Session 8: Twenty Feet From Stardom
Today s feature film: Twenty Feet From Stardom (2013) Directed, written, and co-produced by Morgan Neville Co-produced by Gil Friesen and Caitrin Rogers Film premiered January 17, 2013 at Sundance Film Festival Also released in 19 other countries 25 award nominations, with 21 wins Oscar for Best Documentary, 2014 Grammy for Best Music Film, 2015 Budget: $1M; Box Office: $5.8M Rotten Tomatoes score: Critics 99% ; Audience 82%
Top: Neville photo from IMDb Right: Neville with Keith Richards in 2015 Morgan Neville
Neville resume summary Twenty Feet from Stardom was his 7 th documentary film as director, 11 th documentary as producer Other works include: Director and Producer: Johnny Cash s America (2008); Keith Richards: Under the Influence (2015); Best of Enemies (2015); The Music of Strangers (2015) Majority are documentaries about music subjects As director: 20 total film and TV credits As producer: 28 total film and TV credits As writer: 15 total film and TV credits
Featuring Darlene Love Left: Love in the 1960s Top: Love singing during 2014 Oscar acceptance
Love resume summary As actress: Trish Murtaugh (Danny Glover s wife) in the Lethal Weapon franchise (1987, 1989, 1992, 1998) On Broadway: Grease, Carrie, Hairspray As singer: 33 total film and TV credits for soundtrack performances On AllMusic.com, 308 credits for vocals! Member of The Blossoms (1958-1974) He s A Rebel (credited to The Crystals); backing vocals for Be My Baby, Johnny Angel, Monster Mash Solo career (1982-present) Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) performances on David Letterman TV shows (1986-2014) 8 solo albums
Featuring Lisa Fischer Top: Fischer in Twenty Feet from Stardom Right: Fischer and Mick Jagger, date unknown
Fischer resume summary As lead singer: 1 solo album: So Intense (1991) Single How Can I Ease The Pain won 1992 Grammy for Best Female R&B Vocal Performance and reached #1 on the US R&B charts 7 credits for soundtrack performances As backup singer, 76 album/single/dvd credits As backup singer, tours with: Luther Vandross (1984-2002); every tour since 1984 Rolling Stones (1989-2015); every tour since 1989 Tina Turner (2000, 2008-09) Chris Botti (2011) Nine Inch Nails (2013)
Featuring Merry Clayton Top: Clayton in 1973 Right: Clayton Wikipedia article photo, Dec 2012
Clayton resume summary As actress: Role of the Acid Queen in The Who s first London production of Tommy (1972) 3 film credits, including Maid to Order (1987) 3 TV credits, including Cagney & Lacey (1987-88) As singer: 15 total film and TV credits for soundtrack performances More than 100 background vocal credits, most notably: Gimme Shelter (Rolling Stones, 1969) Sweet Home Alabama (Lynyrd Skynyrd, 1974) Member of Ray Charles The Raelettes Solo career (1962-present) 6 solo albums, including 1970 s Gimme Shelter
Featuring Judith Hill Top: Hill in Twenty Feet from Stardom Right: Cover photo from Hill s debut album
Hill resume summary As lead singer: 1 solo album 5 credits for TV and film soundtrack performances As backup singer, 23 credits for performances/recordings including: Michael Jackson Selected as Jackson s duet partner for This Is It tour (2009); cancelled due to Jackson s death Stevie Wonder Josh Groban John Legend Gregg Allman
Also appearing: Táta Vega Jo Lawry The Waters David Lasley Claudia Lennear Gloria Jones Patti Austin Sheryl Crow Mick Jagger Bette Midler Bruce Springsteen Sting Stevie Wonder
Today s feature film: Twenty Feet From Stardom For once, the spotlight shines on these brilliant women who spent most of their careers on the outskirts of fame with minimal fortune to show for their efforts. RogerEbert.com review Let s watch the documentary now.
Brief epilogue: Darlene Love Documentary released 2013 As singer: Her 8th solo album Introducing Darlene Love released 2015 Final Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) performance on Letterman: December 19, 2014 Appearances on many TV shows, including: Tavis Smiley, The Colbert Report, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert, The View, Today, The Chew Along with many singers featured in the film, sang the national anthem at the 100 th Rose Bowl (2014)
Brief epilogue: Lisa Fischer As lead singer: 2014-16 tour: Ms. Lisa Fischer & Grand Baton As backup or featured singer, CD/DVD appearances with: John Mayer, Billy Childs, Bernard Fowler, Rolling Stones, Yo-Yo Ma and the Silk Road Ensemble As backup singer, tours with: Rolling Stones (2012-13, 2014, 2015) Nine Inch Nails (2013)
Brief epilogue: Merry Clayton As singer: Solo career: 2013 release of The Best of Merry Clayton Background or featured vocal credits, including: Coldplay, Nils Lofgrin, G. Love & Special Sauce, B.B. King As composer: Co-written song included on Little Feat s live album On The Eastern Front (2015) Personal life: June 2014, involved in severe car crash in Los Angeles Both legs amputated at the knees due to profound trauma
Brief epilogue: Judith Hill As lead singer: Contestant on The Voice (2013, season 4) Opening act for John Legend s UK tour in 2014 Debut solo album Back In Time released in 2015 Produced by Prince, recorded at Paisley Park As backup or featured singer, performances including: Josh Groban (duet released as a single) Gordon Goodwin s Big Phat Band Her composition Party Rockers nominated for 2015 Grammy George Benson s tribute album to Nat King Cole 2016 nomination for NAACP Award: Outstanding New Artist