The story of singer Darlene Love, the vocal powerhouse behind songs like “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home) and “(Today I Met) The Boy I’m Gonna Marry,” is finally getting its time in the spotlight thanks to an all-new documentary that is full of surprises about the R&B songstress who has made it her business to keep a low profile.
The forthcoming film, “Darlene Love: I Know Where I’ve Been,” produced by Taraji P. Henson, alongside Mark Selby and Barry Avrich, recently made its world premiere at this year’s Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF). Based on the initial reviews and social media reactions, the project is filled with surprising tidbits about the once-hidden singer’s time in the industry, including her personal life.
Because we know how much you love a good story, we’re sharing some of the documentary’s most interesting revelations. Keep reading to see what we found out!
Darlene Had A Secret Interracial Romance
In one of the biggest reveals of the documentary, Love spilled some serious tea about her secret relationship with Righteous Brothers singer Bill Medley in the 1960s, as noted by PEOPLE. The two were apparently an item for three years during a time when interracial romances could be especially dangerous in certain parts of the country. But neither the law nor societal pressures would be the cause of their split.
After Love became pregnant with Medley’s child, she ultimately decided to have an abortion, though he didn’t want the same. That decision subsequently sent her into a deep depression, adding another complicated chapter to a life that was already filled with professional highs and other personal struggles. The only silver lining is that Love had two other young sons from a previous marriage to raise.
Related: Darlene Love at 85: Soul Icon Stuns Fans With Youthful Look
Frank Sinatra May Have Helped Darlene Get Her Son Back
In the film, Love recalls a 1974 dispute with her then-husband, Wesley Mitchell. The fight escalated after Mitchell took their 3-month-old son, Jason, and left without telling Love where they were. Desperate for help, Love called her friend Nancy Sinatra, who then allegedly made another phone call that helped locate Mitchell and get the baby back.
“Without naming any names, she made a phone call, and they found where he was staying,” Love said, per Entertainment Weekly. “And he was so frightened when that happened because nobody knew where he was. He called my mother and said, ‘I think your daughter’s trying to kill me. So I think I better take the baby back home.’”
After receiving the phone call, Mitchell was apparently so scared that he returned their son to Love and called it quits.
“Within a few hours, I had Jason back, and it’s over. The marriage is over,” Love shared.
Darlene Lended Her Voice to More Songs Than You Think
While Love’s Christmas hit may be the song that most people will immediately recognize, the doc makes it clear that that was by design, as evidenced by certain moves her former collaborator Phil Spector made back then.
The truth of the matter is, Love was actually the lead singer on The Crystals’ 1960s hit songs “He’s A Rebel” and “He’s Sure the Boy I Love.” Her voice can also be heard in the background of songs by The Ronettes, like “Be My Baby,” and others like “That’s Life” by Frank Sinatra, “River Deep, Mountain High” by Ike & Tina Turner, “You’ve Lost That Lovin’ Feelin’” by The Righteous Brothers, and countless more. Thankfully, her efforts were eventually recognized, leading to Love’s induction into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2011.
