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Few would have been surprised if Cyndi Lauper had entered the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame during her first year of eligibility back in 2008. After all, she’s one of the most successful artists of the Eighties, and songs like “Time After Time,” “True Colors,” and “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” have enjoyed stunning staying power. The video for “Girls Just Want to Have Fun” has racked up 1.5 billion plays on YouTube; the song itself 1.4 billion plays on Spotify. (And that’s not even getting into the juggernaut of Kinky Boots.

Neil Young isn’t just one of the most covered songwriters of all time, he’s also one of the most tributed. There have been several albums of people doing his songs released over the decades, first and most famously the 1989 LP The Bridge: A Tribute to Neil Young, populated by artists from the then-ascendant alt-rock generation such as Nick Cave, the Flaming Lips, the Pixies, and Dinosaur Jr., fans who were just as admiring of Young’s contrarian swerves as they were of his beloved 1970s chestnuts. One of...

During Women’s History Month in March, Classic Rewind recognizes the Girl Power that makes the genre rock. But who are the top women voices in classic rock?

Top 10 Women Voices in Classic RockStream the full countdown nowListen on the App

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We listed a bunch of possibilities, you cast your votes, and we tallied them up. Now it’s time to listen to the “Top 10 Women Voices in Classic Rock” countdown, premiering on-air March 6 just before International Women’s Day and available to stream on the SiriusXM app.

Top 10 Women Voices in Classic Rock

Here are the possible artists you voted on for the countdown:

Ann Wilson

Annie Lennox

Bonnie Raitt

Carly Simon

Carole King

Chrissie Hynde

Christine McVie

Courtney Love

Debbie Harry

Ellen Foley

Grace Slick

Gwen Stefani

Janis Joplin

Joan Jett

Joni Mitchell

Kate Pierson

Linda Ronstadt

Lita Ford

Melissa Etheridge

Merry Clayton

Nancy Wilson...

Donald Cammell and Nicolas Roeg’s Performance was shot in July 1968, but its release was postponed by a skittish Warner Bros. until August 1970. The timing couldn’t have been better, since the film not only perfectly encapsulates Swinging London’s faith in “sex, drugs, and rock ‘n’ roll” but also effectively hammers the last nail in the counterculture’s coffin. As a sort of epilogue to the Rolling Stones’s disastrous concert at Altamont, Performance illustrates precisely what can happen in the void left gaping open when performers stop performing.

The film’s title is aptly overdetermined. Reclusive rock star Turner (Mick Jagger) is obviously one kind of performer. But performer, in British slang, also refers to mobsters like Chas (James Fox). In the film, the worlds that these two men inhabit collide and entwine in fascinating fashion. Over the course of the first half, which is dedicated to delineating...

Hosted by Rachel Steele, Carol Miller, Katherine Boyd, and Meg Griffin, Classic Vinyl’s “Women Who Rock” special is a multi-hour journey through the early days of classic rock, celebrating the female voices and artists who made history.

Women Who RockStream the full Classic Vinyl specialListen on the App

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Whether delivering an unforgettable session performance — like Merry Clayton’s chilling vocals on the Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter” — or stepping into the spotlight as a powerhouse frontwoman — like Grace Slick with Jefferson Airplane — women have shaped the sound of rock.

Stream the full special on the SiriusXM app now.

The post Classic Vinyl Salutes Female Artists Who Made Classic-Rock History appeared first on SiriusXM.

Dirty Dancing's iconic status is elevated by classic 1960s songs & original tunes. Movie won an Academy Award & soundtrack went 14x multi-platinum by 2022. Soundtrack features iconic songs like "The Time Of My Life" & "She's Like the Wind".

Besides being a romance classic, the popular Dirty Dancing songs add to its iconic status with classic songs from the 1960s plus some original tunes. Released in 1987 to positive reviews, Dirty Dancing is set in 1963 and follows Frances "Baby" Housemen as she falls in love with a dance instructor while staying at a vacation resort. The movie delivers on its title and is a perfect mix of quintessential star-crossed romance and strong dance performances from stars Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey. Though the film became a 1980s staple, the Dirty Dancing songs have stood the test of time.

An immediate box office smash, grossing over $200 million (via Box Office Mojo), Dirty Dancing also...

This coming month, the free streamer Tubi is adding dozens of new titles to its library, from Academy Award-nominated genre-bending thrillers like 2019’s “The Lighthouse” to rom-coms that have dominated culture for decades, such as Nora Ephron’s quintessential “When Harry Met Sally.”

