There's something incredibly tonic about listening to music with backup singers: doo-wop groups, girl groups, gospel choirs — the list goes on. The other thing about backup singing: You want to do it too. Consider that when Paul McCartney sang "Hey Jude" at the Library of Congress, the Obama family stepped up on stage and sang as a sort of backup-on-the-frontlines vocal unit and looked like they were having a real nice time.
But when backup singing is an actual profession, niceness steps out and brute reality intervenes. "20 Feet From Stardom" is all about that reality, directed by long-time music-documentary maker Morgan Neville. Neville has used his clout and cachet to assemble an impressive array of big-name stars, such as Bruce Springsteen, Sting and Stevie Wonder, to sit and talk about their own history and relationships with backup singers. They all talk about the wonderful talent and generosity these singers brought to their concerts and albums (except Mick Jagger, who makes no bones about saying things like: "She was very hot — a beautiful girl").
In the film, you'll meet and hear the stories of back-chorus divas Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer and others. Some of them have been around since the 1960s. Others, such as Judith and Michiko Hill, worked with Michael Jackson on his "This is it" tour. They've all played vital roles in making and shaping the careers of the biggest artists of our time.