20 feet from stardom
GROSS: (Laughter) OK, speaking of the Stones - so the track that you're probably most famous for in terms of backup singing is "Gimme Shelter." And then the next encounter I had was with, I think, Peggy Lee. And, you know, you make specific deals with producers or record companies or whatever. Take a walk on the wild side. CLAYTON: No, I didn't meet them. Or Della Reese would come in town, who is my godmother, would come. I said, well, honey - there was a word that my mother taught me very early on, and she said there was a word called no. It’s a sizzling and ceaselessly entertaining movie, shining fascinating light on the unsung heroines of the music biz. And that age, we were always just having a great time. Next thing I know, that's history. The backup singer exists in a strange place in the pop music world; they are always in the shadow of the feature artists even when they are in front of them in concert while they provide a vital foundation for the music. GROSS: But on the other hand, he didn't want you to hear secular music, right? There was no such thing of you being out of tune. A chance to shine: (from left) Jo Lawry, Judith Hill and Lisa Fischer in 20 Feet from Stardom.. Claudia Lennear recalls joining the Ikettes, as part of the Ike and Tina Turner Revue. So you had to know your part. So you had to know your part, period. Did you get royalties for this? Format: DVD. critics consensus. Tig and Cheryl explore the long walk to the spotlight as they discuss the Oscar-winning backup singer doc "20 Feet From Stardom". CLAYTON: Well, my dad had no problem with me hearing secular music. GROSS: I mean, that was some very intentionally sexy stuff going on stage. CLAYTON: (Singing) I can't convince myself that we're really through. Clayton sang backup with Ray Charles, Joe Cocker, Carole King and many others. And this is "What I Say," and we're going to hear an excerpt of that. CHARLES: (Singing) You make me feel so good. So you pick her up after school. And it's Bobby Darin and my guest, Merry Clayton. It's just a shot away, yeah. Sometimes they will be a permanent part of the act, like the Raylettes with Ray Charles, but they don't get the big rewards the upfront star does.Such is the story of "20 Feet From Stardom", where we meet a half dozen or more who have had a career in the back light, occasionally getting the break to record their own album, and then ... nothing. GROSS: So this is Merry Clayton from the soundtrack of the 1970 film "Brewster McCloud. Title: 20 Feet From Stardom. She is a legend in the business. She said, if I could just touch the hem of his garment, I know I will be made whole. Backup singers live in a world that lies just beyond the spotlight. And I saw them hooting and hollering while I was singing, but I didn't know what they were hooting and hollering about. Everything from the sound and vision to the impeccably selected archive footage to the beautifully shot recording sessions is wonderful. We were filming "Brewster McCloud. Pricing. In his compelling new film TWENTY FEET FROM STARDOM, Morgan Neville shines a spotlight on the untold true story of the backup singers behind some of the greatest musical legends of the 21st century. In his compelling new film TWENTY FEET FROM STARDOM, award-winning director Morgan Neville shines a spotlight on the untold true story of the backup singers behind some of the greatest musical legends of the 21st century. How dare you ask me to be sexy? ", (SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "TOUCH THE HEM OF HIS GARMENT"). Documentary; Music; Features. GROSS: And no one's going to come at me and say, that was my address she just sang (laughter)? I said, well, I'll do one more. AU $9.95 +AU $3.00 postage. 20 Feet From Stardom, from music documentary veteran Morgan Neville, is a film entirely devoted to the overlooked lives and jobs of back-up singers. Free postage. Let it resound loud as the rolling sea. Or did that seem what's more authentic, because when singing about this, you'd be in such an excited, you know, state that your voice would likely crack? And we got a call from a dear friend of mine and producer named... CLAYTON: Jack Nitzsche (laughter). (This would also apply to acting, where "That Guy" did a similar riff on that equally competitive business.Of course it's worth noting that while there are lots of people "20 Feet from Stardom", there are legions more who never even get that close, and who wind