Shadow And Act
‘Twenty Feet From Stardom’ Traces The Uncelebrated Backup Singers’ History Through The Present-Day
December 20, 2012
What a great idea for a documentary – one that I’d love to check out.
Aptly titled Twenty Feet From Stardom, here’s how it’s described by the Sundance Film Festival, where it’s set to make its debut next month:
What would a pop song be without the riffs, refrains, and harmonies of its backup vocalists? Although these singers are usually relegated to the margins, and few, if any, become household names, their work has defined countless songs that remain in our hearts and collective consciousness. Twenty Feet from Stardom juxtaposes interviews with industry legends (Bruce Springsteen, Bette Midler, and others) and the relative unknowns who support them like Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer, and Judith Hill as they illuminate the art of melding their own distinct voices with lead vocals and reveal their desires for careers as solo artists. Twenty Feet from Stardom traces the backup singers’ history–from those Phil Spector”“produced pop tunes and soul-inspired British Explosion acts (Joe Cocker, the Rolling Stones) of the 1960s, to their reversal of fortune when the recording industry changed in the 1990s, and into today.
The film, directed by Morgan Neville, promises an unprecedented look at the personal journeys of these normally UNcelebrated, although indispensable artists, and pays tribute to their unforgettable role in popular music.
A film to keep an eye on…
