20 Feet from Stardom

              Backup singers are often overlooked, if they are thought of at all.  This probably sounds like a terrible thing to say, but it is the truth.  When people go to concerts or listen to albums, how often do they talk about the background vocals?  Quite possibly never.  This is a shame since sometimes the backup singers are better than the lead artists.  Which is why it should not come as a surprise that some backup singers try to move forward and become the lead.  I know at least one has been a contestant on American Idol and I believe there was another on The Voice.  It has been quite awhile since I have watched either show so there may have been far more than one on each.  In any case, it is not easy to move from backup to lead.  This is just one of the things discussed in the documentary 20 Feet from Stardom.          

                Looking into the life of backup singers, 20 Feet from Stardom takes viewers through the highs and lows of what appears to be a very exciting life.  I am sure a lot is exciting, but there are many difficult times as well.  Most of the featured backup singers began their careers in the 1960s.  Others started later.  Each singer has worked with iconic artists such as Ray Charles, Tina Turner, Elvis Presley, and Michael Jackson.  Every artist work experience was different.  Some demanded perfection while others let their singers free to express themselves.  It was fascinating to see which artist was which.

                At some point in time, most, if not all, of the backup singers made an attempt at being a solo artist.  With the clear talent they all have, one would think this would be smooth transition.  The opposite was true.  For some reason the public did not catch on to the backup singers’ talent and their solo careers were not as successful as hoped.  This truly altered their lives in ways they would have never expected. 

                Another problem the singers ran into was when the music industry decided they were going to stop using backup singers.  I do not know why the industry did this.  For the singers it must have been such an awful time as they struggled to find work.  They were doing what they loved and it was kicked out from under them.  It seems the industry has started using backup singers again, but to what extent is unclear.  The film shows singers working with older artists such as Sting, The Rolling Stones, and Stevie Wonder.  What the new artists are doing, I do not know.

                This documentary is set up in an interesting way.  While the film is about backup singers and features the careers of singers such as Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, and Lisa Fischer, many lead and solo artists are interviewed as well.  It was interesting to hear the two different perspectives of the backup singer experience.  While some thoughts may have differed, it was clear the artists had great respect for the backup singers.  This is a good thing since the artists’ songs would not be the same without them.