As Black History Month comes to an end, Gurus Magazine wanted to take a moment to highlight one of music’s greatest treasures. An American musical icon, actress, singer, Grammy Award winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer whose talent reigns supreme today, the legendary Darlene Love. In her sixty-year career, Darlene Love, born Darlene Wright, has withstood the test of time gifting us with classics like “Christmas (Baby Please Come Home).” Overcoming adversity, including struggling to find work as a Black singer in the 60s to working as a cleaner to make ends meet – a true testament to her resilience amidst personal and societal challenges. At the golden age of 82 years, Darlene sits down with GURUS Editor-in-Chief, Derek Warburton, to share her truth, passion and authenticity.
What is your TRUTH?
My truth that people probably don’t know is that I have so much faith. God, if it wasn’t for that, I tell you the truth I wouldn’t be in this business.
So, I had to go through bad times and get myself through it. I didn’t have anybody at that time I could depend on and I had to feed my children. My idea was to do what I had to do to keep my head above water during that time. I worked with my girlfriend as a cleaner. Nobody really knew anything about how I worked for her. If I had an audition or something like that, she would let me go and nobody we knew, knew what was going on except the people that we were close too. Nobody knew how deep it had gotten. I always kept my head up and proud.
What is your PASSION?
I wake up in the morning, and meditate in a quiet time. Laughing is my passion, and you know I have a gut laugh honey. I’m such a happy-go-lucky person and I’m not fake. Even with people that are in my audience when I’m performing, I want them to feel what I’m feeling. That’s my biggest passion for them to really go home and say I like she was singing just to me. That is my passion to really give what I feel in my heart while I’m singing to you.
What is your AUTHENTICITY?
I met Cher when she was 17 years old. I met her because of Sonny Bono. He brought her to one of our recording sessions with Phil Spector. Our friendship ended up being so real. This year she called me and said, “I’m doing my first Christmas album. I told them I can’t do Christmas Baby Please Come Home without Darlene Love.”
She calls me on the phone and she says “Hey, doll, this is Cher.” I haven’t talked to her on the phone in years and then I knew it was really her when she said, “It’s Cher, bitch!” I thought oh yeah. That’s you, “Hey, baby. What’s up?” There is not a fake bone in that woman’s body, that is why she is my friend!
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I can also call Stevie Van Zandt my friend because when we get together, it’s all real. I surround myself with real people. This is me; I am real all the time. You have to really let them know you. This is me and I don’t know how to be anything else.
