Tears of joy, sorrow, and laughter could be heard aloud by way of sniffles and giggles during the screening in Austin of Miss Sharon Jones!, a documentary by Barbara Kopple. If you’re not familiar with Sharon Jones then you’ve done yourself a huge disservice! She’s the kinetic voice you hear leading the Dap Kings on songs like Retreat! and Stranger To My Happiness.
The Dap Kings’ unique brand of 60’s style funk and soul draws audiences of all ages and cultures. “They said I was too fat, too black, too short, and too old…and look at me now!” says Sharon in the movie. But what she, her bandmates, and her fans didn’t know was that Miss Sharon Jones would be thrown a curveball bringing everything to a screeching halt.
They said I was too fat, too black, too short, and too old…and look at me now!
In 2013, Jones was diagnosed with stage 2 pancreatic cancer; the shows stopped while Jones focused on getting better. Throughout the film, we witness her strength, recovering from surgery and intensive chemotherapy treatments, as well as her truths about this devastating experience. We are also privy to the band’s interpretation of what Jones went through.
Many members of the Dap Kings were financially destitute during Jone’s recovery but they never let that get in the way of her healing. It was clear that Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings were more than bandmates…they were family, counting down the days together until they would reunite.
On-screen, Jones admits to being fatigued and forgetful concerning her lyrics, but all in all, she remains the powerhouse she’s always been. What an amazing thing to have gotten to know Miss Jones through one of the lowest points in her life, and watch as her faith propelled her to better health. She is well on her way to new heights, scoring a Grammy along the way for her album, Give The People What They Want.”
We’re all a little more hopeful of our own futures for having seen Miss Sharon Jones!
Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings are next scheduled to perform at the Whitehouse on Mon Oct 3 as a part of the inaugural SXSL Event. Visit her website for the latest information about their upcoming shows and future screenings of the documentary.
