When I think of divas, I think Motown. Names like Diana Ross, Patty Labelle and Gladys Knight come to mind. Furthest from my mind are names like Led Zepplin, The Rolling Stones or Bruce Springsteen. Yet these iconic rockers have an interesting connection as they all feature the soulful sounds of diva backup singers. In the way of earworms, hearken back to the sounds of Dark Side of the Moon, Gimme Shelter or Southern Man. The list goes on. Backup singers were a staple of music produced in the 1970s and 1980s. But what happened to those voices that our subconscious may have recognized even when we did not realize the voices were the same?
This is the question that 20 Feet From Stardom tries to answer. I had the opportunity to see this documentary during the Full Frame Documentary Festival shortly after its release, but had a scheduling conflict (which is easy to do when you are at a festival that features close to a hundred films). I was glad to see the encore screening at my local theater, which happens to be the same theater that hosted Full Frame. I went on opening night, glad to have a second chance at this intriguing film. In the end, I was glad I did not miss this gem. With so many documentaries stuck on political themes, I am always intrigued at those that explore interesting topics like the phenomenon of the backup singer.
20 Feet From Stardom opens with that refrain from Lou Reed’s Walk on the Wild Side that might make listeners feel a bit uncomfortable. “…and the colored girls sing doo, da doo, da doo…” What may seem anachronistic in today’s world of political correctness was actually an acknowledgment of the contributions of the backup singer. A tribute of sorts. In order to add a soulful dimension to their music, many pop groups of that generation (especially British rockers like Zepplin and the Stones) incorporated that African-American “church” sound into their music. Thinking about it in retrospect, would Gimme Shelter be anything close to the song it is now, without Merry Clayton’s contribution? Her primal “rape, murder” unleashes impact that the song otherwise lacks. In short, it was brilliant.
With backup singers sometimes “outperforming” their leads, why have so few of them gone on to successful solo careers? The answers are varied. In the case of Darlene Love, much of it had to do with contracts. She was signed with Phil Spector, who kept her in a box. While promising her a solo album, he simply took her music and allowed other artists to claim her vocals as their own. In a horrid twist of fate, Love signed with another company only to have her contract purchased by Spector, who simply did not want to let her break out on her own. So she quit. While not credited for much of her work, her vocals are featured on numerous records. She returned decades later for a solo career and was ultimately inducted into the Hall of Fame in 2011. Her career was obstructed and delayed by contractual obligations. But that is not always the case…
Lisa Fischer is a backup singer by choice. This incredible talent was certainly equal to any of the divas I mentioned earlier. Her talent was fully recognized in the Grammy she won for How Can I Ease the Pain? Actually, I have that song on cassette. Fischer was very successful as a soloist, having once worked with fellow backup singer Luther Vandross, who recognized her incredible talent. Fischer works with a number of artists, who all consider her a phenomenon. Since 1989, she has toured with the Rolling Stones, bringing the same passion to Gimme Shelter that Merry Clayton originally infused it with. She has also worked with Chris Botti, Tina Turner, Luther Vandross and Sting to name a few. I had the good fortune to see her perform with the Rolling Stones two years ago.
Other artists featured in this film include Tata Vega (whose solo career never matched her talent), Claudia Lennear (the Rolling Stones’ “Brown Sugar” and former Ikette), Judith Hill (former backup for Michael Jackson who is still trying to launch her solo career), The Waters Family Singers (who seem to have done just about everything, to include Michael Jackson’s career launching Thriller album) and Lynn Mabry (whose diverse work ranged from The Talking Heads to George Michael).
20 Feet From Stardom does more than simply celebrate the accomplishments of backup singers. It explores their world with an insider intimacy. It looks at the important contributions of this often overlooked staple of pop culture. It was a rewarding examination of the subject that included amazing vocal arrangements in support of the storyline. While I knew many of the songs, it was intriguing to dissect the ones I knew and isolate the elements that we never realized were so important…important enough that we often find ourselves singing along with the background part of the song! I was also introduced to a couple of vocals I was not familiar with, which was icing on the cake. An excellent film that was well worth my time. Easily 8/10.
