20 feet from stardom film

[steve w]

has anyone seen this? darlene love, merry clayton and tata vega I think its trying to emulate what great talents these ladies had for singing background, but of course its all about the break - I think it hits the UK in February 2014 - but would love to hear if anyone has seen it

[reese]

I saw it a few months back, and enjoyed it very much. There is most likely a thread here with various comments.

[milven]

I saw it during the summer and thought that it was excellent.

Here is the original thread where we discussed it

http://soulfuldetroit.com/showthread...frp%2C+stardom

[brother_love]

I hear that it may be up for an Oscar nomination for best documentary. They started off with 175 films and it's now down to 15 which includes 20 Feet. The next list will be the top 5 nominations.

[stephanie]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tOuvqb4fTQg

I dont know if you all know this but there are a couple of clips on youtube that are having q and a sessions with some of the women from the film just put in 20 feet from stardom @ youtube and you will find them. People are saying if you liked Standing in the Shadows of Motown you will LOVE this!

[stephanie]

Real interesting tale by Ava Cherry!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZiqelB3JpQQ

[stephanie]

Great interview with Merry Clayton she sang on more backgrounds than I thought

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W13VzSJteP4

[brother_love]

Darlene, Merry, Lisa and Judith will be singing the national anthem at the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1st.

[jack020]

On dvd and bluray jan.14, 2014!

[stephanie]

Thanks Jack!

[steve w]

On dvd and bluray jan.14, 2014!

appreciated jack, its on my shopping list

[mr_june]

I saw it also [[Netflix) and liked it very much. I had no idea who they would have in the documentary but sure thought of The Andantes and The Sweet Hearts. I certainly didn't think it would include any of the today's singers but that was cool.

[glencro]

Thank you stephanie for posting the Ava Cherry clip...I thoroughly enjoyed the q&a with her

[brother_love]

http://www.pbs.org/wnet/tavissmiley/...C5UEE.facebook

[chemelr]

It is time for honesty concerning Darlene Love, The Crystals and the Da Doo Ron Ron. I will get straight to the point. Phil Spector stated in August 2012 and December 2013 that Darlene Love had nothing to do with the DDRR. He told this to his wife, Rachelle Spector. That means Darlene did not record a track or sing background on the DDRR. La La Brooks, the former lead singer of The Crystals is the one and only original singer of the DDRR. At that time in history Darlene was at home caring for her newborn son. It is well known that Phil Spector didn’t overwrite tapes – as Darlene claims she was recorded on the DDRR and her voice was later overwritten with La La’s. He kept everything.

Darlene Love wrote a letter to Phil Spector recently asking him to confirm that she sang some part of the DDRR. He didn’t answer her as he knew she didn’t have anything to do with that.

Darlene Love says in the recently released DVD of Twenty Feet From Stardom, words to the effect that The Crystals didn’t want to be friends or close to her. La La Brooks was the only Crystal to have met Darlene in 1963. Dee Dee Kinniebrew, also a Crystal, didn’t meet Darlene until she [[Dee Dee) was 38 years old back in 1983 or 1984. All other members of The Crystals, to this day, have not met Darlene.

The management of La La Brooks contacted Morgan Neville about the fact that Darlene had nothing to do with the DDRR and he was dismayed. He felt Darlene had pulled one on him and he apologized to La La Brooks for this oversight. He also felt badly because he had to pay for the rights to use the DDRR in TFFS. After all a documentary needs to be accurate for the producer to maintain his reputation.

Why is it that from 1963 to 1983, Darlene never said anything about being a part of the DDRR? Darlene started to claim that she sang the DDRR after she was on the Broadway play for Ellie Greenwich. This just happened to coincide with the year that La La Brooks went to Europe to live for a number of years. When La La returned to the US, Shirley Alston-Reeves, formerly of the Shirelles, told La La that Darlene was claiming the DDRR. Dee Dee Kinniebrew who owns the rights to “The Crystals” spent many a radio hour explaining to the host and the public that Darlene did not sing the DDRR.

