20 Feet From Stardom shines the spotlight on backup singers

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      A documentary by Morgan Neville. Rating not available.

      Even the most casual Rolling Stones fan knows that the female voice shouting “Rape… Murder… It’s just a shot away!” at the top of “Gimme Shelter” makes that song what it is. Many know that the background singer’s name is Merry Clayton. Few knew she was pregnant and in pyjamas when the tape rolled.

      Clayton is just one of the stellar studio divas profiled by veteran doc maker Morgan Neville, who has also fashioned profiles of Muddy Waters, Hank Williams, Carole King, and many others. In 20 Feet From Stardom, a sharply constructed documentary that sends you searching through the back catalogue of your mind, several generations testify to the joy of backing the stars and the infinite challenges of becoming one.

      Most notable are Lisa Fischer, who had a near breakthrough in the early 1990s, and Darlene Love, who gave lead vocals to “He’s a Rebel” and other big ’50s hits, only to find producer Phil Spector cruelly assigning her records to other artists, who then lip-synched to her voice on TV.

      Alongside veteran performers like Patti Austin and Táta Vega, there is up-and-comer Judith Hill, who was supposed be on Michael Jackson’s last tour but—almost uniquely—turned to songwriting since. Neville’s film includes an impressive amount of performance and rehearsal footage, with leaders like David Bowie, Ray Charles, and former backliner Luther Vandross.

      The director gets great quotes from big BG employers like Stevie Wonder, Bette Midler, Sting, and Bruce Springsteen. And Mick Jagger speaks affectionately of Clayton and of Claudia Lennear, the hottest Ikette and Stones touring companion who never quite made it as a solo artist.

      Race is hardly mentioned in the 90-minute film, but maybe everybody already knows that a black woman has to be twice as talented as anyone else and 10 times smarter to move to the front of the stage.

      Watch the trailer for 20 Feet From Stardom.

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