up singing in saloons, street corners, and even subway stops. So I could leave. Come on and tell me what you told my friends if you think you're brave enough. GROSS: Did you know who The Rolling Stones were? 20. Furthermore, special focus is given to special stand outs who endeavored to make a living in the art burdened with a low profile and more personal career frustrations, especially those who faced the very different challenge of singing in the spotlight themselves. ho. Once in a while somebody breaks through: Whitney Houston, Mariah Carey, Elton John, Barry Manilow, Sheryl Crowe, Phil Collins. This would be good for your career, and this would be good if you do this, and this will help you, or whatever. Let's get back to Terry's 2013 interview with backup singer Merry Clayton and with film director Morgan Neville, whose documentary "20 Feet From Stardom" won an Academy Award in 2014 for best documentary. She said, if I could just touch the hem of his garment, I know I will be made whole. 20 wins & 27 nominations. TWITTER. I've never counted on you making me blue. GROSS: Oh, that's a nice story. Deliver fast and friendly service to every customer. And that's the end. I'm not feeling too good myself. Originally broadcast in 2013. Cast. And that's what I - that was the deal that I made. Oh, children, it's just a shot away. CLAYTON: (Singing) Lift every voice and sing till Earth and heaven ring, ring with the harmony of liberty. He said, I really think this would be something good for you. View credits, reviews, tracks and shop for the 2013 CD release of 20 Feet From Stardom (Music From The Motion Picture) on Discogs. He could feel fabric. 4. BIANCULLI: This is FRESH AIR. Sing a song full of the faith that the dark past has taught us. CLAYTON: He was - we met and married from that orchestra. 5. At that particular time, they were paying you for triple scale. Rape, murder - it's just a shot away. Oh, wow (laughter). In addition to On Your Feet, the live stream audience will enjoy exclusive interviews and a look behind the scenes prior to the performance and at intermission. Yeah. Jack was one of the guys that we would always listen to. CLAYTON: I'll have to answer that question with a no. I said, no, I'm in bed. I mean, it was a sight to behold. CLAYTON: I heard that rumor. Furthermore, special focus is given to special stand outs who endeavored to make a living in the art burdened with a low profile and more personal career frustrations, especially those who faced the very different challenge of singing in the spotlight themselves. I've got to leave before I start to scream. GROSS: Yes. Keep track of everything you watch; tell your friends. So when Sam Cooke would come in town, you know, with The Soul Stirrers at that time - he was singing gospel - they would end up at my dad's church. With Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer, Judith Hill. GROSS: So suddenly, you were probably in this world of, like, white rock singers who were looking for a gospel-tinged sound in their... CLAYTON: I thought it was wonderful. Backup singers live in a world that lies just beyond the spotlight. And Merry - in the backup world, you know, she was always a little set apart because she has such chops. CLAYTON: Well, then I had to school them and show them how it was supposed to be done. GROSS: How were you expected to dress and to move on stage? item 6 20 Feet From Stardom - DVD Region 4 Free Shipping! BIANCULLI: Merry Clayton speaking to Terry Gross. If I'm not giving you enough in what I'm doing, then maybe you need to find somebody else to be sexy. And Ray told him, she's too young; you can't marry sister Merry, she's just a baby. And Billy and I grew up in church together. What he said was, you need to drop everything and come sing for Ray. What does that mean, that he would dress you? Cellist Yo-Yo Ma and other international artists of The Silk Road Project discuss their philosophies on music and culture. Looking to watch 20 Feet From Stardom? I'm David Bianculli. He signed me to Capital when I was 15. I mean, that's the kind of iconic vision we all have of the backup singers, these three African American women in the black dresses on the side of the stage belting it out. Ratings and reviews. GROSS: I didn't realize he had been - he was a saxophonist, right? CLAYTON: I was doing background sessions with Darlene Love and the Blossoms. Two South Africans set out to discover what happened to their unlikely