Darlene’s “friend” Cher was overjoyed to see La La Brooks in a NYC club this past year. La La Brooks stated that she told Cher that Darlene was claiming to sing the DDRR again. Cher smiled and rolled her eyes. The paparazzi was thick and they were unable to carry on their conversation. Best evidence to date is that Cher, Fanita James and Gracia Nitzsche sang background on the DDRR. So Cher should know.

Darlene has enough credit on other things, why is it so important to her to tell everyone that she sang the DDRR in any shape, form or fashion? Does she get added income from saying this? Everyone knows that it is La La Brooks’ voice singing the DDRR. I sang the DDRR in 1963 because I love the song but that doesn’t mean I can take credit for it. Darlene has used excuses that Spector didn’t want to pay her scale or that her name or The Blossoms wouldn’t sell. He did pay for La La to fly from NYC to LA and back, pay her expenses as well as pay her for the session, put her up at the Knickerbocker Hotel in LA, and he had both Sonny and Cher drive her [[La La) around town, to and from the studio, etc, as Sonny worked for Spector and Cher was hoping to get into the business. Spector could have used the money that he spent on La La to pay Darlene but he didn’t.

If this is important to Darlene, why doesn’t she lay out the entire version of her singing the DDRR, either lead or background? She never has presented any evidence. Have her elaborate in detail to the public. All Darlene has ever said is that she sang a track on the DDRR and it was over written with La La’s voice. Again, it is known that Phil did not overwrite or re-use tapes, he kept everything. Even The Wrecking Crew, the musicians on the DDRR, don’t recall Darlene singing any part of the DDRR.

It is really uncouth to claim someone else’s fame. If Darlene believes that strongly that she should get credit for the DDRR, please have her elaborate in detail. I am surprised that to this point, she hasn’t done so.

Another error in Twenty Feet From Stardom is that The Blossoms did not sing background on Betty Everett's Shoop, Shoop Song. The Opals did and the song was recorded by VJ Records in Chicago. The Blossoms sang background when Merry Clayton sang the SSS, which was a flop. The Blossoms sang background when Aretha Franklin sang a cover of the SSS on Shindig. No record was made of this event.

[skooldem1]

I don't recall which blog I stumbled across regarding this. But on it they had La La's facebook entries discussing this in detail. She was not kind to Darlene, and I believe every word she said.

[brother_love]

Spoke to Fanita James today to clear some of these issues at hand. First of all the background vocals on DDRR were sung by Gloria Jones, Cher, Bobby Sheen, Gracia Nitzsche, Darlene and Fanita. Another thing Fanita mentioned was that it was Darlene and Fanita who recorded the background vocals on "It's In His Kiss" and not the Opals. She said it that they both over dubed their vocals on that track.

It is time for honesty concerning Darlene Love, The Crystals and the Da Doo Ron Ron. I will get straight to the point. Phil Spector stated in August 2012 and December 2013 that Darlene Love had nothing to do with the DDRR. He told this to his wife, Rachelle Spector. That means Darlene did not record a track or sing background on the DDRR. La La Brooks, the former lead singer of The Crystals is the one and only original singer of the DDRR. At that time in history Darlene was at home caring for her newborn son. It is well known that Phil Spector didn’t overwrite tapes – as Darlene claims she was recorded on the DDRR and her voice was later overwritten with La La’s. He kept everything.

Darlene Love wrote a letter to Phil Spector recently asking him to confirm that she sang some part of the DDRR. He didn’t answer her as he knew she didn’t have anything to do with that.

Darlene Love says in the recently released DVD of Twenty Feet From Stardom, words to the effect that The Crystals didn’t want to be friends or close to her. La La Brooks was the only Crystal to have met Darlene in 1963. Dee Dee Kinniebrew, also a Crystal, didn’t meet Darlene until she [[Dee Dee) was 38 years old back in 1983 or 1984. All other members of The Crystals, to this day, have not met Darlene.

The management of La La Brooks contacted Morgan Neville about the fact that Darlene had nothing to do with the DDRR and he was dismayed. He felt Darlene had pulled one on him and he apologized to La La Brooks for this oversight. He also felt badly because he had to pay for the rights to use the DDRR in TFFS. After all a documentary needs to be accurate for the producer to maintain his reputation.