Check out The Streamable’s picks for the best of Tubi’s February additions, and find out everything coming to the platform this month!

Watch Now Free TubiTV.com What are the 5 Best Shows and Movies Coming to Tubi in February 2024? “If Beale Street Could Talk” | Thursday, Feb. 1

Barry Jenkins follows up his Oscar-winning “Moonlight” with another Oscar nominee in this adaptation of James Baldwin’s novel of the same name. KiKi Layne and Stephan James lead the cast as Tish and Fonny a devoted couple who have been friends since childhood who dream of a future together but whose plans are derailed when Fonny is arrested...

The National Film Registry just granted immortality to 25 classic films. Every year, the Library of Congress chooses another class to be preserved for posterity, and this year’s group includes some major blockbusters like “Terminator 2,” “Home Alone,” and “Apollo 13.”

To be eligible, a film must be at least 10 years old and carry what the library considers to be “cultural, historic or aesthetic importance,” in consultation with National Film Preservation Board members and other experts.

The list now stands at 875 remarkable films. If you’d like to nominate your favorite film for preservation, just fill out this form.

2023 Inductees into the National Film Registry 20 Feet from Stardom June 14, 2013

Directed by Morgan Neville and produced by Gil Friesen, “20 Feet from Stardom” uses archival footage and interviews sharing behind-the-scenes experiences, and shining the spotlight on backup singers, including Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer, Judith Hill, Jo Lawry, Claudia Lennear,...

If you know of Geese, then you probably know their origin story: A group of school friends from Brooklyn record an album during the pandemic as a last hurrah before shipping off to college; Partisan Records (home of British rockers Idles and the Irish post-punks Fontaines DC) signs the band and releases their LP (2021’s Projector); pretty soon the youngsters are being anointed the latest saviors of New York rock, touring the world, performing on late-night television, and creating significant industry buzz with their run of gigs at SXSW in...

The Who's "Tommy" is one of the most groundbreaking concept albums in rock and roll history, and is considered by many to be one of the best albums ever written. After its debut in 1969, "Tommy" has been adapted in a variety of different mediums, including a ballet, an opera, a restructured work for the London Symphony Orchestra, a Broadway musical, and most notably, the cinematic rock and roll masterpiece by Ken Russell. Four years before directing "Tommy," Russell put out the controversial religious horror erotica, "The Devils," which /Film's Chris Evangelista rightfully described as "a punk rock freakshow disguised as a period piece." Considering the story of "Tommy," Russell was the perfect director for the job.

The story follows a young man named Tommy (Roger Daltrey) who after witnessing his mother's lover murder his father, disassociates from reality. He's surrounded by sadistic neighbors and relatives and is in desperate need of escapism,...

While HBO Max is undergoing a sea change behind the scenes, the streamer still boasts an impressive catalog of films. Its documentary line up is particularly strong, thanks to partnerships with TCM, the Criterion Collection, and HBO itself, as well as the inclusion of several HBO Max originals. On the service, you'll find everything from groundbreaking classics that defined the genre, like "Nanook of the North," to docuseries that dive into seminal artists and cultural icons, like "George Harrison: Living in the Material World," to investigative films that probe the human condition, like "Mommy Dead and Dearest."

Whether you're looking to learn more about an overlooked moment in history or dive into the dark underbelly of true crime, there's something for every kind of documentary fan on HBO Max. From the countless hours of material to choose from, we've gathered the best documentaries streaming on HBO Max right now.

20 Feet From Stardom...

When Chanel Haynes showed up at Milan’s San Siro Stadium to sing “Gimme Shelter” with the Rolling Stones on June 21, she had a lot on her mind: She had spent the past few months in London portraying Tina Turner in the West End production of Tina, and there was a show that night. But this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity — alongside a good chance to cede the stage to her understudy — even though it would eventually cost her her day job. On the last-minute flight to Italy, she played several different renditions of “Gimme Shelter,...

The Rolling Stones resumed their 60th anniversary tour in Milan, Italy Tuesday night after being forced to postpone two gigs last week when Mick Jagger came down with Covid, but they took the stage without backup singer Sasha Allen. In her place was Chanel Haynes, a veteran gospel singer that recently portrayed Tina Turner in the UK production of Tina – The Tina Turner Musical.

