'A Mighty Wind' turns 20: How ‘Spinal Tap'-inspired music spoof found award love at end of the rainbow

Let's all raise a glass and hum for the 20th anniversary of "A Mighty Wind."

The 2003 folk music mockumentary that blew into national theaters spring of 2003, drew inspiration from its darker music cousin, the 1984 heavy metal spoof "This Is Spinal Tap." More specifically, it sprang from a Spinal Tap band photoshoot with stars Christopher Guest as the guitarist Nigel Tufnel; Michael McKean, as the lead singer and guitarist David St. Hubbins; and Harry Shearer, as bassist Derek Smalls.

"We were posing for pictures as Spinal Tap and then we posed in our street clothes. I commented that we looked like a washed-up folk trio," McKean said during an April TCM Classic Film Festival screening. "So 'A Mighty Wind' started its life."

A spoof was born, but you couldn't deny the musical success around "A Mighty Wind." The film, released nationally May 9, 2003, not only won a Grammy but garnered a surprise Oscar nomination for best original song for McKean and his wife, "Smallville" actress Annette O'Toole.

The duo, married for 24 years, spoke to USA TODAY about the musical journey.

The Folksmen drew disdain as 'Spinal Tap' opening band

Following the inspiration, McKean, Guest and Shearer created the spoof 60s-era trio The Folksmen. The earnest troubadours first appeared on a 1984 "Saturday Night Live" mockumentary short, and often served as the ill-fitting opening band during Spinal Tap metalhead tours, strumming sincerely before the trio stepped onstage as the heavy metal band.

"That was fun, especially since people had no idea what we were doing," says McKean. "They came out for Spinal Tap and then these idiots come out."

"A Mighty Wind," a movie about a 1960s folk reunion concert followed, directed by Guest, who wrote the screenplay with Eugene Levy. Levy also starred as Mitch, the heartbroken half of the reuniting '60s duo Mitch & Mickey, with Catherine O'Hara playing the autoharp-strumming Mickey. The ensemble comedy also featured the New Main Street Singers (made up of Jane Lynch, John Michael Higgins and Parker Posey) and Jennifer Coolidge as a publicist.

McKean and O'Toole found 'A Kiss At the End of the Rainbow'

McKean and O'Toole were tasked with writing songs for "Mighty Wind," including a pivotal love ballad. The sentimental "A Kiss At the End of the Rainbow," Mitch & Mickey's signature song, had unlikely origins.

McKean and O'Toole started writing during a road trip from Los Angeles to Vancouver to bring O'Toole back on the "Smallville" set, where she starred as Martha Kent. Driving was the only way back as planes were grounded in the wake of 9/11 in 2001.

"We did this drive and started writing this music," says O'Toole. "And it just happened it was what they needed for the movie."

For a spoof movie, the song was deeply heartfelt. "We wanted it to be pretty, like a song you might hear the Everly Brothers sing," says McKean.

The well-reviewed "A Mighty Wind" went on to make a modest $18 million at the box office, but punched well above its weight for music awards, winning a Grammy for best song written for a motion picture for the title track, written by Guest, McKean and Shearer.

The best original song Oscar nomination for "A Kiss At the End of the Rainbow" was an even bigger surprise.

Songwriters McKean and O'Toole were oblivious, sleeping in on the morning of Oscar nominations. "Michael had forgotten all about them, and I didn't want to mention (the nominations) the night before because he has enough trouble sleeping," says O'Toole.

The next morning their manager called at 5 a.m. but McKean insisted it was "too early" to talk and groggily hung up. "I said, 'Michael, Michael, we must've got nominated for an Oscar!" O'Toole recalls. "So we quickly called our manager back and she was so excited she couldn't speak."

The nomination led to the hilarious scene of Levy and O'Hara (later to be onscreen partners on "Schitt's Creek") performing the song in earnest character on the Oscars stage. The duo even re-created the movie's pivotal kiss.

But the Oscar went to Annie Lennox's "Into the West" from "Lord of the Rings."

McKean was simply happy with being nominated among musical greats. "We competed against Elvis Costello, T-Bone Burnett and Sting all in the same category," he says.

Will there be a new 'Spinal Tap' movie?

McKean is mum about "Spinal Tap II," the movie sequel announced last May as the first "Spinal Tap" reunion between director Rob Reiner (who also stars as the mockumentary director Martin Di Bergi) and the aging heavy metal stars played by McKean, Shearer and Guest.

"We're having fun every time we get together," McKean says when asked if "Spinal Tap II" production has begun. "We're putting our ducks in a row. We might wind up flame-throwing the ducks and walking away. So I don't want to promise anything."

According to Deadline, the new Spinal Tap movie plot consists of the feuding band being forced to get together when it's discovered they are contractually obligated to give one more concert.

"Getting the band back together is still a good story," McKean adds. "We're in the meat of it. But I can't tell you what kind of meat. It's mystery meat."

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: 'A Mighty Wind' 20th anniversary: 'Spinal Tap' spoof earned Oscar love