The Man with the Big Hat ambient background
CinebyCineby
The Man with the Big Hat backdrop

The Man with the Big Hat

The Man with the Big Hat

2026•1h 25m•Documentary•Music

An unsung pioneer of 1970s Texas Progressive Country, Steven Fromholz had a knack for snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. Revered by legends like Willie Nelson, Lyle Lovett & John Denver, he remained commercially unknown. He sought redemption on the Rio Grande as a river guide until a debilitating stroke erased his musical memory, stripping Fromholz of his artistic identity. With an almost obsessive persistence bolstered by newly discovered archives as well as never-before-heard recordings, this intimate and impressionistic portrayal unveils the evolution of Fromholz, and reshapes the notion of success and artistic fortitude.

Austin Lee Sayre · Director

Austin Lee Sayre · Writer

StatusReleased
Runtime1h 25m
LanguageEN
Release DateMar 14, 2026
Budget$300,000

Actors

Steven Fromholz

Steven Fromholz

Self

Lyle Lovett

Lyle Lovett

Self

Ray Benson

Ray Benson

Self

Butch Hancock

Self

Terry Lickona

Terry Lickona

Self

Mike Williams

Self

Judie Gumm

Self

Dan McCrimmon

Self

Darcie Fromholz

Self

Janey Lake

Self

Larry Watkins

Self

Felicity Fromholz

Self

Bobby Bridger

Self

Larry Joe Taylor

Self

Austin Lee Sayre

Self

Willie Nelson

Willie Nelson

Self (archive footage)

Recommendations

Selena Gomez: My Mind & Me
Travis Scott: Look Mom I Can Fly
Oasis: Don't Look Back in Anger
Selena y Los Dinos: A Family's Legacy
The Beach Boys
The Last Repair Shop
Rolling Thunder Revue: A Bob Dylan Story by Martin Scorsese
The Who: The Kids Are Alright
Iron Maiden: Burning Ambition
Justin Bieber's Believe
End of the Century: The Story of the Ramones
The Stone Roses: Made of Stone
Thriller 40
The Velvet Underground
The Devil and Daniel Johnston
Michael Jackson: The Life of an Icon
Katy Perry: Part of Me
Shawn Mendes: In Wonder
ZZ Top: That Little Ol' Band from Texas
Western Stars

Similars

Modà: Come in un film
Country's Family Reunion: Volume One
Country's Family Reunion 1: Volume Two
Lil Peep - The Brightside Documentary
Concert of 1936
Experimentos con gaseosa
Getting In A Van Again
Sven Uslings Trio
Al Coda
Viva I Romantici: Il Sogno
Song of the Last Lacandon Holy Man
Le dernier concert de Gazoline
Green Day: Dookie
Sin piedad
The Falcons
Sound of the Soul
BTS: THE RETURN
Nico, 1988
Mister Swing
Fabi Silvestri Gazzè - Un passo alla volta