For years, many people have only known Darlene Love as that singer who performs “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)” every year on The Late Show with David Letterman. They didn’t know that for years she sang with the biggest names in the music industry, including Elvis Presley, Aretha Franklin and Dionne Warwick. They didn’t know it was her voice on the hit records “He’s a Rebel” and “Da Doo Ron Ron.” And they probably didn’t know the struggles she went through, including cleaning houses to stay financially afloat.
That all changed when Love received a standing ovation at last year’s Academy Awards as she belted out “His Eye is on the Sparrow” while accepting an Oscar for Twenty Feet From Stardom, a documentary about the lives of background singers. Now at 73, Love is in demand. She will attend the Grammy Awards next month for the very first time where Twenty Feet From Stardom is nominated for Best Music Film. OWN has begun production on a movie based on her memoir, which will star Toni Braxton as Love, and this spring she’ll release her first solo album in 16 years.
Produced by E Street Band guitarist Steven Van Zandt, the album will feature songs by Elvis Costello and songwriting duo Cynthia Weil and Barry Mann, who wrote such songs as “You’ve Lost That Loving Feeling” and “Somewhere Out There.” Love says the album is going to let the world know who she is.
