BILL VAUGHAN'S TASTY CLIPS: Africans Explore Country Roots In Award-Winning Film

“Dusty & Stones,” an award-winning film considered “one of the most compelling and joyful music documentaries of the year,” is opening in Laemmle Theaters Oct. 10 before its nationwide rollout.

It chronicles the remarkable ride of cousins Gazi “Dusty” Simelane and Linda “Stones” Msibi, a determined duo of struggling country singers from the tiny African Kingdom of Swaziland who long for their big break.

When they are unexpectedly invited to record their songs in Nashville and to compete in a Texas battle of the bands, Dusty and Stones embark on their long-awaited first pilgrimage to the ancestral heart of country music.

Over a momentous ten-day road trip through the American South, Dusty and Stones bring their music to life in a top Nashville recording studio, explore the storied locales of their favorite country songs, and run into hostilities while attempting to compete in a battle of the bands.

“Dusty & Stones” director Jesse Rudoy will participate in a Q&A after the Thursday, Oct. 10 show at the NoHo, and after the Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 12 & 13 matinee screenings at the Royal.

HELLO SUNSHINE: Octavia Spencer, Tatyana Ali, Cari Champion, Candace Parker, Danielle Ponder, Laura Dern, Francesca Hogi, Olivia Munn, Naomi Watts, and others are convening for the second annual Shine Away set for Oct.5 & 6 at nya Studios. The event will offer two days of curated programming, bespoke activations, and conversations to empower women to reclaim their joy, connect with their passions, and discover valuable tools to transform their lives.? ?

GEEKS UNITE: Giancarlo Esposito, Rosario Dawson, casts from the Star Wars Universe, “Back To The Future,” the movies’ Addams Family and more are in the house for LA Comic Con running Oct. 4 – 6 at the L.A. Convention Center.

TASTY QUIP: “Ladies & Gents, that is a wrap on ‘Unprisoned.’ This beautiful show that we poured so much of our hearts and souls into is unfortunately not coming back for a Season 3. But I wanted you to hear it from me because while we’re super duper disappointed, we’re also crazy deeply grateful.” – KERRY WASHINGTON on Hulu dropping her series with Delroy Lindo

CLIPPETTES: Producer, actor and director Idris Elba is making big moves in “The Motherland” by consenting to headline Ghana’s second annual Africa Cinema Summit this week.? In addition, he was granted government permission to build a film studio in Zanzibar … ?

Soul is in the forecast Oct. 4 with Eric Benét & Paul Taylor at Hyatt Regency Newport Beach; Raheem DeVaughn & Eric Roberson at The Novo, DJ Quik at Palmdale’s Transplants Brewing, The R&B Forever Tour with TGT (Tyrese, Ginuwine, Tank), Bell Biv Devoe, Tevin Campbell & Silk at Intuit Dome; and Tower of Power’s 56th Anniversary Tour coming to the Pechanga Casino …

According to the trades the coveted role of DC Comics’ African American superhero John Stewart for HBO Max’s “Lanterns” series has come down to Aaron Pierre (“Ruby Ridge”) and Stephan James (“If Beale Street Could Talk”), after Damson Idris (“Snowfall”) passed due to a scheduling conflict …

Saturday, Oct. 5 kicks off with the Real to Reel Global Youth Film Festival, celebrating ten years of highlighting foster and system-impacted youth filmmakers ages 14-24, at the Los Angeles Film School. Visit BetterYouth.org for more info …

Also at noon, ChainFEST LA 2024, tasking all-star gourmet chefs to reimagine fast food favorites, is at Skylight Row DTLA …

Later that evening, Alonzo Bodden hosts the LA Jazz Society's 2024 Jazz Tribute Concert & Awards at CSUN Plaza del Sol Oct. 5 with Marcus Miller, Veronica Swift, Kris Bowers, Taylor Lee and the CSUN Jazz Band while Gladys Knight and Jason Derulo perform at The 38th Carousel of Hope Ball at the Beverly Hilton honoring Jimmy Jam and Diane Warren … ?

Additionally, Con Funk Shun, Atlantic Starr & Evelyn “Champagne” King are at Riverside’s Fox Performing Arts Center; jazz trumpeter Keyon Harrold Presents Foreverland at Long Beach’s Carpenter Performing Arts Center; Freddie Gibbs & Madlib are at The Greek; Santigold is at The Novo, Bow Wow at Morongo Casino; and Janis Siegel (of Manhattan Transfer fame) sings at Catalina Jazz Club …

Néstor Torres tops the bill of the Culver City Jazz Fest at the Kirk Douglas Theatre on Oct. 6 …

Tom Jones comes Oct. 7 to The Greek, as the Hollywood Improv hosts “An Evening with Larry Wilmore: Comedy, Magic, and 'Merica” … ?

