Rocks Off

MERRY CLAYTON

The Merry Clayton released sessions with others and jukebox!

Merry during studio sessions with Carole King, recording “Oh no not my baby” in 1972

“The Legendary Background Vocalist”

Why? Just check her full discography as a guest

Some of the greatest:

The Rolling Stones, The Who, Ringo Starr, Ray Charles, B. B. King, Joe Cocker, Leon Russell, Jerry García, Buffalo Springfield, Neil Young, Etta James, Carole King, Billy Preston,

Lynyrd Skynyrd, Pacific Gas & Electric, The Paul Butterfield Blues Band, John Phillips, Delaney & Bonnie, Rare Earth, Redbone, Little Feat, Allen Toussaint, and many more.

All genres:

Rock, R&B, Blues, Jazz, Folk, Country, Gospel, Soul, Pop, New Wave, Punk and many more

Compilations and singles are not included, however “Various artist” compilations with singles or rare tracks are included. Her solo discography is not included but click HERE to see it.

Last entries included March 29, 2021.

No.	Year	Artist	Album	Comments	Streaming links
1	1963	Bobby Darin	You're the Reason I'm Living	Duet with Bobby, on "Who can I count on" recorded at the age of 13! (1962) --->
2	1966	Buffalo Springfield	Buffalo Springfield	Uncredited on the album but confirmed
3	1967	Buffalo Springfield	Buffalo Springfield Again	Uncredited on the album but confirmed
4	1968	Neil Young	Neil Young	Merry on "The Old Laughing Lady" and "I've Loved Her So Long"
5	1968	Phil Ochs	Tape From California	Backing vocals
6	1969	Joe Cocker	With a Little Help from My Friends	Only on "Feeling alright", recorded early in 1968
7	1969	Phil Ochs	Rehearsals for Retirement	Backing vocals
8	1969	The Brothers and Sisters of L.A.	Dylan's Gospel, recorded in June 1969	In all tracks and solo on "All along the watchtower" and "Mighty Queen"
9	1969	The Rolling Stones	Let It Bleed	Only in "Gimme Shelter"; recorded 10/ 17-26/69 - Sunset Sound Studios, Los Angeles
10	1969	Joe Cocker	Joe Cocker!	All chorus. On the back cover is the legend: "The lovely Merry Clayton, No. 1"
11	1970	The Butterfield Blues Band	Live	Backing vocals live with this legendary blues band
12	1970	Ron Davies	Silent Song Through the Land	Merry singing with Clydie King and Venetta Fields
13	1970	Odetta	Odetta Sings	Inc. No Expectations by Jagger/Richards
14	1970	Mylon LeFevre & Broken Heart	Mylon (We Believe)	Produced by Allen Toussaint
15	1970	Leon Russell	Leon Russell	Between the guests are Mick Jagger, Charlie Watts and Bill Wyman
16	1970	B.B. King	Indianola Mississippi Seeds	Only on "Hummingbird" by Leon Russell
17	1970	Bonnie Owens	Mother's Favorite Hymns	With Gloria Jones and Venetta Fields
18	1970	Phil Ochs	Greatest Hits
19	1970	Gator Creek	Gator Creek	"Thanks to our background girls" check Merry at Holy Moly Rolly Polly --->
20	1970	Allen Toussaint	Toussaint (aka From a Whisper to a Scream)	All backing vocals by Merry Clayton with Venetta Fields
21	1970	John Phillips and Merry Clayton	Brewster McCloud	Soundtrack of 1970 American black comedy film directed by Robert Altman
22	1970	Pacific Gas & Electric	Are You Ready?	Merry on the title track is amazing, an anthem of rack back than
23	1970	Great Jones	All Bowed Down	All backing vocals by Merry Clayton with Venetta Fields and Clydie King
24	1970	Various Artists	Performance (soundtrack of the film)	Merry sings "Performance", "Poor White Hound Dog" and "Turner's Murder"
25	1971	The Raelettes with Ike & Tina Turner. Credited as “The Raelets”	Souled Out	Merry on the songs by The Raelettes. Couldn’t find this album for streaming but…
26	1971	Various Artists, sometimes credited as Merry solo album but not.	Celebration: Live at Big Sur (Big Sur Folk Festival 1970)	Merry on "The Times They Are A-Changin'" and "Bridge Over Troubled Water"
27	1971	Carole King	Tapestry	Merry and husband, Curtis Amy playing all over in this classic, best-selling album
28	1971	Barbra Streisand	Stoney End	All backing vocals by Merry Clayton with Venetta Fields and Clydie King
