A new documentary, Anacostia Delta: The Legacy of DC’s Telemasters — whose official release date is Friday — shines a light on a music community that grew out of the D.C. region during the post-World War II boom years.

“A lot of people came here to work, both for music work and other ways,” says John Previti, a veteran area bassist who is the film’s musical director. “D.C. was southern enough to have that influence of country and bluegrass but we were also influenced by rock n’ roll, jazz, blues, and gospel.”

The two central figures in the story are guitarists Roy Buchanan and Danny Gatton, both of whom died by suicide in 1988 and 1994, respectively. “Anacostia Delta” is a term that Gatton used to describe the local scene, playing off the Mississippi Delta that is considered the source of American blues. “Telemasters” in the film’s subtitle refers to the Fender Telecaster guitar that both players favored for its versatility and ease of use.

Gatton and Buchanan were “musician’s musicians”: Though they received accolades from world-renowned artists, they never became household names. Buchanan even turned down an invitation to play with The Rolling Stones because he did not enjoy the touring life. The film is peppered with appearances from guitar masters like The E Street Band’s Nils Lofgren, jazz legend Mike Stern, and country pioneer Albert Lee, who all praise Buchanan and Gatton.

“They knew how good they were,” says Previti of Gatton and Buchanan. “Danny and Roy also never did just one thing and they never liked being told what to do.”

Director Bryan Reichhardt, as well as producers Paul Glenshaw and Suzanne Brindamour Tolford, started seriously working on the project in 2014, around the 20th anniversary of Gatton’s death. The team quickly came to the decision that the film should not be a talking head-style documentary of celebrities who namecheck Gatton and Buchanan (nor does it delve into their personal battles), but rather a story of the ecosystem that developed around the two main subjects. This includes their influences, Chick Hall Sr. and Frankie Shegogue; their contemporaries, Dave Chappell and Tom Principato; and musicians like Anthony Pirog, who carry on the tradition.

“Stylistically we wanted the film to be like Buena Vista Social Club, where you revive this thing by showing the musicians,” says Reichhardt. “The players are incredible and to prove that you have to hear that.”

Thus, the production team decided to film a concert as the documentary’s centerpiece and throughline. That’s when co-producer Ken Avis came on board. A native of the U.K. who grew up listening to Gatton and Buchanan, Avis plays guitar for local jazz ensemble Veronneau and is a student of D.C. music history, having made a film on the great Charlie Byrd, a guitarist who joined saxophonist Stan Getz in popularizing Brazilian bossa nova in the United States.

“I volunteered to be a bag carrier, and I’ve been a bag carrier on the project ever since,” Avis says.

The organizers eventually set up a date at The Birchmere in September 2015. The concert featured 30 musicians and showcased the Anacostia Delta’s breadth and depth.

“The word camaraderie is used a lot, but that’s what it was,” Previti says of that night. “Now that we’ve lost a few of our friends since then, it’s particularly poignant.”

The film uses clips from the concert to highlight important musicians and events over a period of several decades.

“We’re honoring people who lived here all their lives and made their careers here,” says Reichhardt. “I want people outside the beltway to understand why this is so great.”

The filmmakers needed more than four years to secure the rights to all the music in the documentary. Now that the film is paid for, the producers hope to use money from sales to pay for additional screenings, wider distribution, and possibly the release of a live album from the concert.

“I think the film has a broader appeal than people might think because of the passion, the characters, and the level of talent,” says Brindamour Tolford.

Anacostia Delta: The Legacy of DC’s Telemasters comes out on September 4, and is available in DVD and digital download. 

This post has been updated to correct the date of the 2015 concert, and the title for the film’s producers.