Why is it that from 1963 to 1983, Darlene never said anything about being a part of the DDRR? Darlene started to claim that she sang the DDRR after she was on the Broadway play for Ellie Greenwich. This just happened to coincide with the year that La La Brooks went to Europe to live for a number of years. When La La returned to the US, Shirley Alston-Reeves, formerly of the Shirelles, told La La that Darlene was claiming the DDRR. Dee Dee Kinniebrew who owns the rights to “The Crystals” spent many a radio hour explaining to the host and the public that Darlene did not sing the DDRR.

Darlene’s “friend” Cher was overjoyed to see La La Brooks in a NYC club this past year. La La Brooks stated that she told Cher that Darlene was claiming to sing the DDRR again. Cher smiled and rolled her eyes. The paparazzi was thick and they were unable to carry on their conversation. Best evidence to date is that Cher, Fanita James and Gracia Nitzsche sang background on the DDRR. So Cher should know.

Darlene has enough credit on other things, why is it so important to her to tell everyone that she sang the DDRR in any shape, form or fashion? Does she get added income from saying this? Everyone knows that it is La La Brooks’ voice singing the DDRR. I sang the DDRR in 1963 because I love the song but that doesn’t mean I can take credit for it. Darlene has used excuses that Spector didn’t want to pay her scale or that her name or The Blossoms wouldn’t sell. He did pay for La La to fly from NYC to LA and back, pay her expenses as well as pay her for the session, put her up at the Knickerbocker Hotel in LA, and he had both Sonny and Cher drive her [[La La) around town, to and from the studio, etc, as Sonny worked for Spector and Cher was hoping to get into the business. Spector could have used the money that he spent on La La to pay Darlene but he didn’t.

If this is important to Darlene, why doesn’t she lay out the entire version of her singing the DDRR, either lead or background? She never has presented any evidence. Have her elaborate in detail to the public. All Darlene has ever said is that she sang a track on the DDRR and it was over written with La La’s voice. Again, it is known that Phil did not overwrite or re-use tapes, he kept everything. Even The Wrecking Crew, the musicians on the DDRR, don’t recall Darlene singing any part of the DDRR.

It is really uncouth to claim someone else’s fame. If Darlene believes that strongly that she should get credit for the DDRR, please have her elaborate in detail. I am surprised that to this point, she hasn’t done so.

Another error in Twenty Feet From Stardom is that The Blossoms did not sing background on Betty Everett's Shoop, Shoop Song. The Opals did and the song was recorded by VJ Records in Chicago. The Blossoms sang background when Merry Clayton sang the SSS, which was a flop. The Blossoms sang background when Aretha Franklin sang a cover of the SSS on Shindig. No record was made of this event.

[smark21]

I wonder with Darlene's lies being exposed if this will hurt the film's chances at a Best Documentary Oscar?

[brother_love]

Merry Clayton, Tata Vega & Judith Hill will be on Peirs Morgan CNN toinght.

[Ngroove]

It is time for honesty concerning Darlene Love, The Crystals and the Da Doo Ron Ron. I will get straight to the point. Phil Spector stated in August 2012 and December 2013 that Darlene Love had nothing to do with the DDRR. He told this to his wife, Rachelle Spector. That means Darlene did not record a track or sing background on the DDRR. La La Brooks, the former lead singer of The Crystals is the one and only original singer of the DDRR. At that time in history Darlene was at home caring for her newborn son. It is well known that Phil Spector didn’t overwrite tapes – as Darlene claims she was recorded on the DDRR and her voice was later overwritten with La La’s. He kept everything.

Darlene Love wrote a letter to Phil Spector recently asking him to confirm that she sang some part of the DDRR. He didn’t answer her as he knew she didn’t have anything to do with that.

I love Darlene Love's music - but regardless of my love for her's and other singers' songs credited by Spector's production - Spector himself is and has long been, a neurotic, psychotic, paranoid nutjob.

