Music from the late Robbie Robertson will be featured in the new History Channel documentary Sitting Bull, Rolling Stone reports.
The score features music Robertson made with his son, Sebastian Robertson, and is among the final pieces of music Robbie worked on before his August 2023 death.
“We were thrilled by the prospect and dove right in,” Sebastian tells the mag of the project. “This was a complicated time in our lives as my dad’s health was declining. However, like for a lot of us, the art of music was an escape.”
Sebastian says he was the one who began the work on the music, sending his composition to his father, who he described as a “tough critic.”
“The inspiration of this project, my heritage and honoring both my culture and my father, kicked me into the highest gear,” Sebastian said, referring to Robbie’s mother being of Cayuga and Mohawk heritage. “He was thrilled with the demo. We batted ideas, guitar licks, and vocals back and forth until we were satisfied and sent it along to production. We nailed it.”
Following his father’s death, Sebastian completed the score on his own. He tells Rolling Stone, “[My] dad and I created what will always be one of my proudest and most memorable compositions. Harnessing the words of his mother, our people, and the rhythm of our lives in all existences, we created our final piece of music together … or maybe, just maybe, there’s more to come.”
Sitting Bull is a four-hour documentary about the life and legacy of the titular leader of the Lakota people. The documentary will air in two parts, the first airing May 27, followed by the second on May 28, both at 9 p.m. ET.
Copyright © 2025, ABC Audio. All rights reserved.
