In 2013, Darlene Love became one of the breakout stars of the acclaimed backup singer music doc “20 Feet From Stardom,” winning a Grammy for her work in the film. Thirteen years later, she’s closing that 20-foot gap and getting her own doc with “Darlene Love: I Know Where I’ve Been,” which premiered at TIFF this weekend.
“When you think about her voice and you think about her career, it’s the alchemy of the greats,” director Barry Avrich told TheWrap’s Steve Pond before the premiere. “From Aretha to Diana to Sarah Vaughan, it’s just all there. Who can sing all of that? And at 85 years old, to still make the wallpaper roll down off the walls, and that’s what’s going to happen at our premiere.”
“I Know Where I’ve Been” follows the highs and lows of Love’s long career, going back to the 60s when she got her start under producer Phil Spector with the song “He’s a Rebel” before providing her voice on a variety of songs including The Ronettes’ “Be My Baby” and Boris Pickett’s Halloween classic “Monster Mash.”
But after she put her career on hold to raise a family and ended up cleaning homes in Beverly Hills to make ends meet, she made a comeback in the 1980s and has since worked with the likes of Bruce Springsteen, Cher, Paul Shaffer and Taraji P. Henson, who is an executive producer on this doc.
“All the odds were stacked against her, and she still prevailed. That’s inspiration. That’s a story that is needed now, and I think the universe lined it up this way,” Henson said. “She’s a fan of mine. I’m a fan of hers, and this is what it looks like when a perfect storm comes together. I’ll do everything in my power to make sure she gets all of her flowers, cause it drove me insane to see what she went through.”
Love said that making the doc was a validating experience for her seeing so many of the famous artists she worked with over the years coming back for interviews and talking about how much they valued her talent.
“In the film, I say this about me, and I didn’t always say it: It’s my turn,” she said.
“Darlene Love: I Know Where I’ve Been” is currently seeking distribution.
