20 Feet From Stardom

Atlanta

September 27, 2022

Highly recommended fun film. My host this past weekend made me aware of it -- and I'm glad he did. Great music and interesting behind the scenes insights. Available for rent and purchase on most streaming services.

The description:

20 Feet from Stardom is a 2013 American documentary film directed by documentary filmmaker Morgan Neville and produced by Gil Friesen, a music industry executive whose curiosity to know more about the lives of background singers inspired the making of the film.

The film follows the behind-the-scenes experiences of backup singers and stars Darlene Love, Judith Hill, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer, Tata Vega, and Jo Lawry, among many others. On March 2, 2014, it won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature at the 86th Academy Awards, 23 years after the similar documentary In the Shadow of the Stars (which focused on the members of an opera chorus instead of its stars) won the same award.

Lisa Fischer said of backup singing: "I reject the notion that the job you excel at is somehow not enough to aspire to, that there has to be something more. I love supporting other artists." She added: "Some people will do anything to be famous. I just wanted to sing."