The title “Twenty Feet from Stardom” implies a missed opportunity at being famous; to be so close and yet so far.  But the business careers of backup singers are by far the least interesting aspect of Morgan Neville‘s documentary.  Where Twenty Feet from Stardom shines is in using the perspective of backup singers to explore music history, race, collaboration, and performance.  Backup singers Darlene Love, Merry Clayton, Lisa Fischer, and Tata Vega share their bittersweet stories of how the business may have kept them down, but that there’s arguably more value in singing as part of a group.  The claim never sounds disingenuous as their passion always rings loud and clear.