Darlene Love: I Know Where I’ve Been’ puts the singer front and centre at TIFF

TheWrap reports that Avrich’s film had its world premiere on Monday at the Toronto Film Festival. The documentary addresses a long-standing puzzle for music fans: why Darlene Love, a lead singer on landmark recordings such as “He’s a Rebel,” appeared in a film about background singers. TheWrap traces that contradiction to the crediting practices of the 1960s — Love sang lead on several hits but did not always receive top billing — and to the practical reality that, without credit, she spent years supporting herself by singing backup.

According to TheWrap, Avrich assembles the documentary from testimonials, fresh interviews, archival footage and new performance material. The film includes contributions from a wide range of admirers and collaborators named in the review: Paul Schaffer, Steve Van Zandt, Bruce Springsteen, David Letterman, Marc Shaiman and Cher. TheWrap quotes Cher recalling studio sessions, saying “everybody was terrified of her.” The documentary also places Love in different performance contexts — from 1960s television to 1990s Letterman appearances to recent studio sessions — emphasising the consistency of her vocal power.

TheWrap lays out key events from Love’s life that the film covers: born Darlene Wright, she joined the Blossoms and brought gospel inflections to work for artists from Sam Cooke to the Beach Boys, and even appears on the novelty hit “The Monster Mash.” She fell under the influence of producer Phil Spector — described in the review as “brilliant but domineering” and later a convicted murderer — who changed her professional name and used her voice on hits while crediting other groups. Personal hardships included a teenage pregnancy, the loss of a baby and subsequent pregnancy, and later periods when she cleaned houses to make ends meet. Two of her three children spent time in prison, the review notes. Steve Van Zandt encouraged her move back to New York, leading to a showcase at the Bottom Line and to stage work in the musical Leader of the Pack, which helped re-establish her as a leading performer. Regular appearances on David Letterman’s Christmas shows further cemented her profile.

TheWrap’s reviewer describes the documentary as constructed from “the usual parts,” but argues that its potency derives from who it is about rather than how it was made. TheWrap calls Love “a magnificent singer” whose performances are riveting whether on 1960s television, Letterman in the 1990s or recent studio sessions. The review highlights new recordings in the film — including renditions of “We Can Work It Out,” “He’s a Rebel,” “A Fine, Fine Boy,” “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home),” “River Deep Mountain High” and the recent anthem “I Know Where I’ve Been” — and describes the film as ultimately celebratory. Noting Love’s age, TheWrap adds that at 85 she still appears to have “more where that came from.”