Yes, That Eddie Vedder Scene in “Song Sung Blue” Really Happened. Read the Sweet Note the Pearl Jam Singer Later Wrote
- - Yes, That Eddie Vedder Scene in “Song Sung Blue” Really Happened. Read the Sweet Note the Pearl Jam Singer Later Wrote
Dave QuinnDecember 31, 2025 at 11:37 PM
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Dimitrios Kambouris/Getty; Sarah Shatz/Focus Features
Eddie Vedder in February 2025 | Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman in 'Song Sung Blue' -
Eddie Vedder performed Neil Diamond's "Forever in Blue Jeans" with Milwaukee music duo Lightning & Thunder at a 1995 Pearl Jam concert
The real-life moment inspired a scene in the Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson biopic Song Sung Blue and was also featured in a 2008 documentary of the same name
Vedder supported the duo for years, even helping secure Diamond's music rights for the documentary's release
Warning: This article contains spoilers about Song Sung Blue
When Eddie Vedder shows up in Song Sung Blue to sing a Neil Diamond cover with Lightning & Thunder — the Milwaukee musical duo played by Hugh Jackman and Kate Hudson on screen— it feels like the kind of moment a screenwriter might have created for a scripted biopic. You know, that type of surprising scene that feels too perfect, too improbable to be anything other than invention.
But here's the thing: it wasn’t imagined for the screen. It really happened.
The two-time Grammy Award winner did in fact sing with Mike "Lightning" Sardina and Claire "Thunder" Sardina, on stage during a Pearl Jam concert.
Cameras captured it, too, for Song Sung Blue — Greg Kohs' 2008 documentary about the couple that writer and director Craig Brewer used as the basis for his scripted film.
The scene plays out in the movie a little differently than it did in real life. In the film, Lightning & Thunder are invited to open for Pearl Jam when the band hits a local Milwaukee theater. It's the same venue the duo later play on screen for their final gig.
In actuality, though, Lightning & Thunder sang with Pearl Jam as part of their encore, when the band played Milwaukee’s Summerfest on July 8, 1995.
Reel As Dirt
Eddie Vedder sings "Forever in Blue Jeans' with Lightning & Thunder at Milwaukee’s Summerfest in July 1995
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The performance is shown in the documentary, which is available to stream for free on YouTube. Pearl Jam also posted a clip of the moment this week on their official social media accounts.
"We have another hometown special guest for you," Vedder told the crowd of nearly 30,000 eager fans, before welcoming Lightning & Thunder to the stage. "I believe he's fairly famous, and he's here with his wife. They're going to do a little number for you and I just hope you enjoy the f--- out of it. Let's bring them out, Lightning & Thunder!"
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In both real life and in the new film, Lightning & Thunder sang Diamond's 1978 song "Forever in Blue Jeans," with Vedder joining in on the song's bridge. But while Vedder (played in the biopic by John Beckwith) stood confident in his on-screen performance, the documentary showed that the real Vedder didn't know the song's lyrics, and instead sung them sitting down, reading them off a page.
According to Mike himself, Vedder didn't originally want to sing "Forever in Blue Jeans," and instead suggested the trio do Diamond's 1972 tune "Song Sung Blue."
"I said I gotta be honest with you, this crowd ain't about 'Song Sung Blue.' I think they're about 'Forever in Blue Jeans,' " Mike recalled in the documentary, noting Vedder next asked, "What's that?"
Focus Features
John Beckwith (as Eddie Vedder) with Kate Hudson and Hugh Jackman in 'Song Sung Blue'
Describing the number, Mike explained Vedder was "sitting there on a stool with his legs crossed. And he's reading the words. And I'm like, 'Eddie! Go for it!' "
For what it's worth, Vedder sold it. "It’s the original grunge song," he shouted to the crowd in the footage, before belting the song's final chorus into the mic.
In the documentary, Claire said, "My wedding to Lighting, Pearl Jam concert with 30,000 people there — never ever in my life did I think I’d have an opportunity like that — and the birth of my children. Those three things stand out to be the most exciting moments of my entire life."
Mike didn't know who Vedder was before they met, something the film also got right.
"He said, 'Do you know who I am?' I said, 'No,' " Mike recounted in the documentary. "He said, 'You ever heard of Pearl Jam?' I said, 'Yeah, I've heard of them.' He said, 'But you don't know who I am?' I said, 'No.' He says, 'That's good.' I said, 'Well who are you?' He said, 'I'm Eddie Vedder' and I shook his hand."
For what it's worth, each left a lasting impact on the other. Mike praised Vedder throughout his life, recounting their story in countless interviews.
"He was so great to my wife, so great to me," Mike said in the documentary. "I respect Eddie Vedder more than anybody in this business."
Reel As Dirt
Eddie Vedder with Lightning & Thunder after performing at Milwaukee’s Summerfest in July 1995
After Mike's death in July 27, 2006 at age 55, Vedder sent Claire a Gibson guitar to play at Mike's funeral, along with a note that Claire reads in the documentary:
Time is long and life is short. It is with a heavy heart that I write this after hearing about Mike Sardina this morning. I'd been thinking of him recently. I still have his silk scarf and autographed photograph.
I'm sending something I wanted Lightening to have for years. I remember him saying that he had always wanted a real Gibson Everly Brothers guitar. I played it alongside Pete Townshend and Neil Young. I would use it and think of myself as if I was playing Lightening's guitar.
Before he moves on, I would like this last opportunity to present it to him so he could have it on the road. I lift my eyes to the sky and make a toast to Lightning & Thunder, in love. Thanks for the music and the memories.
Your musical comrade, with love,Eddie Vedder
"Unbelievable," Claire, now 64, says afterwards. "Unbelievable."
Vedder, 61, has remained an advocate of Lightning & Thunder even after Mike's death. Not only did he allow Brewer to use Pearl Jam's "Alive" in Song Sung Blue — something the band as "never licensed" before — but he also pushed Diamond to make sure the songwriter's music could be used in the original documentary.
"Eddie Vedder is the MVP of Lightning & Thunder," Brewer told Entertainment Weekly earlier this month. "When the documentary that Greg Kohs made about Mike and Claire was about to have its premiere at a festival, and he got a cease-and-desist letter from Neil Diamond's publishing company saying, 'You can't use the music, so you can't show this movie.' Eddie Vedder called up Neil Diamond, sent him the documentary, and said, 'You gotta watch this and you gotta let them use the music.' Neil Diamond saw the movie, he was so touched by it, and he intervened and told his publishing company to leave Greg alone and show the movie. So Eddie, even, even to this day, has been such a support in telling the story of Lightning & Thunder."
Song Sung Blue is now in theaters.
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