Where would some of rock’s biggest hits be without backup singers? Imagine “Walk on the Wild Side” minus its doo-do-doos, or “Gimme Shelter” with no wailing accompaniment, or “Sweet Home Alabama” scrubbed of its rollicking female chorus.
And yet, as the talented ladies in this documentary point out time and again, it sure is easy to forget they exist — not to mention unbelievably daunting for them to break out on their own. As Bruce Springsteen puts it, “It’s a long walk” from the back of that stage to the front, no matter how good you are.
“20 Feet From Stardom” surveys performers young and old, from Darlene Love — whose voice helped define Phil Spector’s early work, and whose career was derailed by him — and Stones backups Merry Clayton and Lisa Fischer to up-and-comer Judith Hill, who fights the urge to take lucrative backup gigs in order to chase a solo career.
In a film that’s often sad but not without its triumphs, director Morgan Neville smartly explores the complex role that ego and self-promotion play in this profession. “Some people will do anything to be famous,” one vocalist says. “And some people will just sing.”