Rolling Stones superfan Matt Lee was in his standard spot near the front of the stage, and he captured a stellar video of “Gimme Shelter” where...

Netflix debuted a trailer for its upcoming three-part docuseries, “Naomi Osaka,” debuting July 16.

“No one really knows all the sacrifices you make,” the titular athlete narrates in the trailer opening.

Academy Award-nominated director Garrett Bradley covers a two-year period in which Osaka defends grand slam titles, finds her voice and navigates personal challenges on a public stage. The intimate three-episode series chronicles Osaka’s hectic training and travel schedule as she finds time to be with friends and family and explore her Haitian and Japanese roots. It launches just one week before her run at the Tokyo Olympics begins.

“The series is about Naomi’s journey, within a snapshot of her life, but it’s also about life’s purpose, about personal worth, about the courage that it takes to allow one’s personal values to inform their work and vice versa,” Bradley said. “More than anything, I’d hope...

When Merry Clayton woke up in the hospital, she just had one question. In June 2014, three months after Twenty Feet From Stardom, the documentary telling the story of the legendary backup singer, won an Oscar, Clayton suffered a near-fatal car accident in her Los Angeles hometown, resulting in months of hospitalization and the amputation of both her legs. A team full of doctors and nurses surrounded her bed to inform Clayton of her life-altering surgery.

“When they gave me the news, I asked them, ‘Well, did anything happen to my throat?...

When it comes to the Best Documentary Oscar race, it helps when films have a face that voters can root for. Sure, voters often want to reward a topic that feels relevant or important, and they surely desire quality filmmaking. But history shows that giving audiences a clear protagonist to follow and care about improves a movie’s chances of being nominated. With that in mind, Oscar pundits would be wise to keep an eye on “Nasrin” and its secret weapon: its fierce and endearing subject Nasrin Sotoudeh.

Directed by Emmy nominee Jeff Kaufman (“American Masters”) and narrated by Olivia Colman, the doc, filmed secretly in Iran, follows human rights lawyer Sotoudeh on her quest for justice against an oppressive regime. Many of her clients are set to be executed and she vigorously fights against the use of the death penalty. Her biggest cause, however, may be rebuffing unjust mandatory hijab laws for Iranian women.

Earlier this week, we posted an extensive interview with veteran backup singer Tessa Niles as part of our ongoing Unknown Legends series. She got her big break back in 1983 when the Police hired her for their Synchronicity world tour, and she went on to sing with everyone from Tina Turner and Pet Shop Boys to Eric Clapton and George Harrison. She even sang with David Bowie during his Live Aid set, even if he got her name wrong in front of about 2 billion people during the band introductions.

Her most...

llis Haizlip was never one to miss a beat, and Mr. Soul! is right on time. Innovative, political, and openly gay before Stonewall, Haizlip was America’s first Black nighttime talk show host. Before Oprah and Arsenio, his show aired live on public television from 1968 to ‘73, during the Civil Rights and Black Power movements. Black Lives Matter is now louder than ever, speaking volumes on racism in a meaningful manner. But in the days before cell phone journalism, Haizlip’s weekly television show promised “the revolution would be televised.” That revolution was Soul!. Directed, written and produced by Melissa Haizlip, Mr. Soul! had its world premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival and is slated to open in over 50 theaters in the virtual cinema space on Aug. 28.

Soul! was a weekly television show celebrating Black American culture, art, life, love, and community. The series “was the first national show to provide...

December 1969: The Rolling Stones are capping off their decade of triumph with a new album. It’s called Let It Bleed. The songs ooze doom, death, darkness, and destruction. Right from the start, it’s an album full of bad news, from the opening guitar shivers of “Gimme Shelter.” “That’s a kind of end-of-the-world song, really. It’s apocalypse; the whole record’s like that,” Mick Jagger told Jann S. Wenner in his 1995 Rolling Stone interview. “It’s a very rough, very violent era. The Vietnam War. Violence on the screens.

In mid-January 1969, Elvis Presley and his entourage arrived at American Sound Studios in Memphis for a scheduled 10-day recording session with studio producer Chips Moman and Presley’s longtime RCA producer Felton Jarvis. These would be the first sessions Presley had done outside of Nashville or Hollywood since his last Sun Records sessions in 1955 and would take place just weeks after Presley’s triumphant 1968 comeback special. Aired on NBC during the Christmas season, the special fueled a renewed interest in Presley to shift his focus in the studio from movie-soundtrack...

