Review of 20 Feet from Stardom (2013) by Christopher Llewellyn R — 27 Jun 2013

"20 Feet from Stardom," which opens today at the Charles Theatre, in Baltimore, is one of the best films I have seen this year, so far. A documentary, it tells the story of the backup singers - primarily African-American women - who have lent their tremendous vocal talents to the work of better-known rock and pop artists since the 1960s. We meet Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer and relative newcomer Judith Hill, among others. Each of them has a tale both unique and universal to tell. We cry with them, we laugh with them, we sit in awe of their voices. Most of all, though, we marvel at having known so little about the supporting performers of groups like The Rolling Stones and The Talking Heads, or solo performers like Bruce Springsteen, Sting and Michael Jackson. After all, it is Merry Clayton's gut-wrenching belting of "It's just a shot away" on "Gimme Shelter" that really makes that song rock. Well, now we know. And we get this information in a terrific movie, to boot.

Go see it.