Tag Archives: Merry Clayton

Ringo Starr: Ringo

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On November 2, 1973, “Apple” label released “Ringo”, the third Ringo Starr studio album. It was recorded March – July 1973, at “Apple” and “EMI” in London, “Sunset Sound”, “A&M”, “Burbank”, “Sound Lab”, “Producers Workshop” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Richard Perry.

Personnel:

  • Ringo Starr – lead vocals, drums, percussion
  • George Harrison – acoustic and electric guitar, backing vocals
  • Vini Poncia – acoustic and electric guitar, percussion, backing vocals
  • Jimmy Calvert – acoustic and electric guitar
  • Steve Cropper – electric guitar
  • Robbie Robertson – electric guitar
  • Marc Bolan – guitar
  • Levon Helm – mandolin
  • David Bromberg – banjo, fiddle
  • James Booker – piano
  • Nicky Hopkins – piano
  • Tom Hensley – piano
  • Paul McCartney – “kazoo” vocal solo, piano, synthesizer, backing vocals, flute and strings arrangements
  • John Lennon – piano, backing vocals
  • Billy Preston – organ, piano
  • Garth Hudson – accordion
  • Klaus Voormann – bass guitar
  • Rick Danko – fiddle
  • Jim Keltner – drums
  • Milt Holland – percussion, marimba
  • Lon & Derrek Van Eaton – percussion
  • Tom Scott – horns, arrangements
  • Chuck Findley – horns
  • Bobby Keys – saxophone
  • Linda McCartney – backing vocals
  • Harry Nilsson – backing vocals
  • Martha Reeves – backing vocals
  • Merry Clayton – backing vocals
  • Richard Perry – backing vocals

Track listing:

  1. I’m the Greatest – John Lennon
  2. Have You Seen My Baby – Randy Newman
  3. Photograph – Richard Starkey, George Harrison
  4. Sunshine Life for Me (Sail Away Raymond) – George Harrison
  5. You’re Sixteen – Bob Sherman, Dick Sherman
  6. Oh My My – Richard Starkey, Vini Poncia
  7. Step Lightly – Graham Starkey
  8. Six O’Clock – Paul McCartney, Linda McCartney
  9. Devil Woman – Graham Starkey, Vini Poncia
  10. You and Me (Babe) – George Harrison, Mal Evans

Neil Diamond: Tap Root Manuscript

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On October 15, 1970, “Uni” label released “Tap Root Manuscript”, the sixth Neil Diamond studio album. It was recorded in 1970, and was produced by Tom Catalano and Neil Diamond.

Personnel:

  • Neil Diamond – vocals, keyboards, guitar, steel guitar, ukulele
  • Al Casey, David Bennett Cohen, Neil LeVang, Don Peake, Louis Shelton – guitar
  • Red Rhodes – steel guitar
  • Artie Butler, Larry Knechtel, Larry Muhoberac, Marty Paich, Don Randi – keyboards
  • Randy Cierley, Joe Osborn, Ray Pohlman – bass
  • Hal Blaine, Larry Bunker, Sandra Crouch, Earl Palmer – drums
  • Gary Coleman, Gene Estes, Emil Richards, Lee Shamburger – percussion
  • Joe Estren, Andrea Kostelas, Ronnie Lang, Don Menza, Jay Migliori, Tom Scott – saxophone
  • Shirley Marcus, George Poole, Henry Sigismonti – woodwinds
  • Harry Betts, Roger Bobo, Bud Brisbois, Roy Caton, Paul Hubinon, Dick Hyde, Oliver Mitchell, George Roberts, Tony Terran – horns
  • Jim Arkatov, Israel Baker, Benjamin Barrett, Paul Bergstrom, Harry Bluestone, David Burk, Assa Drori, Jesse Ehrlich, James Getzoff, Lee Holdridge, Armand Kaproff, Jan R. Kelley, Ray Kelley, Lou Klaes, Erno Neufeld, Harvey Newmark, Gareth Nuttycombe, Nathaniel Rosen, Nathan Ross, Henry Roth, Myron Sandler, Joseph Saxon, Sidney Sharp, Jack Shulman, Paul Shure – strings
  • Nancy Adams, Sherrill Atwood, Billie Barnum, H.B. Barnum Jr., Mabel Bishop, George Bledsoe, Fred Burton, Merry Clayton, Marjorie Cranford, Oma Drake, Sean Engerman, Joe Greene, Alexander Hale, Christopher Hale, Graynston Hale, Molly Halloran, Gwen Johnson, Lou Johnson, Stacey Johnson, Clydie King, Jessie Kirkland, Bill Lee, Sherlie Matthews, Evelyn Meyer, Dwayne Moody, Matthews Muhoberac, Ekundayo Paris, Kevin Parker, Aubrey Porter, Dean Porter, Ricky Porter, Douglas Schwartz, Jean Sewell, Ed Wallace, Phillip Whigham, John Woodson, Donald Wyatt – backing vocals

Track listing:

All tracks by Neil Diamond, except where noted.

