He was one of the most recognizable voices of his generation, and yet another musician whose time on earth ended all too soon. Jeff Buckley was also the son of Tim Buckley, a well-known musician in his own right who previously met an early end. Tim had developed a cultish following during his brief career, one that cast a shadow over the beginnings of his son’s career. Ultimately, the son’s commercial success eclipsed the father’s, spawning a truly tremendous album — Grace — that included one of the best covers ever performed.
For years, there has been discussion and innuendo about a much-rumored biopic. Actually, two. The first, starring Penn Badgley, “Greetings From Tim Buckley” will finally see the light of day at the Tribeca Film Festival later this month. The second — “Mystery White Boy” — has faced unspecified delays and appears to remain in development even though shooting was once set to begin last summer. One thing this project has going for it, though, is access to Buckley’s music, something the soon-to-be-released film wasn’t granted.
