Up until the 1960’s singing stars on TV and Records were supported by very wholesome and rather genteel white female singers. They were known by other musicians as ‘readers’ as they came in and sang exactly what was on their music scores without any deviation. And then the first African/American girls started getting gigs backing up mainly male singers who appreciated that they put so much more into their performances than simply ‘oohing and aahing,’ there was no looking back, and the music industry was never ever the same again. This was the real birth on the Back Up Singer
This captivating and illuminating new documentary tells the story of these amazingly talented woman who, for one reason or another, remained out of the spotlight whilst they helped propel other musicians to great fame and fortune. The movie focuses on three of the most celebrated of them who also had stabs at solo careers too : Darlene Love, Merry Clayton and Lisa Fischer.
Darlene had been part of The Blossoms one of the very first girl groups, and they soon attracted the attention of legendary producer Phil Spector. He didnt just use them to back-up his stable of recording artists, but had them record songs too which he then put out under other singer’s names, notably two of billboard hits that The Crystals were credited, but never ever sang. Spector also gave Darlene a solo-recording contract but every record she made for him was always publicly credited to other singers and helped their careers whist stalling hers.
Merry Clayton came to prominence in 1969 when she was asked to provide back ups by the Rolling Stones for their mega hit ‘Gimme Shelter’. Her account of how she was contacted at the last minute and whisked away heavily pregnant in pyjamas in the middle of the night to make the recording is a deliciously funny story. Especially as we watch her and Jagger’s astonishing reactions to the playback of the roaring sound that she gave this raucous song. As Merry recounts on how her story turns out in the years that followed, this real warm music diva with her infectious humor and her remarkable talent, shows no bitterness that despite all her success, her solo career never ever took off. She, or one of the other girls, poignantly stated ‘there was already one Aretha Franklin and one Diana Ross, and there simply wasn’t room for another one of either of them’.
Lisa Fischer, who incidentally took over from Merry and has been touring with the Rolling Stones since 1989 and singing the parts that she had made famous, did have a moment out in the spotlight. She won a Grammy for her 1991 R & B hit ‘How Can I Feel The Pain’ but somehow never got her act together to follow it through. Of all of the girls interviewed, and there were several more besides these three, Lisa seemed the least likely to possess the drive and ambition or withstand the constant pressure so necessary to make it to the front of the pack and stay there. Sheer talent, as it was repeated time and time again, was simply not enough.
Filmmaker Morgan Neville packed the movie with revealing interviews with some mega-music stars who were tripping over themselves extolling the talents of these girls and acknowledging the importance of contribution that they had made in making their own music. They included Mick Jagger, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Bette Midler, Sting, and Luther Vandross (who started his own career singing back-up for David Bowie). Neville interspersed all this with some great archival footage spanning musical decades, but the real joy was when the girls burst into song and gave us snippets of how great they sound now.
When the movie was introduced to the audience at the M.I.F.F. where I saw it, the description was of a bitter sweet story, that ended up sweet at the end. I couldn’t have put it any better myself. The overriding feeling is that despite some of their professional set backs …. particularly in Darlene Love’s case …. these remarkably legendary women possess such a wonderful zest for life, overflowing with of exceptional good humor and their love and respect for each other. Completely infectious just like the music. And they are all still a part of the industry that they love so much, despite all their ups and dows.
Unmissable.
P.S. This movie’s Premiere was the Opening Night of Sundance Film Festival …. a very big honour …. it now has a distributor and is scheduled to hit US theaters in the summer of 2013. As much as you will enjoy it, you’ll miss the extra treat we had at M.I.F.F. when after the final credits rolled, Darlene Love came out on stage and sang! WOW! Coming just a week after Ms Streisand rather strained appearance at the Oscars, I appreciated that although Miss Love may be technically a year older, she certainly doesnt show it and she hasn’t lost any of her vitality or voice.
P.P.S. It won the Oscar for Best Documentary!!!!
★★★★★★★★★