musical hero, the mysterious 1970s rock n roller, Rodriguez. ... A bag of cash lands at a young boy's feet, the day before the UK switches to the euro. Release Date: 26 Mar 2014. Did you sing often where you were supposed to be singing tight harmonies and being in sync with the other Raelettes and with Ray Charles and with the band and you couldn't really hear? There are some people who toil anonymously in the music business: session musicians, recording engineers, producers and so on. CLAYTON: "Lift Every Voice" is the title song. BOBBY DARIN: (Singing) You know, the door to happiness was almost open. ", (SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "LIFT EVERY VOICE AND SING"). So how did the success of "Gimme Shelter" affect your career? CLAYTON: Yeah, absolutely. Now she has a new album — where she's front and center — called Beautiful Scars. Find out where 20 Feet From Stardom is streaming, if 20 Feet From Stardom is on Netflix, and get news and updates, on Decider. He could see length. LOU REED: (Singing) I said, hey, honey. That's the truth. Rich, insightful, and occasionally heartbreaking, 20 Feet From Stardom is an energetic tribute to the passion, talent, and hard work of backup singers. A portrait of the great Wixarika (Huichol) artist Santos de la Torre who lives in near anonymity in the Western Sierra Madre. GROSS: Oh, good for you (laughter). BIANCULLI: Merry Clayton. Millions know their voices, but no one knows their names. And he says, (imitating Keith Richards) oh, hello. CLAYTON: (Singing) There goes my happiness... CLAYTON: (Singing) ...And here comes the blue. And they need someone to come and sing a duet with them, but I can't get anybody to do it. June 16th, 2013. You better move your feet if you don't want to eat a … NEVILLE: Well, also, Merry was the queen of the studio, too. And it actually blew my mind. And then they started calling me Little Haley (ph), you know, when I was about - I'd say about 6 or 7 years old. And we got through it. And he knew the designs of the dresses. Every night I have the strangest dreams - imprisoned by the way that it could have been, left here on my own or so it seems. Does anyone know who's picture is on the cover. CLAYTON: No. I thought they made a marvelous choice because there's nothing like having those girls singing next to you, around you, up under you or beside you, singing with that feel because, see, what it does is it brings a spirit to the project. (SOUNDBITE OF SONG, "WALK ON THE WILD SIDE"). And I remember, Merry, when I met you, we were talking about that kind of joke about being able to sing the phonebook. In hindsight, a mess. In this day and age when everyone wants a mobile quarterback who can make plays with his feet, buy time and improvise, Patriots QB … CLAYTON: I was - I became queen diva of the background rock world. Everybody wanted me to be on their sessions, not that they didn't before, but it was just more - it became more intense. 20 Feet from Stardom feels a trifle drawn out and is occasionally repetitive, but for music lovers, history buffs and students of the fame phenomenon, it’s invaluable. Was this review helpful to you? Like, with like - and there's a clip of this in the movie with Ike and Tina Turner. So can you - in fact, let's just hear that part of the Lou Reed song right here for people who aren't familiar with it. NEVILLE: Early on, I started thinking about that song. This song has been called the Black national anthem. 233 GRAND AVE | PO BOX 1350 | PAONIA, CO 81428, OFFICE: 970-527-4866 | ON AIR: 970-527-4868 | STUDIO M: 970-787-9070 | 1-866-KVNF-NOW. (She ended up cleaning houses for a living. Documentary about the Funk Brothers, a group of Detroit musicians who backed up dozens of Motown artists. CHARLES: (Singing) You make me feel good. GROSS: OK. And this is - what? And everybody that was anybody would come and hang at my dad's church because my dad was a singer also. This candid New York love story explores the chaotic 40-year marriage of famed boxing painter Ushio Shinohara and his wife, Noriko. And to be honest with you, I was really - wanted to get back home. Move on stage and we got down to the euro turned over and just about almost went back to.! Thing with Ray Charles an average of $ 18,199 in three theaters sure yourself night after night the Octopus ''... Six months, he had signed me to his label Earth and heaven ring, ring with the.! 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