- Bruce Springsteen: The Spector records and, it's funny, that was the sound we tried to capture ourselves for many, many years and did not - because we didn't realize it was the sound of youth - of very young people. And, there, Darlene not only had the incredible personality, but, she was a vocal powerhouse. She captures, whatever it is, she captures that particular sound.
- Lynn Mabry: Backup singers just bring so much more life to the situation. When a voice opens up, there comes the life. That's when its a person to person connection.
- Janice Pendarvis: You don't hold on necessarily to your individual vocal persona. Cause you're trying to get your persona to blend and mesh with the other voices. That's awesome!
- Janice Pendarvis: There's a power to what it is that we do. No one, till right now, has publicly acknowledged it. But people love to see the background singers. I mean, when you think about - Lou Reed "Walk on the Wild Side" - you know, that iconic song with the line that makes a lot of people uncomfortable because it says: colored girls. But, what is he referencing, when he says, "and the colored girls sing: do do-do do-do do-do do"? The fact that there's a power to these women, can stand on on stage and sing with these guys.
- Jo Lawry: There's something that happens when you lock in with somebody and all the harmonics ping and, I mean, if you don't like that, what do you like?
- [first lines]
- Bruce Springsteen: It's a bit of a walk, you know, from, you know, back by the drummer or over here. That walk to the front is complicated... Singing background for me it's just somewhat unheralded position, you know. So, people make that leap... It's almost more of a mental leap than just a physical act of singing. It's a conceptional leap and if you can comfortably come up with it, you know, then, you may find a spot out there... But, I know tremendous backup singers, who just aren't comfortable in that position. You have that narcissism, you have that ego... It can be a pretty long walk.
- Sting: It's not a level playing field. It never is a level playing field and you go into life understanding that. It's not about fairness. It's not really about talent, you know. It's - circumstance. It's luck. It's - destiny. I don't know what it is. But, the best people - deal with that.
- Todd Boyd: [referring to Ray Charles] He's the minister. The Raylettes are the choir. He brings that same church format to playing popular music. Yet, he's singing about - sex.
- Lisa Fischer: You're a little feather. And somebody just said: whoo! And you just go. Just go. You never fall. You never hit your head. You just kind of land. That's what it feels like to me.
- Lisa Fischer: I love melodies. I'm in love with the sound vibration and and and what it does with other people. It's familiar, but, it's so special and you're just so happy when you get there. And - you try to stay there for as long as you can.
- Mable John: I see these kids on this slide, I said, "Oh child, he think he got that from - James Brown." I said, "Oh, that came from one of my pastors."
- David Lasley: As for background singers they would like you to come in, make things sound great, take very little credit, and go home quickly.
- Claudia Lennear: [referring to George Harrison's 'Concert for Bangladesh'] That show was just something that was cosmic. If you were there to experience it, it will be something you will take to the grave.
- Bill Maxwell: The human voice is the most pure expression coming from your own being. There's nothing between your soul and your ability and your body, and it's not being camouflaged by a trumpet or a saxophone or a guitar. It's pure. And that's why they're so sensitive about it. Because, they're putting it out there.
- Janice Pendarvis: When you think about the history of pop music and all the memorable hooks that people sing along with, they're singing with us most of the time. Because, that's what we do on records. We come in and sing the hooks.
- Bruce Springsteen: When I first met Luther Vandross, I went down to Philadelphia. David Bowie invited me down in 1973 - to hear, he was recording the "Young Americans". And I had one record out and he'd cut a couple of my songs. And, so, it was tremendously exciting. I took the bus to Philadelphia. And I went into the studio and I met David and I met the band - and Luther Vandross was one of the backup singers in David Bowie's Young American's band... Well, you know, it was just fabulous, you know. And it was David Bowie's soul record, in that sense. And he called on those voices that were rooted in the church to bring that in. Cause they bring a *world* with them. A *world* with them.
- Charlotte Crossley: [referring to Luther Vandross] Luther was a background singer and a jingo singer in New York. Back in those days, Luther was very heavy, wore three-piece suits, sweatin' like a pig, singin' like an angel.
- Stevie Wonder: In these times we are living in now, a lot of it is based on so many other things that have nothing to do with music. But, you know, at the end of the day, it's up to you to affect that gift that you've been given. Put your spirit into that song. Focus on the words that you're singing. Get into the experience of what you are singing about. And sing your heart out.
- Lisa Fischer: Some people will do anything to be famous. And then there are other people who just - will sing. It's not about anything except being in this special space with people and that is really the higher - calling, to me.
