnations of Willy Deville screening are available at the thebroadtheater.com.
The enigmatic, eclectic DeVille emerged in the mid-1970s from New York’s punk-rock scene. Along with Blondie, Talking Heads and Television, his band, Mink DeVille, headlined at the legendary East Village music venue CBGB.
From CBGB Latin punk to New Orleans soul singer, to the premiere voice of American roots music on the continent of Europe for three decades, DeVille was the most original, romantic artist of his time. No one inhabited as many musical styles and personas, and everything about him was a work of art.
DeVille sold more than a million records. His peers, from Ben E. King to Bob Dylan, deeply respected his peerless playing and his anthems for the heartbroken and the downtrodden. Yet almost no one knows anything about him. How could he fly under the radar for 35 years, yet leave so much we do know as his legacy? That is the mystery of Willy DeVille.
Willy DeVille of Mink DeVille performing at CBGB’s in New York City May 12,1977.
DeVille released six Mink DeVille albums before launching a solo career in 1985. “Storybook Love,” a song from his 1987 solo album debut, Miracle, received an Academy Award nomination following its appearance in The Princess Bride. Moving to New Orleans in 1988, DeVille recorded Victory Mixture at Sea-Saint Recording Studio with local musicians including Dr. John, Allen Toussaint and Eddie Bo. Released in 1990, the album earned a gold record award in France.
DeVille’s fans included Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Tom Petty. “He stood out,” Dylan said. “His voice and presentation ought to have gotten him in (the Rock and Roll Hall) by now.”
Directed by Larry Locke, Heaven Stood Still includes commentary by Ben E King, Talking Heads’ Chris Frantz, Peter Wolf and Jack Nitzsche (producer of three Mink DeVille albums) and Ditta, the New Orleans producer, musician and Orleans Records owner.
Following DeVille’s New Orleans residency, he lived in New Mexico before his return to New York in 2003. He died in 2009 of pancreatic cancer at 58 years old.
HEAVEN STOOD STILL: THE INCARNATIONS OF WILLY DEVILLE
Thursday, April 25, 2024, 7 p.m. run time of 87 minutes.
The Broad Theater, 636 N Broad St., New Orleans
Tickets available here.