Clydie King, whose earthy, gospel-rooted voice was heard on dozens of rock classics, including the Rolling Stones’ “Tumbling Dice” and Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama,” died on Monday at 75. Her friend Rudy Calvo confirmed the singer’s death to Rolling Stone. A cause of death was not immediately available.

Along with Merry Clayton, Venetta Fields and Shirley Matthews, King was one of the most in-demand backup and session singers of her time. “I don’t remember all the people who I sung for,” she said in a 1971 interview in...

It’s the second-to-last week on “Dancing with the Stars,” which means two times the dances. The six semifinalists will tackle two individual routines this week: one unlearned dance and a judges’ pick of a style to redo from earlier in the season. The judges’ pick do-over is usually reserved for the finale, but nothing about this season makes sense, like the fact that there will be a one-night finale.

Since the finale is now one night, it’s unclear if there will be a double elimination at the end of the semifinal, which would give us a final four instead of an unprecedented final five. Originally, the second double elimination would’ve occurred on Night 1 of the finale to produce a final three for Night 2.

See ‘Dancing with the Stars’ shocker: The finale will now just be one night

Here is the Week 8 lineup:

Alexis Ren and Alan Bersten...

Get ready for double the dancing next week! “Dancing with the Stars” Season 27 will bow with a two-night premiere on Monday, Sept. 24 and Tuesday, Sept. 25, with the 13 couples performing on both nights. Here’s what you can expect.

On Monday, the couples will perform a jive, cha-cha, foxtrot, salsa or quickstep. There will be no elimination.

Monday’s lineup

Alexis Ren and Alan Bersten: jive – “Good Golly Miss Molly” by Little Richard

Bobby Bones and Sharna Burgess: jive – “T-r-o-u-b-l-e” by Travis Tritt

Danelle Umstead and Artem Chigvintsev: foxtrot – “Rise Up” by Andra Day

DeMarcus Ware and Lindsay Arnold: cha-cha – “Sweet Sensation” by Flo Rida

Evanna Lynch and Keo Motsepe: foxtrot – “Do You Believe in Magic” by Aly & Aj

Joe “Grocery Store Joe” Amabile and Jenna Johnson: quickstep – “Fish Out of Water” by Leo Soul

John Schneider and Emma Slater: foxtrot – “Good Ol’ Boys from...

By Patrick Shanley

Managing Editor

This year’s best documentary feature nominees continues a long trend of music docs being recognized by the Academy, as two music-related films have earned nominations at this year’s Oscars.

Amy, which tells the story of late songstress Amy Winehouse in her own words through never-before-seen archival footage and unreleased tracks and is nominated for best doc this year, earned nominations for the Queer Palm and Golden Eye awards at the 2015 Cannes Film Festival for director Asif Kapadia.

Filmmaker Liz Garbus earned the second nomination of her career with the Netflix documentary, What Happened, Miss Simone? The film focuses on the life of iconic R&B singer Nina Simone and her life as a singer, mother, and civil rights activist. Garbus earned her first Oscar nomination in 1998 for her documentary The Farm: Angola, USA.

Music-related docs have been a hot topic for the Academy in years past,...

Coldplay will be releasing their next album, “A Head Full of Dreams,” on Dec. 4. The group announced the arrival on Friday while debuting their first single from it, “Adventure of a Lifetime” on BBC Radio 1. Frontman Chris Martin described the new album as “the sound of us being free and happy and very grateful to be in our group.” See Photos: Coldplay Performs in Palisades Backyard for Communities in Schools Fundraiser The record will feature Beyonce, Noel Gallagher, Tove Lo and Merry Clayton. “A Head Full of Dreams” was produced with longtime collaborator Rik Simpson and Norwegian pop production team Stargate.

Coldplay have been quietly teasing their latest (and possibly final) album, A Head Full of Dreams, for almost a year, and now we have some details: The album will arrive on December 4, and it'll feature Noel Gallagher, Tove Lo, Merry Clayton, and, most notably, Chris Martin's Bff, Beyoncé. Yep, after years of friendship (mostly thanks to Martin's ex, Gwyneth Paltrow), she's finally agreed to grace one of his albums with her presence. Sadly, she won't be doing a cover of "Yellow," but something entirely new, like that time Coldplay teamed up with Rihanna for "Princess of China." They're saving the Bey collaboration for later and instead have released the groovy new tune "Adventure of a Lifetime," which they debuted live at Global Citizens Festival back in September. ...

