Merry Clayton

From HitStory, the pop encyclopedia of School of Rock · Artist

Merry Clayton is an American soul and gospel singer, born in 1948 in New Orleans. She got her first name because she was born on Christmas Day. She grew up in the New Zion Baptist Church, where her father was a minister. After moving to Los Angeles she met members of the Blossoms, who persuaded her to choose music. Her recording career began in 1962, at the age of fourteen, with a duet with Bobby Darin on his album You're the Reason I'm Living. In 1963 she recorded the first released version of The Shoop Shoop Song (It's in His Kiss).

Music and breakthrough

She became famous for her duet with Mick Jagger on Gimme Shelter by the Rolling Stones, in 1969. According to Jagger, they asked her more or less by chance in the middle of the night in Los Angeles, because the band wanted a woman for the chorus. In 1970 she recorded a version of her own, which became the title of her first solo album. In 1972 she played the Acid Queen in the first London production of Tommy by The Who. She sang on Oh My My by Ringo Starr, on Sweet Home Alabama by Lynyrd Skynyrd and on Rock Creek Park by The Blackbyrds. She can also be heard with, among others, Carole King, Joe Cocker, Linda Ronstadt, Tom Jones and Neil Young. Later came albums such as Emotion in 2004 and Beautiful Scars in 2021.

Influence

Her strength lies in her gospel voice, which can lift a song from the background. The documentary 20 Feet from Stardom, which won an Oscar, shows how important backing singers are to popular music, and Clayton is at its centre.

Listening

Discography

Studio albums

• 1970Gimme Shelter
• 1971Merry Clayton
• 1975Keep Your Eye on the Sparrow
• 2004Emotion
• 2021Beautiful Scars

See also

• Merry Clayton