<LINK to related Spotify playlist: .
Merry Clayton Steals The Show>
From Terri Gross‘s 2013 interview on NPR’s Fresh Air radio program, we learn that it was Bobby Darin who had signed Merry Clayton to Capitol Records when the New Orleans-born vocalist was barely fifteen years old. And yes, it was Clayton’s moving vocal performance on “Gimme Shelter” by The Rolling Stones — who was heavy with child at the time and only agreed to this impromptu late-night recording session due to the assurances of producer Jack Nitzsche — that helped her gain entree into rock stardom. Gross’s interview references but a few of the artists whose recordings have received a musical boost thanks to Clayton’s vocal gifts: .Peggy Lee, Ray Charles, James Taylor, Elvis Presley, The Bee Gees, The Supremes, and The Blossoms with Darlene Love.
Clayton, sister of future Little Feat percussionist, Sam Clayton, would make her professional debut in 1962 at the age of fourteen in a countrypolian-flavored duet with Darin entitled, “Who Can I Count On (When I Can’t Count On You).” As a solo artist for Capitol Records, Clayton would record the first version of “It’s In His Kiss (The Shoop Shoop Song)” in 1963, although Betty Everett’s version for Vee Jay the following year would end up being the hit.
1963 EP
This veteran vocalist — one of the original Raelets, famed backing ensemble for Ray Charles — has since left her mark on a remarkable range of recordings by such artists as Buffalo Springfield (1967’s “Expecting To Fly“); Neil Young (1968’s “The Old Laughing Lady“); Joe Cocker (1969’s “Delta Lady” & “Feelin’ Alright” plus 1974’s “I Can Stand A Little Rain“); Allen Toussaint (1970’s “From a Whisper to a Scream“); B.B. King (1970’s “Hummingbird“); Odetta (1970’s “Every Night“); Jesse Ed Davis (1970’s “Washita Love Child” & 1972’s “Sue Me Sue You Blues“); Bernard Krause (“Turner’s Murder” from 1970s’ Performance film soundtrack); Ron Davies (1970’s “It Ain’t Easy“); Mylon (1970’s “Contemplation“); Bonnie Owens (1970’s “I Saw The Light“); Pacific Gas & Electric (1970’s “Are You Ready“); Buffy Sainte-Marie (1971’s “She Used To Wanna Be A Ballerina“); Carole King (1971’s “Smackwater Jack” & 1972’s “Back To California“); Linda Ronstadt (1971’s “I Won’t Be Hangin’ Round“); Kate Taylor (1971’s “Ballad of a Well Known Gun“); Barbra Streisand (1971’s “Free the People“); Lee Michaels (1971’s “Keep the Circle Turning“); Barry Mann (1971’s “When You Get Right Down To It“); Paul Butterfield Blues Band (1971’s “Blind Leading the Blind“); The Byrds (1971’s “Glory, Glory“); Russ Giguere (1971’s “Lover’s Prayer“); John Simon (1971’s “Davey’s on the Road Again“); Delaney & Bonnie (1972’s “Only You Know And I Know“); London Symphony Orchestra (1972’s “The Acid Queen“); Ringo (1973’s “Oh My My“); David T. Walker (1973’s “Never Can Say Goodbye“); Charles Wright (1973’s “Silly Li’l Girl“); Grin (1973’s “Beggar’s Day“); Lynyrd Skynyrd (1973’s “Sweet Home Alabama“); Taj Mahal (1974’s “Johnny Too Bad“); Jerry Garcia (1974’s “He Ain’t Give You None” & “Midnight Town“); Hoyt Axton (1974’s “Maybelline“); Tracy Nelson (1974’s “Down So Low“); Lonette McKee (1974’s “Love Won’t Come Easy“); Mary McCreary (1974’s Mighty Clouds of Joy“); Lori Lieberman (1974’s “A Piece Of Time“); Michael Murphey (1974’s “Nobody’s Gonna Tell Me How To Play My Music“); The Blackbyrds (1975’s “Rock Creek Park” & “Happy Music“); Wings ‘Hauser‘ Livinryte (1975’s “Sunshine in the Rain“); King Errisson (1976’s “Conga Man“); Billy Preston (1976’s “I’ve Got the Spirit“); Roy Ayers (1976’s “What’s The T?” & 1978’s “You Came Into My Life“); Dee Dee Bridgewater (1976’s “You Saved Me“); Clydie King (1976’s “Rushing To Meet You“); Harvey Mason (1976’s “Sho Nuff Groove” & 1977’s “Funk in a Mason Jar“); Leon Ware (1976’s “Share Your Love“); Etta James (1978’s “Sweet Touch of Love“); Rare Earth (1978’s “Mighty Good Love“); Toni Brown (1979’s “Way Down Deep“); Wilton Felder (1980’s “Someday We’ll All Be Free“); Michael Wycoff (1980’s “One Alone“); Leslie Smith (1982’s “Before The Night Is Over“); Irene Cara (1983’s “Why Me“); Josh Leo (1983’s “Let It Ride“); Bobby Womack (1985’s “So Many Rivers“); Jesse Johnson & Stephanie Spruill (1985’s “Heart Too Hot To Hold“); The Del Fuegos (1987’s “A Town Called Love“); Mitchell Froom (1987’s “High Hopes“); Eric Carmen & Merry Clayton (1989’s “Almost Paradise“); Bruce Willis (1989’s “Soul Shake“); Lou Gramm (1989’s “Warmest Rising Sun“); Big Country (1990’s “King of Emotion“); Tori Amos (1994’s “Cornflake Girl“); Jamie Walters (“Neutral Ground“); Art Garfunkel (1997’s “You’re a Wonderful One“); Pat Boone (1997’s “Paradise City“); Everlast (1998’s “Black Jesus“); Sparta (2006’s “Atlas“); G Love & Special Sauce featuring Merry Clayton (2014’s “One Night Romance“); and, yes, even Coldplay (2015’s “Adventure of a Lifetime“).