[antceleb12]

It is time for honesty concerning Darlene Love, The Crystals and the Da Doo Ron Ron. I will get straight to the point. Phil Spector stated in August 2012 and December 2013 that Darlene Love had nothing to do with the DDRR. He told this to his wife, Rachelle Spector. That means Darlene did not record a track or sing background on the DDRR. La La Brooks, the former lead singer of The Crystals is the one and only original singer of the DDRR. At that time in history Darlene was at home caring for her newborn son. It is well known that Phil Spector didn’t overwrite tapes – as Darlene claims she was recorded on the DDRR and her voice was later overwritten with La La’s. He kept everything.

Darlene Love wrote a letter to Phil Spector recently asking him to confirm that she sang some part of the DDRR. He didn’t answer her as he knew she didn’t have anything to do with that.

Darlene Love says in the recently released DVD of Twenty Feet From Stardom, words to the effect that The Crystals didn’t want to be friends or close to her. La La Brooks was the only Crystal to have met Darlene in 1963. Dee Dee Kinniebrew, also a Crystal, didn’t meet Darlene until she [[Dee Dee) was 38 years old back in 1983 or 1984. All other members of The Crystals, to this day, have not met Darlene.

The management of La La Brooks contacted Morgan Neville about the fact that Darlene had nothing to do with the DDRR and he was dismayed. He felt Darlene had pulled one on him and he apologized to La La Brooks for this oversight. He also felt badly because he had to pay for the rights to use the DDRR in TFFS. After all a documentary needs to be accurate for the producer to maintain his reputation.

Why is it that from 1963 to 1983, Darlene never said anything about being a part of the DDRR? Darlene started to claim that she sang the DDRR after she was on the Broadway play for Ellie Greenwich. This just happened to coincide with the year that La La Brooks went to Europe to live for a number of years. When La La returned to the US, Shirley Alston-Reeves, formerly of the Shirelles, told La La that Darlene was claiming the DDRR. Dee Dee Kinniebrew who owns the rights to “The Crystals” spent many a radio hour explaining to the host and the public that Darlene did not sing the DDRR.

Darlene’s “friend” Cher was overjoyed to see La La Brooks in a NYC club this past year. La La Brooks stated that she told Cher that Darlene was claiming to sing the DDRR again. Cher smiled and rolled her eyes. The paparazzi was thick and they were unable to carry on their conversation. Best evidence to date is that Cher, Fanita James and Gracia Nitzsche sang background on the DDRR. So Cher should know.

Darlene has enough credit on other things, why is it so important to her to tell everyone that she sang the DDRR in any shape, form or fashion? Does she get added income from saying this? Everyone knows that it is La La Brooks’ voice singing the DDRR. I sang the DDRR in 1963 because I love the song but that doesn’t mean I can take credit for it. Darlene has used excuses that Spector didn’t want to pay her scale or that her name or The Blossoms wouldn’t sell. He did pay for La La to fly from NYC to LA and back, pay her expenses as well as pay her for the session, put her up at the Knickerbocker Hotel in LA, and he had both Sonny and Cher drive her [[La La) around town, to and from the studio, etc, as Sonny worked for Spector and Cher was hoping to get into the business. Spector could have used the money that he spent on La La to pay Darlene but he didn’t.

If this is important to Darlene, why doesn’t she lay out the entire version of her singing the DDRR, either lead or background? She never has presented any evidence. Have her elaborate in detail to the public. All Darlene has ever said is that she sang a track on the DDRR and it was over written with La La’s voice. Again, it is known that Phil did not overwrite or re-use tapes, he kept everything. Even The Wrecking Crew, the musicians on the DDRR, don’t recall Darlene singing any part of the DDRR.

It is really uncouth to claim someone else’s fame. If Darlene believes that strongly that she should get credit for the DDRR, please have her elaborate in detail. I am surprised that to this point, she hasn’t done so.

Another error in Twenty Feet From Stardom is that The Blossoms did not sing background on Betty Everett's Shoop, Shoop Song. The Opals did and the song was recorded by VJ Records in Chicago. The Blossoms sang background when Merry Clayton sang the SSS, which was a flop. The Blossoms sang background when Aretha Franklin sang a cover of the SSS on Shindig. No record was made of this event.

