Sundance photos: Backup singers Clayton, Hill, Vega part of scene for 'Twenty Feet from Stardom'

Red-carpet premiere • "Twenty Feet from Stardom" screens in the U.S. Documentary competition.

Kim Raff | The Salt Lake Tribune
Singer Tata Vega is photographed on the red carpet for the premiere of "Twenty Feet From Stardom" at the Eccles Theatre during opening night of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City on January 17, 2013.

Kim Raff | The Salt Lake Tribune
Singer Judith Hill is photographed on the red carpet for the premiere of "Twenty Feet From Stardom" at the Eccles Theatre during opening night of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City on January 17, 2013.

Kim Raff | The Salt Lake Tribune
Singer Merry Clayton is photographed on the red carpet for the premiere of "Twenty Feet From Stardom" at the Eccles Theatre during opening night of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City on January 17, 2013.

Kim Raff | The Salt Lake Tribune
(from left) Director Morgan Neville, Merry Clayton, Judith Hill, Tata Vega and producer Caitrin Rogers are photographed on the red carpet for the premiere of "Twenty Feet From Stardom" at the Eccles Theatre during opening night of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City on January 17, 2013. The three women are all singers featured in the documentary.

Kim Raff | The Salt Lake Tribune
(from left) Director Morgan Neville, Merry Clayton, Judith Hill, and Tata Vega are photographed on the red carpet for the premiere of "Twenty Feet From Stardom" at the Eccles Theatre during opening night of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City on January 17, 2013. The three women are all singers featured in the documentary.

Kim Raff | The Salt Lake Tribune
Singer Judith Hill is photographed on the red carpet for the premiere of "Twenty Feet From Stardom" at the Eccles Theatre during opening night of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City on January 17, 2013.

Kim Raff | The Salt Lake Tribune
Singer Tata Vega is photographed on the red carpet for the premiere of "Twenty Feet From Stardom" at the Eccles Theatre during opening night of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City on January 17, 2013.

Kim Raff | The Salt Lake Tribune
Festival director John Cooper is photographed with director Morgan Neville on the red carpet for the premiere of Neville's documentary "Twenty Feet From Stardom" at the Eccles Theatre during opening night of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City on January 17, 2013.

Kim Raff | The Salt Lake Tribune
Singer Merry Clayton is photographed on the red carpet for the premiere of "Twenty Feet From Stardom" at the Eccles Theatre during opening night of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City on January 17, 2013.

Kim Raff | The Salt Lake Tribune
Singer Judith Hill is photographed on the red carpet for the premiere of "Twenty Feet From Stardom" at the Eccles Theatre during opening night of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City on January 17, 2013.

Kim Raff | The Salt Lake Tribune
(from left) Merry Clayton, Judith Hill, and Tata Vega are photographed on the red carpet for the premiere of "Twenty Feet From Stardom" at the Eccles Theatre during opening night of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City on January 17, 2013. The three women are all singers featured in the documentary.

Kim Raff | The Salt Lake Tribune
(middle) Merry Clayton hugs festival director (left) John Cooper as (right) Judith Hill looks on while being photographed on the red carpet for the premiere of "Twenty Feet From Stardom" at the Eccles Theatre during opening night of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City on January 17, 2013. The women are singers featured in the film.

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Kim Raff | The Salt Lake Tribune Singer Tata Vega is photographed on the red carpet for the premiere of "Twenty Feet From Stardom" at the Eccles Theatre during opening night of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City on January 17, 2013. Kim Raff | The Salt Lake Tribune Singer Judith Hill is photographed on the red carpet for the premiere of "Twenty Feet From Stardom" at the Eccles Theatre during opening night of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City on January 17, 2013. Kim Raff | The Salt Lake Tribune Singer Merry Clayton is photographed on the red carpet for the premiere of "Twenty Feet From Stardom" at the Eccles Theatre during opening night of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City on January 17, 2013. Kim Raff | The Salt Lake Tribune (from left) Director Morgan Neville, Merry Clayton, Judith Hill, Tata Vega and producer Caitrin Rogers are photographed on the red carpet for the premiere of "Twenty Feet From Stardom" at the Eccles Theatre during opening night of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City on January 17, 2013. The three women are all singers featured in the documentary. Kim Raff | The Salt Lake Tribune (from left) Director Morgan Neville, Merry Clayton, Judith Hill, and Tata Vega are photographed on the red carpet for the premiere of "Twenty Feet From Stardom" at the Eccles Theatre during opening night of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City on January 17, 2013. The three women are all singers featured in the documentary. Kim Raff | The Salt Lake Tribune Singer Judith Hill is photographed on the red carpet for the premiere of "Twenty Feet From Stardom" at the Eccles Theatre during opening night of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City on January 17, 2013. Kim Raff | The Salt Lake Tribune Singer Tata Vega is photographed on the red carpet for the premiere of "Twenty Feet From Stardom" at the Eccles Theatre during opening night of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City on January 17, 2013. Kim Raff | The Salt Lake Tribune Festival director John Cooper is photographed with director Morgan Neville on the red carpet for the premiere of Neville's documentary "Twenty Feet From Stardom" at the Eccles Theatre during opening night of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City on January 17, 2013. Kim Raff | The Salt Lake Tribune Singer Merry Clayton is photographed on the red carpet for the premiere of "Twenty Feet From Stardom" at the Eccles Theatre during opening night of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City on January 17, 2013. Kim Raff | The Salt Lake Tribune Singer Judith Hill is photographed on the red carpet for the premiere of "Twenty Feet From Stardom" at the Eccles Theatre during opening night of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City on January 17, 2013. Kim Raff | The Salt Lake Tribune (from left) Merry Clayton, Judith Hill, and Tata Vega are photographed on the red carpet for the premiere of "Twenty Feet From Stardom" at the Eccles Theatre during opening night of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City on January 17, 2013. The three women are all singers featured in the documentary. Kim Raff | The Salt Lake Tribune (middle) Merry Clayton hugs festival director (left) John Cooper as (right) Judith Hill looks on while being photographed on the red carpet for the premiere of "Twenty Feet From Stardom" at the Eccles Theatre during opening night of the Sundance Film Festival in Park City on January 17, 2013. The women are singers featured in the film.

· January 18, 2013 9:39 am

This is an archived article that was published on sltrib.com in 2013, and information in the article may be outdated. It is provided only for personal research purposes and may not be reprinted.

'Twenty Feet from Stardom' screened Thursday at the opening-night Sundance premiere in Park City. Director Morgan Neville and backup singers featured in the documentary hit the red carpet, including:

Merry Clayton • who sang on Carole King's "Tapestry" and Lynryd Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama," and is most famous for being featured prominently in The Rolling Stones' frightening powerhouse "Gimme Shelter."

Judith Hill • who was booked to back-up Michael Jackson on his "This Is It" concert series at London's O2 Arena before Jackson's death. She ended up performing as a lead vocalist in Michael Jackson's memorial service, with an estimated one billion people watching her sing "Heal the World." —

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