- Do you ever wonder if music superstars like Sting, David Byrne, and Mick Jagger worry about the fact that their voices are nowhere near as impressive as those of their backup singers? I suppose that stars of their caliber are completely immune to such moments of honest self-doubt, and in fact that may be one subtle message contained in Morgan Neville's wondrous documentary 20 Feet From Stardom. Another, less subtle message: boy, are these backup singers ever amazing. Deep down, everybody probably knows that you'd have to be pretty talented to sing for the likes of the Rolling Stones or Bruce Springsteen, but how many of us have really ever thought much about the life of a big-time backup singer? While the subject sounds almost stereotypically boring, let me assure you that it is quite the opposite.
- Some examples: Darlene Love's infectious cackle almost hides the fact that Phil Spector handed her songs off to The Crystals, but the defining moment in her life involved hearing her own "Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)" on the radio while cleaning other people's houses. The authoritative Merry Clayton originally belted out the memorable vocals on the Stones' "Gimme Shelter" and certainly sung much less out of key than Joe Cocker. Maybe you'd recognize Lisa Fischer's absolutely mesmerizing voice alongside the likes of Luther Vandross and The Stones, but on a typical day she can't get recognized in a FedEx store. Táta Vega boldly impressed Stevie Wonder once, even if she seems unsure of herself these days. Judith Hill may have been on her way to stardom prior to the tragic death of Michael Jackson, whereas the ubiquitous Waters family has maintained great success by doing everything from sound effects to Disney songs.
- As these singers share their incredible life stories, some patterns emerge. The vast majority of the backup singers are black women, the older of whom are well aware of the connections between their musical stylings and Gospel singing. Nearly all of them had a dream at some point in their lives of moving to center stage, but the only ones to make it big on their own were Cheryl Crow and Luther Vandross. Neither of whom, you'll note, was a black woman. Unsurprisingly, Bruce Springsteen understands the plight of the background singer pretty well while Sting and Jagger at least seem to appreciate them. One guesses that the less considerate headliners probably didn't get invited to participate in the film, although Vega further notes that many of the lead singers overdosed while the backups survived. To his great credit, Neville lets the singers speak and sing for themselves, and it's a hell of a story they have to tell. It's also a lot further than 20 feet, even though it shouldn't be.
- Bruce Springsteen and Darlene Love set a new standard for highly watchable closing credits.