Well, first of all, Spector - as much of a genius as he was - is a total nutjob. For every reason you have to not trust Darlene there are a thousand more not to trust Spector. Secondly, when the Wrecking Crew recorded their parts and when the singers recorded their background parts, it was usually always separate from the lead. This, I know, is fact because backing tracks with various stages of vocals, and without vocals, exist for some of his songs. Thirdly, how do you know Phil never erased any of his stuff? Nobody can know that for certain. In regards to Cher, Cher is more of a friend to Darlene than you imply. Cher has said some marvelous things about Darlene over many years, so I don't feel like anyone has room to speak on behalf of someone else's relationships especially when one doesn't know the people involved. Also, how much detail do you want from Darlene about DDRR? She stated she recorded an initial vocal, but that when they continued with Shindig, Phil got mad and got even [[which he did to so many people throughout his life). Another point - Darlene is on not one, but TWO, hit singles credited to the Crystals, so why is it hard to believe that she COULD HAVE been used initially for DDRR? Frankly, Darlene doesn't make a grand spectacle over the thing, so what does it matter? Maybe she's just remembering incorrectly? Maybe she never recorded it, but she might have been given it to learn. I mean, it's been 50 years, for Pete's sake. As for the Shoop Shoop Song, the only place I have read that the Opals appear on Betty Everett's version is Wikipedia. Nothing I have read is grounds for saying such bad things, and in terms of all the personal stuff, hearsay, about Darlene. The only thing you have against her is DDRR. Nobody's perfect, anyhow. Maybe she did record it, maybe she didn't. Who cares? Whether she did or didn't record it isn't going to change the fact that we have La La's vocal.

[rod_rick]

Well, first of all, Spector - as much of a genius as he was - is a total nutjob. For every reason you have to not trust Darlene there are a thousand more not to trust Spector. Secondly, when the Wrecking Crew recorded their parts and when the singers recorded their background parts, it was usually always separate from the lead. This, I know, is fact because backing tracks with various stages of vocals, and without vocals, exist for some of his songs. Thirdly, how do you know Phil never erased any of his stuff? Nobody can know that for certain. In regards to Cher, Cher is more of a friend to Darlene than you imply. Cher has said some marvelous things about Darlene over many years, so I don't feel like anyone has room to speak on behalf of someone else's relationships especially when one doesn't know the people involved. Also, how much detail do you want from Darlene about DDRR? She stated she recorded an initial vocal, but that when they continued with Shindig, Phil got mad and got even [[which he did to so many people throughout his life). Another point - Darlene is on not one, but TWO, hit singles credited to the Crystals, so why is it hard to believe that she COULD HAVE been used initially for DDRR? Frankly, Darlene doesn't make a grand spectacle over the thing, so what does it matter? Maybe she's just remembering incorrectly? Maybe she never recorded it, but she might have been given it to learn. I mean, it's been 50 years, for Pete's sake. As for the Shoop Shoop Song, the only place I have read that the Opals appear on Betty Everett's version is Wikipedia. Nothing I have read is grounds for saying such bad things, and in terms of all the personal stuff, hearsay, about Darlene. The only thing you have against her is DDRR. Nobody's perfect, anyhow. Maybe she did record it, maybe she didn't. Who cares? Whether she did or didn't record it isn't going to change the fact that we have La La's vocal.

Well stated. I beleive Darlene did record DDRR and her lead vocal was wiped off. It's clear that she recorded quite a few songs credited to the Crystals and other groups.

[brother_love]

Darlene today on the CBS Morning News

http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/darlen...-from-stardom/

[stephanie]

I remember reading in some pop book years ago [[before this became an issue) that Darlenes vocal was wiped out. I want to believe Darlene and I guess this is a big thing because La La wants to protect her legacy. Anyway I hope that this becomes water under the bridge. Good luck Darlene and La La.

[jobeterob]

And people thought the Supremes, the Beatles, the Beach Boys, Paul Revere and the Raiders were bad!

[nysister]

I finally saw the movie over the weekend and I Loved it! Mary Clayton is a powerhouse!
All I can say is that Miss Lisa Fisher is a Badd Lady but in our singers' circle, Lisa is affectionately referred to as "A Beast." What an awesome, awesome lady. Our circle always joke that when we all grow up, we want to be just like Miss Lisa..LOL!

