⬇️ MERRY CLAYTON ⬇️
BIOGRAPHY
Merry Clayton (born December 25, 1948, Gert Town, New Orleans,
Louisiana) is an American soul and gospel singer (both solo and
back-up), and an actress. She has provided a number of back-up vocal
tracks to songs recorded by major performing artists during the 1960s,
most notably with her duet with Mick Jagger on The Rolling Stones song
"Gimme Shelter".
(2CD)
Merry Clayton (born December 25, 1948, Gert Town, New Orleans,
Louisiana) is an American soul and gospel singer (both solo and
back-up), and an actress. She has provided a number of back-up vocal
tracks to songs recorded by major performing artists during the 1960s,
most notably with her duet with Mick Jagger on The Rolling Stones song
"Gimme Shelter".
Clayton began her recording career in 1962 at the age of fourteen,
singing "Who Can I Count On? (When I Can't Count On You)" as a duet with
Bobby Darin on his album "You're The Reason I'm Living". A year later, she
recorded the first version of "The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss)",
although it was Betty Everett's version of the same year that reached the
top 10 in the Billboard Hot 100.
Her early career included performances with artists including Ray Charles
(as one of The Raelettes), Pearl Bailey, Elvis Presley, Phil Ochs, and
Burt Bacharach. In 1971 she co-wrote the song "Sho' Nuff", which is about
her mother. She contributed vocals to Nicholas Roeg's 1968 film
Performance.
Clayton also sang backup on several tracks from Neil Young's debut album
Neil Young, originally released in 1968.
She is best known for her 1969 performance in a duet with Mick Jagger on
the Rolling Stones song "Gimme Shelter". (Originally, the Stones had
intended to have Bonnie Bramlett sing, but Bramlett was not available,
possibly due to illness.) Clayton also sang backing vocals on Lynyrd
Skynyrd's "Sweet Home Alabama". Also, early in her career, Clayton sang
backup vocals for Tom Jones, Joe Cocker ("Feelin' Alright") and Carole
King.
She also originated the role of the Acid Queen in the original 1972
London production of The Who's Tommy. More recently, Clayton has provided
background vocals for Sparta's latest album Threes on the songs "Atlas"
and "Translation". As an actress, she co-starred with Ally Sheedy in the
1987 film Maid to Order, and played Verna Dee Jordan in the final season
of Cagney and Lacey.
In 1970, Clayton recorded her own version of "Gimme Shelter," and it
became the title track of her debut solo album, released that year. Her
version would be the first of five singles under her name to crack the
Billboard Hot 100, reaching #73. She continued to release solo albums
throughout the next decade, notching several minor R'n'B singles. Clayton
performs a live version of what has been deemed the Black National Anthem
Lift Every Voice and Sing, on the soundtrack for the 1970 Robert Altman
film Brewster McCloud.
Clayton sang "You're Always There When I Need You," the main title for
1980's The Nude Bomb, the first Get Smart movie, which starred Don Adams.
She also sang the song "Yes" that was in the 1987 film Dirty Dancing, and
featured on the soundtrack album. This tune became her biggest hit to date
to crack the Billboard Hot 100, peaking at #45 in 1988. She also recorded
backing vocals for and sang the infamous 'Man with the Golden Gun' bridge
on Tori Amos's 1994 hit, "Cornflake Girl".