29	1971	The Paul Butterfield Blues Band	Sometimes I Just Feel Like Smilin'	Last album by the Paul Butterfield Blues Band… listen here --->
30	1971	Kate Taylor	Sister Kate	Vocals, background vocals, background music
31	1971	Buffy Sainte-Marie	She Used to Wanna Be a Ballerina	With Ry Cooder, Neil Young and Jack Nitzsche
32	1971	Carole King	Music	Again, with her friend Carole King
33	1971	Linda Ronstadt	Linda Ronstadt	vocals on "I Won't Be Hangin' Round" a song by Eric Kaz
34	1971	John Simon	John Simon's Album	Vocals on "Davey's in the road again" with Traffic rhythm section
35	1971	Jimmie Haskell	California '99	Guest singers include Joe Walsh, Merry Clayton and Clydie King
36	1971	Jesse Ed Davis	Jesse Davis	Backing vocals
37	1971	Billy Preston	I Wrote a Simple Song	Lots of singers, but you can recognize Merry in many
38	1971	Russ Giguere	Hexagram 16	10 backing singers, hard to identify Merry, but try here --->
39	1971	Lee Michaels	Fifth	Merry is the only guest, sings only in the opening track "Keep the Circle Turning"
40	1972	Jesse Ed Davis	Ululu	Backing vocals
41	1972	The Who	Tommy: As Performed by the LSO & Chamber Choir	Merry is the Acid Queen! Best Queen ever, sorry Tina
42	1972	Jerry Garcia	Garcia	Our Merry on Jerry's first album!
43	1972	The Rolling Stones	Exile on Main St.	Uncredited, she sings on Tumbling Dice, (unconfirmed), backing vocals overdubs
44	1972	Delaney & Bonnie	D & B Together	Backing vocals in many tracks, many other great guests in this one
45	1973	Ringo Starr	Ringo	Backing vocals on Oh My My, Martha Reeves sings with Merry
46	1973	Michael Martin Murphey	Michael Murphey	Vocals and backing vocals
47	1973	Chi Coltrane	Let It Ride	Backing vocals in some songs, here the sample of "Hallelujah"
48	1973	Grin (Nils Lofgren)	Gone Crazy	Backing vocals
49	1973	Diane Kolby	Diane Kolby	On 3 songs: "Once Around The Park", "Holy Man" and "Lady In The Statue"
50	1973	David T. Walker	David T Walker	Backing vocals
51	1973	Allen Toussaint	Bomp City	Backing vocals, here a sample of "working in a coal mine"
52	1974	Hoyt Axton	Life Machine	Merry on "Maybelline", and "Good Lookin' Child"
53	1974	Tracy Nelson	Tracy Nelson	Backing vocals
54	1974	Lynyrd Skynyrd	Second Helping	Merry Clayton backing vocals on "Sweet Home Alabama" only (well… what a song!)
55	1974	Taj Mahal	Mo' Roots	Merry sings on "Big Mama", "Cajun Waltz", "Slave Driver" the links goes to the 1st
56	1974	Joe Cocker	I Can Stand a Little Rain	She sings on "I Can Stand a Little Rain" only
57	1974	Jerry Garcia	Garcia (Compliments)	She sings on "He Ain't Give You None" and "Midnight Town""
58	1974	Redbone	Beaded Dreams Through Turquoise Eyes	Backing vocals in this album by Mexican American/Native American band
59	1974	Tina Turner	Tina Turns the Country On!	Merry with Clydie King, Jesse Smith and Pat Hodges doing the backing vocals
60	1975	John Lee & Gerry Brown	Mango Sunrise	Backing Vocals
61	1975	The Blackbyrds	City Life	Merry doing backing vocals
62	1976	Leon Ware	Musical Massage	Merry doing backing vocals with Marvin Gaye and Bobby Womack between others
63	1976	Gene Page	Lovelock!	Vocals
64	1976	Gene Harris	In a Special Way	Only on "Zulu" with Jerry Peters
65	1976	Dee Dee Bridgewater	Dee Dee Bridgewater [1976]	Only in "My Lonely Room", "He's Gone" and "You Saved Me"
66	1976	Billy Preston	Billy Preston [1976]	All backing vocals by Merry Clayton and Olivia Foster
67	1977	Harvey Mason	Earth Mover	Merry sings on "Sho Nuff Groove", and "Sweet Mercy" only
68	1977	Harvey Mason	Funk in a Mason Jar	Only on "Funk in a Mason Jar"
69	1978	Roy Ayers	You Send Me	Merry sings lead vocals on ""Can't You See Me" and backing vocals on 3 other tracks
70	1978	Gerardo Liedo	Just My Imagination	Author of this research imagining Merry in his imaginary record
71	1978	The Blackbyrds	Night Grooves: The Blackbyrds' Greatest Hits	Merry on two singles "Happy music" and "Rock creek park"