45 picture sleeve
“Acid Queen“
Clayton states in her Fresh Air interview that it was Lou Adler who helped the vocalist link up with Carole King, an artist signed to Adler’s Ode Records, the label for whom Clayton recorded the majority of 45 releases as a solo artist.
Billboard
Aug. 30, 1969
Seemed like a good idea at the time?
“The Mighty Quinn“
The Brothers and Sisters (1969)
Merry Clayton – Lead Vocal
Shirley Allen – Vocal
Sherrell Atwood – Vocal
Ginger Blake – Vocal
Hazel Carmichael – Vocal
Marjorie Cranford – Vocal
Oma Drake – Vocal
Georgette Finchess – Vocal
Brenda Fitz – Vocal
Joseph Green – Vocal
Andrew Herd – Vocal
Patrice Holloway – Vocal
Gwen Johnson – Vocal
Ruby S. Johnson – Vocal
Gloria Jones – Vocal
Clydie King – Vocal
Jesse Kirkland – Vocal
Sherlie Matthews – Vocal
Barbara Perrault – Vocal
Chester Pipkin – Vocal
Billy Storm – Vocal
Julia A. Tilman – Vocal
Ed Wallace – Vocal
Lolietha White – Vocal
Carolyn Willis – Vocal
Fred Willis – Vocal
Edna Wright – Vocal
Don Wyatt – Vocal
Jerry Scheff – Electric Bass
Gene Pello – Drums
Joe H. Vaerga – Percussion
Evelyn Freeman – Organ
Gene Page – Piano
Produced by – Lou Adler
Recorded by – Armin Steiner
Arranged & conducted by – Gene Page
Vocal arrangements by – Billy Page
Dual review in Cash Box of “Mighty Quinn” as recorded by (1) The Brothers and Sisters of Los Angeles and also (2) The Sound Symposium:
Cash Box
Aug. 30, 1969
Two interesting revivals of the Manfred Mann hit show off the material in totally different lights. The shorter Symposium reading is a lofty MOR/jazz rendition; while the Brothers & Sisters add Gospel style to give the song R&B potential.
It is not clear whether this 28-member gospel-soul ensemble made any other recordings beyond the Dylan’s Gospel album. Ode would release a pair of singles from this 1969 LP.
Final Appearance?
Stage name on the eve of retirement
Cash Box‘s May 30, 1970 issue
Biographical notes from the rear sleeve of a German 45 release in August of 1970 —
“Well, Merry Clayton is that great funky voice on both of the Joe Cocker albums, and she is lead female singer on all the big Ray Charles records, and yes again, she is that super lead voice on the Bob Dylan Gospel album and once again she is the Merry Clayton and she is good. She is also only 22 years old and has been performing since she was 14 years old, that helps to contribute strongly to the great Clayton legend.”
45 picture sleeve –
Clayton’s tenure with Lou Adler’s Ode Records would yield three full-length albums —
(1970)
(1971)
(1975)
*
Merry Clayton in the Media –
The New York Times – “The Unstoppable Merry Clayton” by Jim Farber (Mar. 28, 2021)
Rolling Stone – “The Merry Clayton Interview” by Jonathan Bernstein (Mar. 31, 2021)
The Guardian – “Gimme Shelter Left a Dark Taste in My Mouth” by Robert Ham (8 Apr. 2021)
National Public Radio – “No Longer ‘20 Feet From Stardom‘” by Terry Gross (Apr. 9, 2021)
National Public Radio – “On ‘Beautiful Scars‘ And A Life Of Singing” by Gwen Thompkins & John Myers (Sep. 22, 2021)
USA Today – “How Merry Clayton’s Voice Served Ray Charles, The Rolling Stones and then Herself” by Elise Brisco (Feb. 28, 2022)
*
Home Experiment –
Google the phrase “Sister Baby Merry Clayton” (with the quotation marks) and notice the near absence of search results.
*
*
TIP JAR –
Look for the Donate button on the home page.
Your financial contribution (any amount) can help insure the viability of Zero to 180 and its mission to celebrate the achievements of undercelebrated figures in popular music.