- Claudia Lennear: [referring to Mick Jagger and David Bowie] Mick and I had a very special relationship - and we used to have so much fun.
- [giggles]
- Claudia Lennear: We used to have *so* much fun, just doing silly things: dressing in each others clothes, just crazy, wacky stuff... You know, Mick has this bad boy image and David had his androgynous look, but, first and foremost, they were just all really *sweet*.
- Mable John: We in the music industry, especially African-American people, need to know - our worth. We need to know - as women, we're important. And I think the breakdown is when a woman doesn't know who she is and she settle for less. Check out your worth, because you're worth more than that.
- Merry Clayton: It was weird. It was happy, musically; but, it was a sad time... I think Clyde King called me for that session, she said, "You know, there's this guy's name is Lynyrd Skynyrd." I said, "Really?" She said, "Yes and he wants to do this song called, "Sweet Home Alabama". I said, "Alabama? Honey, nobody wants to sing anything about Alabama?" I certainly didn't want to sing anything about Alabama... My husband was 19 years older than I was. He said, "Oh, you need to sing, "Sweet Home, Alabama." And, I said, "Well, why?" He said, "You'll understand later in life." He said, "Right now you don't understand. Merry you're young. You don't really understand"... It was basically like a slap in the face. Ha-ha, Sweet Home Alabama. We got your sweet home, Alabama... Well, we gonna sing you anyway and we gonna sing the crap out of you.
- Warren Zanes: In a strange way, the gulf between the lead singer and that group of backup singers couldn't be wider. You're going into a group format where you sacrifice individuality in order to arrive at that blend. The blend is something that's not just infectious for the listener, its the transformative experience for the singer. And some people just want to stay there.
- Darlene Love: Every time you get up, you might fall down; but, you got to get back up again, you know. And, believe me when I tell you, it's not easy.
- Darlene Love: [singing] Lean on me
- Jo Lawry, Judith Hill, Lisa Fischer: Lean on me
- Darlene Love: When you're not strong
- Jo Lawry, Judith Hill, Lisa Fischer: Lean on me
- Darlene Love: And I'll be your friend, I'll help you carry on, For
- Jo Lawry, Judith Hill, Lisa Fischer: Lean on me
- Darlene Love: It won't be long
- Jo Lawry, Judith Hill, Lisa Fischer: Lean on me
- Darlene Love: Till I'm gonna need, Somebody
- Darlene Love, Jo Lawry, Judith Hill, Lisa Fischer: To lean on...
- Sting: Real musicians - there's a spiritual component to what they do. It's got nothing to do with worldly success. Their music is much more within a journey. Any other success is just cream on the cake.
- Lisa Fischer: I want to be able to walk the streets and not have to worry about, you know, putting on sunglasses and hidin' out and, you know, the tits up in the air, you know, I just - I - I just - I'm not feelin' it. I'm just not feelin' it.
- Darlene Love: The only thing that I thought I could do and make a little money to survive, you know, I started cleaning houses. "Not the great Darlene Love? She's not doing cleaning houses?" I said, "Yes, the great Darlene Love is. She is cleaning houses." One particular Christmas, I was cleaning this lady's bathroom. And, "Christmas, Baby, Please Come Home," my Christmas record came on the radio while I was cleaning this bathroom. And I just looked up and said, "Okay. Alright, Darlene. This is not where you're supposed to be. You're supposed to be singing. There's a whole world out there who wants to hear you sing."
- Merry Clayton: So, it was like very late at night and I was very - you know, pregnant. I had curlers and the whole thing in my hair and I was ready to go to bed. And we got a call, "Merry, there's a group of guys in town called Rolling... Rolling Somebodies and they're from England and they need somebody that will sing with them." They picked me up, with silk pajamas on, a mink coat, and a Chanel scarf on my head... I said, "What? Rape. Murder. It's just a shot away." I started to sing, "Oh, children, It's just a shot away, It's just a shot away" with Mick... They said, "You want to do another one?" I said, "Sure, I'll do another one"... So, I said to myself, "Mm-hmm. I'm going to do another one. Blow them out of this room."
- [laughs]
- Merry Clayton: I went it again and I did a pass on the the part that says, "Rape! Murder! It's just a shot away!" So, I had to go up another octave. Yeah!
- Táta Vega: It's more than just leaning on your talent. You gotta be disciplined. You gotta get up in the morning. You gotta go do it. Opportunities knocking. Open the door. Get goin', kiddo!
- Mable John: We have a gift. We can hear a song and find our point and harmonize with it. Children on the corners doin' it. Little babies do it when they learn to sing. It's the gift coming out. Now, what you do with the gift - is you.