72	1978	Roy Ayers	Let's Do It	Lead vocals on "You Came into My Life" and "Freaky Deaky"
73	1978	Rare Earth	Grand Slam	A rock band doing Motown covers
74	1978	Etta James	Deep in the Night	Backing vocals in many songs
75	1978	The Jerry Garcia Band	Cats Under the Stars	One more with Jerry, smoke a joint and enjoy --->
76	1980	The Brothers Johnson	Light Up the Night	soft funky music but… it is Merry again
77	1980	Commodores	Heroes	Backing vocals
78	1980	Wilton Felder	Inherit the Wind	Merry is the first singer on the credits
79	1980	Michael Wycoff	Come to My World	Merry on two tracks "One Alone" and "Just As Long" only, take a listen here --->
80	1982	Leslie Smith	Heartache	Merry does a duet with Leslie on "Before The Night Is Over"
81	1983	Irene Cara	What a Feelin'	Merry on "Why Me?"
82	1983	Josh Leo	Rockin' on 6th	Only on "Let It Ride" (credited as Merry on the back cover but as “Mary” inside)
83	1983	June Pointer	Baby Sister	Merry on "Ready for some action" only
84	1984	Mitchell Froom	Slam Dance (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)	Merry on "High Hopes"
85	1984	Billy Preston	On the Air	?
86	1985	Bobby Womack	So many rivers	Credited as Mary "Baby Sister" Clayton
87	1985	Various Artists	The Breakfast Club [Original Soundtrack]	Only on "Heart Too Hot To Hold"
88	1985	Joe Lamont	Secret You Keep	Backing vocals
89	1987	Tim Scott	The High Lonesome Sound	Merry on "High Hopes" and "Hey sister"
90	1987	The Del Fuegos	Stand Up	Backing vocals
91	1987	Various Artists	Dirty Dancing [Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]	Only in "Yes"
92	1988	Y Kant Tori Read	Y Kant Tori Read	"The earth angels who taught me to fly: …Merry "the diva" Clayton…"
93	1988	Semi-Twang	Salty Tears	Backing vocals
94	1988	Russell Hitchcock	Russell Hitchcock	Merry on the first three tacks only of this album the lead singer of Air Supply
95	1988	Big Country	Peace in Our Time	Additional Vocals with Donna Davidson, Ina Wolf, and Maxi Anderson
96	1988	Kenny Loggins	Back to Avalon	Backing vocals on ""Isabella's Eyes"
97	1989	Lou Gramm	Long Hard Look	Backing vocals on "Broken Dreams"
98	1990	Bill Medley	The Best of Bill Medley	It's nothing but the single "Yes" previously posted now on a Bill Medley's album
99	1993	Tsuyoshi Nagabuchi	Captain of the Ship	Background Vocals (the record is in Japanese, but backing vocals are not LOL)
100	1994	Tori Amos	Under the Pink	Backing vocals
101	1994	Various Artists	Gospel Jublilee, Vol. 1	Merry only on "He Touched My Life"
102	1994	Rosco Martinez	Aqui Estoy	On three songs, "La casa de Paquito, "Aquí estoy" and "She's wearing my Love" --->
103	1995	Jamie Walters	Jamie Walters	Merry on "Neutral Ground" only
104	1996	Various Artists	My Tribute: The Songs of Andrae Crouch	Merry on a big choir on the song "My Tribute (To God Be The Glory)"
105	1996	Joe Cocker	Organic	Merry on "Bye Bye Blackbird", "Δ Lady", "Don't Let Me B..." and "U Can Leave..."
106	1996	Neil Diamond	In My Lifetime	Probably on outtakes as she is not in the regular discography or credited now
107	1997	Art Garfunkel	Songs from a Parent to a Child	Merry on "You're A Wonderful One" she is also involved in its production
108	1997	Ray Charles	Ray's 67th birthday	This is commented on Rock Record but could not find the streaming
109	1997	Various Artists	One Step Up/Two Steps Back: The Songs of Bruce Springsteen	She is only in Joe Cocker's "Human Touch"
110	1997	Pat Boone	In a Metal Mood: No More Mr. Nice Guy	She is on "Smoke On The Water", "Panama" and "Holy Diver"!!!!
111	1998	Various Artists	Soulful Divas, Vol. 3: Softly with a Song	Merry is on the song "When the World Turns Blue (Melodies of Love)" from Emotion
112	1998	Various Artists	Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer [Good Times]	No idea	Check again
113	1998	Various Artists	Rock and Roll Doctor: Lowell George Tribute	Merry on "Spanish Moon" with Phil Perry and Ricky Lawson
114	1998	Della Reese	My Soul Feels Better Right Now	Merry live with Della Reese!