Questions that raced through my mind during Tuesday’s installment of The Voice:

Is Pharrell the most altruistic celebrity in the history of reality-singing competitions? Why is Blake Shelton utterly charming — even when he’s shanking his opponents with a shiv fashioned from clumped-together Starbucks straws? And did I suddenly develop a knee-jerk love of underdogs or were all of Tuesday night’s steals on The Voice superior to the opponents who vanquished ‘em?

RelatedReality Check: Is There Room for Three Black Guys in Idol‘s Top 12? And Why Are the Judges Harder on Women?

To be honest, it...

What an amazing night in music history! The 57th Annual Grammy Awards went down at the Staples Center in Los Angeles on Sunday, where music's biggest names like Sam Smith, Miranda Lambert and Pharrell Williams took home awards and stars like Eric Church, Beyonce, Kanye West, Rihanna and Katy Perry put on some killer performances. Did your favorite singers take home Grammy gold this year? Check out the complete winner's list below! Best New Artist Sam SmithRecord of the Year"Stay With Me (Darkchild Version)," Sam SmithSong of the Year "Stay With Me (Darkchild Version)," Sam Smith Album of the Year Morning Phase, Beck See The Can't Miss Moments From The 57th Annual Grammy Awards! Best Rap Album The Marshall Mathers LP2, EminemBest Pop Duo/Group Performance "Say Something," A Great Big World ft. Christina AguileraBest Rap Performance "i," Kendrick LamarBest Alternative Music Album St. Vincent, St. VincentBest Rock Album Morning Phase,...

The 57th Annual Grammy Awards winners have been chosen, and we have the full list of those musicians taking home statues this Sunday, Feb. 8.

Did you favorite artists and/or songs win?

Check out the Full list of winners, below.

Record of the Year: Sam Smith, Stay With Me

Song of the Year: "Stay With Me," Sam Smith

Album of the Year: Beck, Morning Phase

Best Country Album: Miranda Lambert, Platinum

Best R&B Performance: "Drunk in Love," Beyonce feat. Jay Z

Best Rock Album: Beck, Morning Phase

Best Pop Vocal Album: Sam Smith, In the Lonely Hour

Best Pop Solo Performance: “Happy,” Pharrell Williams

Best New Artist: Sam Smith

Producer of the Year, Non-Classical: Max Martin for “Bang Bang,” “Break Free,” “Dark Horse,” “Problem,” “Shake It Off,” “Unconditionally”

Best Folk Album: Old Crow Medicine Show, Remedy

Best Americana Album: Rosanne Cash, The River and the Thread

Best American Roots Song: “A Feather’s Not a Bird...

While Sam Smith and Beck dominated the 57th annual Grammy Awards, they were hardly the only winners Sunday night. From Pearl Jam's Jeff Ament (and Eddie Vedder, using his pseudonym "Jerome Turner") scoring Best Recording Package to Beyoncé taking home Best Surround Sound Album, here is the full rundown of all the Grammy winners.

Record of the Year

Sam Smith – "Stay With Me (Darkchild Version)"

Steve Fitzmaurice, Rodney Jerkins & Jimmy Napes, producers; Steve Fitzmaurice, Jimmy Napes & Steve Price, engineers/mixers; Tom Coyne, mastering engineer Label: Capitol Records; Publishers: Sony...

Complete list of winners and nominees of the 2014 Grammy Awards, held in Los Angeles at the Staples Center on Sunday February 8. Winners will be updated as they're announced during the telecast and pre-telecast. Record Of The Year “Fancy,” Iggy Azalea Featuring Charli Xcx “Chandelier,” Sia **Winner** “Stay With Me (Darkchild Version),” Sam Smith “Shake It Off,” Taylor Swift “All About That Bass,” Meghan Trainor Album Of The Year **Winner** “Morning Phase,” Beck “Beyoncé,” Beyoncé “X,” Ed Sheeran “In The Lonely Hour,” Sam Smith “Girl,” Pharrell Williams Song Of The Year “All About That Bass,” Kevin Kadish & Meghan Trainor, songwriters (Meghan Trainor) “Chandelier,” Sia Furler & Jesse Shatkin, songwriters (Sia) “Shake It Off,” Max Martin, Shellback & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift) **Winner** “Stay With Me (Darkchild Version),” James Napier, William Phillips & Sam Smith, songwriters (Sam Smith) “Take Me To Church,” Andrew Hozier-Byrne, songwriter (Hozier) Best New Artist Iggy Azalea Bastille Brandy Clark...

