Favorite Female Backing Vocalist - I'll go with Marcy Levy

This cut is The Core with Eric Clapton from Santa Monica Civic Auditorium, Feb 11th 1978.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JvWn7rEXR6Q

Let's here your favorites!

sang solo, duets, and backup on many songs in the '60s, most famously on the Stones "Gimme Shelter" on "Let it Bleed" album

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LJMnES7WoT4

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Merry_Clayton

Merry did some awesome work too. I love her vocals on Gimme Shelter.:thumbsup:

who backed Keith Richards on "Talk is Cheap" and probably other Rolling Stones' albums.

She has an incredible voice and range. When I first heard the song "Rockawhile" (on "Talk is Cheap") I assumed she was some famous jazz singer or something.

I wish I knew more about her, but when you hear her, you just know there's a story behind her.

Very powerful voice.

This is a great question, and I would love to read the answers because this is an area I would love to know more about, to appreciate the background singers more.

I think Sheryl Crow began as a background singer for Michael Jackson. Listening to some tracks, for example Rolling Stone tracks, you can tell how the background singers can save a bad track completely.

...as a life-long Clapton fan, I found most of his work between 1973's "Rainbow Concert" and 1989's "Journeyman" to be really, really spotty.

The whole "Eric Is Back / Eric Kicks Smack" thing produced a series of albums that ranged from his best work (blues-oriented tracks and tight rock songs) to his worst ("Wonderful Tonight" and the Jerry Williams songs and the Phil Collins-produced sell-out albums).

I pretty much loathed most of his "RSO Records" tenure, with the notable exception being "No Reason To Cry," which featured BOB, The Band, and Ron Wood.

In terms of others, Rosemary Butler CERTAINLY deserves props for her powerful vocals on Jackson Browne's "Running On Empty."



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bww2prhAWEA

:toast:

Seems like he was really struggling to find his way during those years.

Nice catch on Rosemary Butler, great voice. Plus JB had David Lindley playing with him, what more could you ask for?:thumbsup:

Though, in this video, she's not really singing back-up. The second singer, Durga McBroom, isn't bad either!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lBWY3bli92Y

Sam Brown has some pipes, yes she does!:)

on the Delicate Sound of Thunder tour. I have this video, and she absolutely blew me the fuck away with that amazing range. She's the third soloist, after Durga McBroom. Rachel Fury is first, and though she sings kinda from the back of her throat, she's one of the sexiest women I've ever seen. On "Money" in this show (at the Nassau Coliseum, Long Island, NY), she moves like a cat made of Jell-O and pipe cleaners.

"Great Gig in the Sky": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MLHvohd8SJg

"Money": http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Kodb8EIPps

(Note the exchange of glances between Gilmour and Fury at 4:50.) ;)



And, just for the hell of it, perhaps the best encore in rock history. Gives me chills: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sMuiJVY6Oyk