115	1999	Duane Eddy	Deep In The Heart Of Twangsville: The RCA Years - 1962-1964	A 6 CD compilation with Merry somewhere there (check later)	Pending, check later
116	1999	Holly Robinson	Beautiful One	Backing vocals	Pending, check later
117	2000	Everlast	Eat at Whitey's	Merry on "Black Jesus", "Black Coffee" and "We're All Gonna Die"
118	2000	Various Artists	Before They Were Hits or We Did It First	Merry only on "The Shoop Shoop Song" aka "It's in his kiss" (her first single 1963)
119	2000	Lynyrd Skynyrd	Christmas time again	Unconfirmed and uncredited (credited in the 2008 CD Christmas & Hits Duos)
120	2001	Billy Preston	Music from My Heart	A Gospel album by Billy with Merry somewhere
121	2002	Various Artists	Street Grooves	Merry on "Happy Music" and "Rock Creek Park" both with The Blackbyrds
122	2002	Various Artists	Paint It Black: Kaleidoscopic Funk Collision	Merry on "Southern Man" from her LP "Merry Clayton" 1971
123	2004	Roy Ayers	Virgin Ubiquity: Unreleased Recordings 1976-1981	Outtakes from previous studio albums and again Merry there
124	2004	Curtis Amy	Peace for Love	Merry on her husband's last studio album
125	2004	Jerry Garcia	All Good Things: Jerry Garcia Studio Sessions	Since this has the studio albums Merry is there but not sure if it's in the outtakes CD
126	2005	Various Artists	Soul Divas	Merry with Roy Ayers on "Mystic Voyage"
127	2005	Various Artists	Satisfaction: Covers & Cookies of the Stones	Merry on Straight Up and 4Hero Mix versions of "Gimme Shelter"
128	2006	Sparta	Threes	Merry on "Atlas" and "Translations"
129	2006	Various Artists	Hard Workin Man: The Jack Nitzsche Story, Vol. 2	Another album in which you can listen "It's In His Kiss"
130	2007	Various Artists	The Dreamgirls Dance Project	Merry on "Dream girls" with Charlotte Crossley, Scherrie Payne and Pam Vincent
131	2007	Various Artists	Phil's Spectre, Vol. 3: Third Wall of Soundalikes	Merry on "Usher boy" (from her 1953 single but now on CD)
132	2007	Joe Cocker	Hymn for My Soul	Merry on "One Word (Peace)", "Love Is For Me" and "Hymn for My Soul"
133	2008	Various Artists	City Lounge: Vintage Edition	Merry on "Mystic Voyage" only (with Roy Ayers)
134	2010	Aeroplane	We Can't Fly	Merry on "I Don't Feel" only, but lead vocals --->
135	2010	DJ Spinna	Strange Games and Funky Things, Vol. 5	Smoking 70's Soul and Rare Grooves version, Merry only on "Gimme Shelter" -->
136	2011	Delta Swamp Rock	Sounds from the South: At the Crossroads of Rock, Country and Soul	Merry on "I Won't Be Hangin' 'Round" with Linda Ronstadt
137	2011	Ray Charles	Singular Genius: The Complete ABC Singles	Merry recorded some singles for Ray in the 60s, some of them here
138	2013	David Gates	The Early Years 1962-1967	Merry on "Nothing Left to Do But Cry" (from her 1963 single)
139	2013	Various Artists, Girls on 45	Vol. 2: 26 Girl Groups, Girlie Pop and Soulful Ladies 1963-1967	Merry on "Usher boy" (from her 1963 single) w/the one above you have both sides on CD
140	2013	Various Artists	20 Feet from Stardom [Movie and Original Motion Picture Soundtrack]	In this case you MUST watch the movie as Merry is on the cast!!! Trailer here --->
				Merry is on "Nobody's fault but mine", "Gimme Shelter” and “Southern Man”
141	2014	G. Love & Special Sauce	Sugar	Merry lead and backing vocals on "One Night Romance" only
142	2014	Various Artists	Lou Adler: A Musical History	Merry on "Oh No, Not My Baby" and Gimme Shelter"
143	2014	Various Artists	Happy New Year! [Rhino UK]	Merry on "Adventure of a Lifetime" with Coldplay
144	2015	Little Feat	On the Eastern Front.	Merry live with Little Feat, Nakano Sun Plaza Hall, Tokyo, Japan - July 8, 1978	With Lowell George, less than a year before he passed away
145	2015	Coldplay	A Head Full of Dreams	Merry on "Adventure of a Lifetime"
146	2019	Duncan Burnett	You	Merry on "You"

By Gerardo Liedo

To be continued...

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