Raunchy comedy “The Bronze” and documentary “What Happened, Miss Simone?” kick off the festival

Robert Redford, John Legend and Nina Simone were all part of opening night at the 2015 Sundance Film Festival, but the festival’s kickoff may end up better remembered for a deliciously raunchy and ridiculously gymnastic sex scene.

The scene came near the end of “The Bronze,” a comedy directed by Bryan Buckley, a filmmaker best known for his Super Bowl commercials. The story of a bitter gymnast trying to hang onto glory years after winning a bronze medal at the Olympics, it features an acrobatic hotel-room...

By Anjelica Oswald

Managing Editor

Keep on Keepin’ On, director Alan Hicks’ debut film, follows four years of the friendship and mentorship between jazz legend and trumpeter Clark Terry, who played with Count Basie and Duke Ellington and taught a young Quincy Jones how to play, and Justin Kauflin, a talented 23-year-old blind pianist. The two musicians support each other as Terry begins to lose his eyesight due to health issues and as Kauflin deals with stage fright as a semi-finalist in the Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition. The film is one of 15 films on the Oscar documentary shortlist, five of which will be nominated on Jan. 15.

The Academy is particularly fond of music-related documentaries, nominating 17 since 1942, with eight winning. Keep on Keepin’ On could join the following Oscar-nominated films:

Festival (1967)

Director Murray Lerner’s black-and-white documentary offers a glimpse into three years (1963-1966) of the Newport Folk Festival, which...

Nearly all of this year's Grammy nominees have been announced, with album of the year contenders still to be unveiled tonight. Looking at the nominees for visual media — i.e. film and TV stuff — we have a mix of Oscar nominees and winners from last year and potential contenders for this year. Let's take a look… At the top, big ups to Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross for their "Gone Girl" score landing a nomination. It might be the best score of the year, in my opinion, and I'm crossing my fingers that the Academy's music branch is as cool as they were in 2010 for nominating "The Social Network." Also in there is "The Grand Budapest Hotel," one of a few scores from Alexandre Desplat in Oscar contention this season ("The Imitation Game" and "Unbroken" will be eligible for Grammys next year). Last year's Best Original Score Oscar winner Steven Price was nominated for "Gravity,...

★★★★☆"Rape, murder. It's just a shot away." Merry Clayton's vocal projection pierce through at Gimme Shelter's most unsettling moment. Jagger presses on with playing the sex-crazed Pierrot as Clayton literally screams through a microphone. The story of Clayton's involvement has been allegorised frequently. Waking to a call in the middle of the night, hair in curlers, Clayton is requested at the Los Angeles recording studio where the Stones were finalising Let It Bleed. She delivered the most stirring vocals in only two takes. It was another successful turning point for the Rolling Stones and another notch to Clayton's exemplary reputation. Yet, as the Stones rolled, Clayton returned to the shadows.

Stars: Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer, Lou Adler, Stevvi Alexander, Patti Austin, Chris Botti, Carole Childs, Amy Christian, Kyliyah Clayton | Written and Directed by Morgan Neville

Living in a world obsessed with celebrity when a star is singing on the stage it’s often them that get all the attention, neither they nor their managers would have it any other way really. In 20 Feet From Stardom though we take a look at the singers who often stand in the shadows, either happy to just have their chance to sing and do what they love, or maybe sharing a dream that one day they will be that person in the spotlight and fame will be theirs.

In many ways it’s sad that music is becoming too often about the show and less about the voices. The backing singers have a very important job and they often hold the song...

Merry Clayton, famed backup singer featured in 20 Feet From Stardom, was seriously injured in a Los Angeles car accident on Monday, June 16.

Clayton, 65, is known for her work with the Rolling Stones on Gimmie Shelter, not to mention her long resume, which includes singing alongside Ray Charles, Carole King and Lynyrd Skynyrd.

Recently, Clayton was a featured subject in the documentary 20 Feet From Stardom, which won the Oscar for Best Documentary in March.

Merry Clayton "Sustained Severe Injuries"

Clayton’s manager Alan Abrahams posted a statement to her official website alerting fans of Clayton’s condition.

“Merry sustained severe injuries to her lower body, including major trauma to her lower extremities. We are truly grateful that our dear Merry is still with us,” reads the statement.