[reese]

Merry Clayton, Judith Hill,and Tata Vega will be sitting in with the Posse on tonight's Arsenio Hall show.

[milven]

I remember reading in some pop book years ago [[before this became an issue) that Darlenes vocal was wiped out. I want to believe Darlene and I guess this is a big thing because La La wants to protect her legacy. Anyway I hope that this becomes water under the bridge. Good luck Darlene and La La.

In this link that Brother Love posted above http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/darlen...-from-stardom/ , at about 2:50, Darlene says that she even sings Da Doo Run Run in her shows , even though it is not her voice on the record

[smark21]

Here's a link to La La Brooks' Facebook page [[open to public viewing). Check her post from January 31 calling out Darlene Love. A couple of weeks later Darlene goes on TV and admits she wasn't on the recorded version. https://www.facebook.com/pages/La-La...32764673447464

[brother_love]

I wonder how Lala felt about going on TV and having to lip-sync to Darlene's vocals?


http://m.arseniohall.com/video/music...iful/index.php

[brother_love]

Darlene Love on The Colbert Report

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-col...4/darlene-love

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-col...-he-s-a-rebel-

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-col...a-doo-ron-ron-

[antceleb12]

Darlene Love on The Colbert Report

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-col...4/darlene-love

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-col...-he-s-a-rebel-

http://www.colbertnation.com/the-col...a-doo-ron-ron-

Great clips! Thanks for sharing, brother. Her voice is still in fine, fine shape!

[jack020]

The movie was shown on Belgian National TV twice this week!

[brother_love]

Darlene talks about her days with the Blossoms and Tom Jones.

http://www.rollingstone.com/music/vi...-clip-20140226

[rrussi]

I have been reading some of the above posts. Cher did sing on Da Doo Ron Ron as she has always stated the first record she sang on was the Ronettes' Be My Baby. Dee Dee Kenniebrew says that they did the backups in NYC after La La had gone to Calif. to record the lead.
Anyway, I did not like20 Feet documentary. Followed no chronological order. Where were the Cookies or the Andantes??? The Cookies sang on so many hits in NYC--Neil Sedaka, Bobby Vee, Eydie Gorme's "Blame It On The Bossa Nova", etc.

There was a group of older women in Phila. connected to the Clara Ward Singers who did backups for Cameo-Parkway artists like Bobby Rydell, Chubby Checker, DD Sharp.

[rrussi]

My computer is skipping letters/words. I meant to say Cher did NOT sing on Da Doo Ron Ron.
Anyway, so many other singers could've been included in 20 Feet. Andantes should have been.

[rrussi]

Also, all the Crystals met Darlene in 1963 when she came to NYC to pose for the Christmas lp photo. They were all together, the who lineup of artists posed together. This is according to DD Kenniebrew. She did not see Darlene again until 1982 at Micki Harris' funeral. Micki was a member of the Shirelles. So, yes, Dee Dee, La La, Barbara Alston and Pat Wright, the four Crystals on the Christmas cover photo all met Darlene at the photo shoot at Three Lions Studio in NYC.

[antceleb12]

Anyway, I did not like20 Feet documentary. Followed no chronological order. Where were the Cookies or the Andantes??? The Cookies sang on so many hits in NYC--Neil Sedaka, Bobby Vee, Eydie Gorme's "Blame It On The Bossa Nova", etc.

There was a group of older women in Phila. connected to the Clara Ward Singers who did backups for Cameo-Parkway artists like Bobby Rydell, Chubby Checker, DD Sharp.

Per the Cookies, they were their own group who had their own hits in their own right. I think the point of the documentary was to showcase the background singers who never found a successful career of their own [[technically, Darlene had her own hits, but only one or two of them were in her own name).

As per the Andantes, I wondered why they weren't in their, but in retrospect, I think they are a lot more known than the Blossoms, Tata Vega, etc. The groups featured in the documentary were very sporadic in who they recorded for - they went from label to label, studio to studio recording for groups all over, and I think the movie wanted to track down their history. The Andantes recorded almost solely for Motown. I guess I don't mind that they weren't in their because there was so much of the other groups and singers I didn't know about. To each their own!

