Morgan Neville

If you're making a film about a band or a songwriter or whomever, there's a publisher, there's a record label, and there are people who are vested interests in that film. But with back-up singers, because they did stuff for everybody, there's no one party that has any vested interest in seeing the story told.

You tend to put your rock stars on pedestals - they seem like they've been there for time immemorial. But you realize that the rock stars have their own rock stars. They were fans and kids once, too.

Harmony singing isn't meant to be done alone.

Being a backup singer means being able to sing on a dime. Music is oozing out of their every pore.

Sometimes we have our perfect foils, or you can call them their bete noir: the person who brings out both the best and the worst in you because you disagree with them so completely. Yet, you understand and respect them enough to give it your all.

TV tends to laud the person with the perfect one-liner rather than the one with the better idea.

I love Memphis, and just being there affects one's outlook.

I love documentaries. I love the format. I've been doing them for a long time.

You make documentaries because you love doing it; it's the only sane reason to make documentaries.

There are a handful of music docs I'd love to do, including David Bowie.

We had an incredible experience on '20 Feet.'

A lot of backup singers are really shy and don't want their life documented. They're not pining to be celebrity. They've had a front-row look at celebrity for a long time, and most people find out it's not for them.