The statement goes on to thank fans for prayers and well wishes sent Clayton’s way, stating, “She has a long road of recovery...

This is the Pure Movies review of Twenty Feet From Stardom, directed by Morgan Neville and starring Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer, Judith Hill, Claudia Lennear, Darlene Love, Tata Vega and more plus interviews with legends such as Mick Jagger, Sheryl Crow, Bete Midler, Sting, Bruce Springsteen and Stevie Wonder. I gnash at what I’m forced to write, it is meme, a denudation of the language, a declaration of fused dendrites in my Broca’s Area: a cliché—but there is only one term for it. 20 Feet From Stardom, to echo the movie posters, is a ‘feel-good’ film, in the most honest way possible; it is earned.

Radius-twc

Music has had an immensely powerful hold over the human race since before the dawn of civilization. From the Greek philosopher Pythagoras, who believed the the entire universe itself was musical, through to the legendary Frank Zappa who once declared, “Music is the only religion that delivers the goods,” music affects us in a profound way – one which is often difficult to put into words.

Which is why some music documentaries are so enlightening and engaging – they give us a clearer insight into the creative process, allowing us to hear from musicians and artists what it is about music that moves them and guides them in their compositions and performances. The music documentary can reveal something not only about the nature of music itself but it can also take us inside the mind of the performer – it can also illuminate the inner workings of the industry around them – the producers,...

For all the problems that come with the annual awards season frenzy, the great thing about it is that people who aren’t always in the foreground, but who are essential to a production can be appreciated, from sound design to visual effects. It’s fitting then that Twenty Feet From Stardom – a film which puts the spotlight on the backing singers behind some of the greatest musical legends of our time – was deservedly triumphant at the Oscars earlier this month. Directed by Morgan Neville (whose previous documentary subjects include Muddy Waters and Johnny Cash), it has a legitimate case for being the feel-good movie of the year so far.

Neville has assembled a host of ebullient and candid singers to help him chart the rise of backup artists. All hailing from church backgrounds, the focus of the pic is on a handful of female, African-Americans; Darlene Love, Táta Vega,...

After winning the Oscar for Best Documentary earlier this month, Twenty Feet From Stardom finally gets its UK release this week. Turning the spotlight on the lives of backing singers, it’s an inspiring and hugely entertaining pic that gives well-deserving unsung heroes their due. One such heroine is Judith Hill, and we were lucky enough to sit down with her to discuss what it was like making the film, her burgeoning solo career and, most importantly, her favourite Mj tracks. It’s all been transcribed for your reading pleasure below.

Congrats on the Oscars! What was that moment like?

It was so incredible to be at the Oscars. We had no idea that the film was going to do so well. It was just the highest honour.

Was there any specific moment that you knew you wanted to become a solo singer?

Over time it became clear that that...

★★★☆☆It's indomitable personalities and powerhouse voices that shine through in Morgan Neville's enjoyable ode to stellar backing singers, 20 Feet from Stardom (2013). The film scooped the Oscar for Best Documentary at last month's star-studded ceremony and features exactly the blend of glamour, sentiment and toe-tapping music that one might expect to appeal to Academy voters. There may be a more thought-provoking exploration lurking off stage, but it's satisfying to see superstars like Mick Jagger and Bruce Springsteen expressing their appreciation and admiration for the less recognisable - but equally deserving - faces of Merry Clayton, Darlene Love et al.

Director: Morgan Neville; Starring: Darlene Love, Lisa Fischer, Judith Hill, Merry Clayton, Mick Jagger, Bruce Springsteen, Sting, Stevie Wonder; Running time: 91 mins Certificate: 12A

The unsung heroines of the music industry finally get a moment to shine in 20 Feet from Stardom, this year's Oscar winner for Best Documentary. Apart from a cracking soundtrack with lots of feel-good beats (from Lou Reed's 'Walk on the Wild Side' to a stirring new version of 'Lean On Me'), you get a strong sense of the quiet frustration that comes with being a backup vocalist, standing to the side 'shoo-be-doing'.

Merry Clayton is one of the bigger characters, who has been singing backup since the rock 'n' roll era and went on to deliver those immortal lines - "just a shot away" - in the Rolling Stones' hit 'Gimme Shelter'. She's a great raconteur as well, vividly...