[rrussi]

As per the Cookies, they only had two hits themselves--Chains and Don't Say Nothin' Bad
About My Baby. I don't think the girls who recorded are the girls who recorded.

[antceleb12]

I don't think the girls who recorded are the girls who recorded.

Do you think they had substitute Cookies on the recordings?

[rrussi]

What I meant to say is that I don't think the girls who recorded are the girls who went out and performed as the Cookies. The actual recording group was in a lot of demand.
Don't know why I am having trouble today.

[antceleb12]

What I meant to say is that I don't think the girls who recorded are the girls who went out and performed as the Cookies. The actual recording group was in a lot of demand.
Don't know why I am having trouble today.

Interesting...it wouldn't surprise me. Reminds me of a lot of the fake groups, such as the Raindrops and the Jaynetts.

[rrussi]

Yes, I think the real group had so much session work. I think Ellie did take her sister and another girl, plus a guy named Bobby Bosco out to perform as the Raindrops. I remember a photo of them with Cousin Brucie, I think, at Palisades Park.

[antceleb12]

Yes, I think the real group had so much session work. I think Ellie did take her sister and another girl, plus a guy named Bobby Bosco out to perform as the Raindrops. I remember a photo of them with Cousin Brucie, I think, at Palisades Park.

I can't remember where I read this, but apparently when they performed live, they would have her sister and the other girl lip sync to pre-recorded "live" vocals by Ellie. It's amazing the subterfuge they went through to make it believable. I've always wondered why they just never got another girl...

[brother_love]

http://blog.sfgate.com/thebigevent/2...san-francisco/

[imnokid]

plus a guy named Bobby Bosco out to perform as the Raindrops.

Bobby Bosco from the first incarnation of The Soul Survivors when they had 4 singers?

[rrussi]

Possibly the same guy!

[chemelr]

The Facts: Darlene Love was not in the State of California at the time of the recording of the DDRR. This is from Rachelle Spector who speaks and visits with Phil each week. Darlene Love sent Phil Spector a letter recently asking him to clear up the DDRR. Phil did not answer as he wasn't going to lie for her. Fanita's memory is a little hazy. The background singers according to Phil Spector, and he should know since he co-wrote, managed and produced the DDRR - his word is final, are Fanita, Cher and Gracia Nitzsche. Fanita is dreaming. It is a fact that The Opals were the background singers on the Shoop Shoop Song [[It's In His Kiss) as sung by Betty Everett and recorded by VJ Records on the RECORD. You can view a YouTube video showing The Blossoms singing background on Merry Clayton's failed version of the SSS. I like Fanita but her memory is not correct. I don't get my information from the web, I get it from the people involved. Of course from the horse's mouth is best - here is Darlene Love on CBS's This Morning Show finally admitting that her voice is not on those songs, i.e. DDRR and the SSS. It was MY research that forced into the truth before the thing blew up at the Oscars.

http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/darlen...-from-stardom/

You can skip to the 2:16 mark to hear her admission.

[chemelr]

You can have your opinions but you can't change facts. Rachelle Spector, Phil's 4th wife, runs his enterprise while he is in prison. She has possession and control of all Phil's tapes. I never rely on Wikipedia for anything since I have direct access to the people involved. He did not overwrite tapes. Get with Rachelle and go through them with her. You can bluster all you want but by my research, and providing it to the right people, Darlene Love finally confessed on 17 Feb 2014 on CBS's This Morning, that her voice is not on the DDRR and those songs [[the Shoop Shoop Song, It's In His Kiss). So what are you going to say now? Darlene Love claimed she sang the DDRR for 30 years and it was MY research that forced her hand.

http://www.cbsnews.com/videos/darlen...-from-stardom/

Jump to 2:16 to listen to your girl. Nothing personal, I just have access to people in the industry that you don't.

[chemelr]

Darlene Love only sang He's A Rebel and He's Sure The Boy I love under The Crystals' name. She DID NOT nor did The Blossoms as a group, sing background on any Crystal song. Fanita James was the only member of The Blossoms to sing background on the DDRR.