An Evening With Darlene Love

Vocalist Darlene Love has had a decorated music career. She was a founding member of the Blossoms in 1957, and gained prominence in the 1960s for her song, “He’s a Rebel,” which charted as a No. 1 single in 1962. Additionally, she worked alongside Phil Spector on many occasions and served as a backup singer to celebrated musicians such as Cher. Love took a brief hiatus from music to try her hand at acting, and was featured in all four Lethal Weapon films and debuted on Broadway as Motormouth Maybelle in Hairspray. In 2013 Love starred in the Oscar-winning documentary 20 Feet From Stardom, which highlighted the hit-making contributions of longtime backup singers. Now, Love has had the opportunity to release her first solo LP, Introducing: Darlene Love, with the help of close friend Stevie Van Zandt. The wheels of the project were first set in motion 35 years ago when Van Zandt and Bruce Springsteen saw Love perform at The Roxy in Los Angeles. Van Zandt was moved by her performance and vowed to help Love turn her career around, promising her work if she moved to New York. Although Van Zandt did succeed in getting Love regular work as soon as she arrived in the city, it took years to begin working on her album. Van Zandt recruited top artists to help create Love’s track list, including Springsteen, Elvis Costello and Linda. Set for release on Sept. 18, Introducing: Darlene Love is Love’s first album consisting of secular songs in three decades. Love “wants young people to know who Darlene Love is. (She) has a story to tell.” The GRAMMY Museum welcomes Love to the Clive Davis Theater for an intimate discussion and performance surrounding her career and new album, moderated by Bob Santelli, Executive Director of the GRAMMY Museum.