This must-see documentary for any fan of modern pop music introduces us to the extraordinary women you didn’t know were behind some of the songs you know by heart. I’m “biast” (pro): nothing

I’m “biast” (con): nothing

(what is this about? see my critic’s minifesto)

Who are the colored girls who, as Lou Reed sang, go “do do-do do-do”? Who is the woman behind that spine-chilling refrain of “Rape, murder / It’s just a shot away / It’s just a shot away” on the Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter”? This fantastic film — from veteran music documentarian Morgan Neville, and a must-see for any fan of modern pop music, from rock to R&B to soul — introduces us to the extraordinary women you didn’t know were behind some of the songs you know by heart. They are mostly black women, many the daughters of ministers...

Morgan Neville introducing 20 Feet From Stardom stars Darlene Love, Judith Hill, Lisa Fischer with RADiUS-twc's co-presidents Tom Quinn and Jason Janego Photo: Anne-Katrin Titze

At the National Board of Review Awards Gala earlier this year, before the Oscar nominations were announced, 20 Feet From Stardom director Morgan Neville, David Heyman, producer of Alfonso Cuarón's Gravity, and screenwriter Terence Winter for Martin Scorsese's The Wolf Of Wall Street, shared with me their favorite fairy tales. All three have since received Academy Award nominations.

20 Feet From Stardom shines the spotlight with insight and intimacy on the careers of Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer, Claudia Lennear and Judith Hill as background singers for the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Wonder, Mick Jagger, Bette Middler, and Sting, with recent interviews. It also features archival performance and studio footage with David Bowie, Talking Heads, the Rolling Stones, Luther Vandross, Ray Charles, Michael Jackson and Phil Spector.

The Academy Awards are a little more than one week away, and for the ladies of Best Documentary nominee “20 Feet From Stardom,” March 2 may be the culmination of more than 50 years in the shadow of the spotlight. Since the film premiered at Sundance in 2013, some of the central characters — Judith Hill, Darlene Love, Lisa Fischer, Tata Vega and Merry Clayton — have seen their lives change dramatically. Beyond a whirlwind of press tours and publicity for “20 Feet From Stardom,” the film has achieved what it set out to accomplish: the ladies who stood in the...

Former backup singers Tata Vega and Merry Clayton took center stage Monday night at an intimate soiree to celebrate the success of Morgan Neville’s Oscar-nominated music documentary 20 Feet From Stardom.

At Herb Alpert’s Vibrato Grill Jazz in Los Angeles, Neville gave a heartfelt speech about the journey of making the documentary, which tells the untold story of the backup singers behind some of the greatest musical acts of the 21st century. In a touching moment before the live music began, Neville thanked the late Gil Friesen, who had the original idea for the documentary and served as producer...

By Scott Feinberg

The Hollywood Reporter

On Tuesday morning, the best documentary feature Oscar nominee 20 Feet From Stardomand those whose stories it features — backup singers Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer,Judith Hill, Darlene Love and Tata Vega – were celebrated by the Young Women’s Christian Association (Ywca) of Greater Los Angeles with the organization’s first Courage to Succeed Award. The presentation of the honor — which was accepted by the film’s director, Morgan Neville, and Vega — took place in the outdoor auditorium of the Ywca-gla’s campus in downtown L.A.

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On Tuesday morning, the best documentary feature Oscar nominee 20 Feet from Stardom and those whose stories it features -- back-up singers Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer, Judith Hill, Darlene Love and Tata Vega -- were celebrated by the Young Women's Christian Association (Ywca) of Greater Los Angeles with the organization's first Courage to Succeed Award. The presentation of the honor -- which was accepted by the film's director, Morgan Neville, and Clayton -- took place in the outdoor auditorium of the Ywca-gla's campus in downtown L.A. The Ywca-gla is a 120-year-old organization dedicated to "eliminating racism and empowering women.

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It’s not surprising that one of the best musically inclined docs of 2013 was pieced together by director Morgan Neville, a filmmaker who over the years has cinematically profiled the likes of Muddy Waters, Hank Williams, Brian Wilson, Ray Charles and so many others. Neville’s latest shows his vast knowledge of rock and roll mythology while highlighting his apt for storytelling economy, digging deep and moving nimbly between subjects yet rarely just glancing an anecdote. This time he’s chosen to unearth those overlooked by history, those whose voices enriched so many classic recordings with layers of youthful soul, yet went unheralded as solo artists, those who will be remembered for living just 20 Feet From Stardom. With expeditious style and an ear for the best mix of relevant tunes, Neville nods to the all important back up singers.

You may not know them by name, but you certainly know their voices.