The Grammy Museum welcomes Lagos, Nigeria-based singer, songwriter, and producer Tems to their intimate 200-seat theater on Oct. 9 for an evening moderated by Billboard's Gail Mitchell in which she will discuss her debut album “Born in the Wild,” her career, and creative process, with a performance to follow …

In the meantime, The Improv hosts Comedy Rocks feat. Craig Robinson, David Spade and more, and guitarist Al Di Meola rocks The Coach House …

Closing out the week’s offerings, The Boneshakers feat. guitarist Randy Jacobs play Harvelle’s on Oct. 10.

TASTY QUIP: “If you stop prioritizing romantic love over other kinds of love—self-love, platonic love, familial love, etc.—you’ll begin to recognize the love in our lives that we’ve regrettably ignored. In doing that, your life will become inherently richer.” – NATASHA ROTHWELL of Hulu’s “How To Die Alone” to Ebony

TC ON TV: Oct. 4 – “Power Book II: Ghost” (Starz): A record number of people watched this season, but tonight the series comes to its end. To be followed by the premiere of “Fat Joe Talks” with Method Man reflecting on his NAACP Image Award-winning role on the show.

“Tia Mowry: My Next Act” (WE): This eight-episode reality series dives head-first into the post-divorce, new-lease-on-life universe of multi-talented actress who was always part of a duo, first as a twin sister, then as a wife who is now on her own for the first time in her life.

“Scare Tactics” (Bravo/E!/SyFy/USA): A reimagining of the comedy-horror prank series from Jordan Peele. “Voces on PBS” (PBS): John Leguizamo salutes the Mambo Legends Orchestra, a group committed to keeping the sounds of the great Afro Cuban bandleaders Machito, Tito Puente, and Tito Rodriguez alive for future generations.

Oct. 6 – “American Music Awards 50th Anniversary Special” (CBS): Jennifer Hudson’s tribute to Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey performing from her landmark “The Emancipation of Mimi” album, Chaka Khan with Sheila E, Gladys Knight, Nelly, Nile Rodgers, Kane Brown and more are some of the highlights. ?

Oct. 7 – “The Jennifer Hudson Show” (Syn): Wayne Brady, Khalid “Dancing With The Stars” (ABC): “Soul Train Night” “Global Soul Kitchen” (FYI): Chef Deborah VanTrece closes this season making Paella Macaroni, Collard Green Dumplings, and Apple Pie Potstickers. “What Would You Do?” (ABC): The return of John Quinones’ hidden camera expose. ?

Oct. 8 – “Ali Wong: Single Lady” (Netflix): After a whirlwind couple of years, the comic returns to the stage to dish on the highs, lows and surprises of dating post-divorce. “An Oprah Special: The Presleys – Elvis, Lisa Marie and Riley” (CBS): Oprah Winfrey travels to Graceland Mansion in Memphis for the first in-depth interview with actress director Riley Keough since the death of her mother, Lisa Marie Presley. “The Irrational” (NBC): A second season of Jesse L. Martin as a scarred unconventional world-renowned professor of behavioral science.

Oct. 9 – “Starting 5” (Netflix): This series which counts Barack Obama and Peyton Manning among its executive producers follows Jimmy Butler, Anthony Edwards, LeBron James, Domantas Sabonis and Jayson Tatum throughout the 2023-24 NBA season. “Abbott Elementary” (ABC): In the fourth season premiere, Janine (Quinta Brunson) and Gregory (Tyler James Williams) reveal their relationship status. “Celebrity Crime Files” (TV1): Investigates the infamous Quad Studios shooting that changed the course of Tupac Shakur’s life and career, highlighting the tensions within the hip-hop community. “House of Villains” (USA/SyFy/E!/Bravo): Tiffany “New York” Pollard returns looking for redemption after her exit last season.? She’s joined by Safaree, Teresa Giudice of the “Real Housewives,” and other dubious challengers.

Oct. 10 – “Roller Jam” (MAX): Jordin Sparks hosts the first-ever nationwide roller dancing competition on television offering crews a chance to win a $150,000 cash prize and a $10,000 donation to their local rink.

“Tomb Raider: The Legend of Lara Croft” (Netflix): Hayley Atwell (“Marvel’s Agent Carter”) voices the video game world’s most iconic adventurer in this all-new anime series with Allen Maldonado (“The Last O.G.”) pitching in. “The Jennifer Hudson Show” (Syn): Cynthia Erivo, Tia Mowry, GloRilla

END QUOTE: “I really didn't decide on an acting career until after I had exhausted just about every other job possibility in the world. I'd been a truck driver, a garbage man. And I found I was capable of doing a job society looks on as being demeaning, but to do it with a certain amount of pride.” – JOHN AMOS (“Good Times,” “Roots,” “Coming To America”) [Rest In Power] ??

As featured in the Los Angeles Wave and Independent, Tasty Clips is one of the leading entertainment columns in the nation, serving more than one million monthly readers. Bill Vaughan may be reached at [email protected] , via X (FKA Twitter) @tastyclips, or Instagram @tasty_clips.