  1. Cracklin’ Rosie
  2. Free Life
  3. Coldwater Morning
  4. Done Too Soon
  5. He Ain’t Heavy, He Is My Brother – Bob Russell, Bobby Scott
  6. Childsong
  7. I Am the Lion
  8. Madrigal
  9. Soolaimon
  10. Missa
  11. African Suite
  12. Childsong (reprise)

Linda Ronstadt: Same

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On January 17, 1972, “Capitol” label released the self-titled, third Linda Ronstadt studio album. It was recorded in 1971, at “The Troubadour”, “Muscle Shoals” in Sheffield. Alabama, “Quadrafonic Sound” in Nashville, Tennessee, “United Western” in Hollywood, and was produced by John Boylan.

Personnel:

  • Linda Ronstadt – lead vocals, tambourine, arrangements
  • John Boylan – guitar, arrangements
  • Glenn Frey – guitar, arrangements, backing vocals
  • Sneaky Pete Kleinow – pedal steel guitar
  • Richard Bowden – electric guitar
  • Tippy Armstrong – guitar
  • Weldon Myrick – steel guitar
  • Bernie Leadon – guitar, backing vocals
  • Herb Pedersen – guitar, banjo, backing vocals 
  • Dean Webb – mandolin 
  • Moon Martin – guitar, backing vocals
  • Buddy Emmons – pedal steel guitar
  • Barry Beckett – keyboards
  • Michael Bowden – bass guitar
  • David Hood – bass guitar
  • Wesley Pritchett – bass guitar
  • Randy Meisner – bass guitar, backing vocals
  • Lyle Ritz – bass guitar
  • Don Henley – drums, backing vocals
  • Roger Hawkins – drums
  • Mike Botts – drums
  • Jimmie Fadden – harmonica
  • Gib Guilbeau – fiddle, backing vocals
  • JD Souther – lead, harmony and backing vocals
  • Merry Clayton – backing vocals
  • Dianne Davidson – backing vocals
  • Miss Ona – backing vocals
  • Don Blake – engineer
  • Larry Hamby – engineer
  • Ray Thompson – engineer
  • Rudy Hill – engineer
  • Wally Heider – engineer
  • Mike Shields – engineer, mixing, mastering
  • John Hoernle – art direction
  • Dean Torrence – design
  • Ed Caraeff – photography
  • Al Coury – production coordinator

Track listing:

  1. Rock Me on the Water – Jackson Brown
  2. Crazy Arms – Ralph Mooney, Chuck Seals
  3. I Won’t Be Hangin’ Round – Eric Kaz
  4. I Still Miss Someone – Johnny Cash, Roy Cash Jr.
  5. In My Reply – Livingston Taylor
  6. I Fall to Pieces – Hank Cochran, Harlan Howard
  7. Ramblin’ Round – Lead Belly, Woody Guthrie, John A. Lomax
  8. Birds – Neil Young
  9. I Ain’t Always Been Faithful – Eric Andersen
  10. Rescue Me – Raynard Miner, Carl Smith

Lou Gramm: Long Hard Look

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On October 9, 1989, “Atlantic” label released “Long Hard Look”, the second Lou Gramm studio album. It was recorded 1988 – 1989, at “418 Studios” in Westlake Village, California, “Bear Track Studios” in Suffern, New York, “Stray Dogs Recording Studio” in Katonah, New York, and was produced by Peter Wolf and Eric Thorngren.

Personnel:

  • Lou Gramm – lead and backing vocals, percussion, arrangements
  • Dann Huff – lead and rhythm guitar
  • Nils Lofgren – electric guitar
  • Peter Maunu – electric guitar
  • Vivian Campbell – electric, lead and rhythm guitar
  • June Kuramoto – koto
  • Peter Wolf – keyboards, backing vocals, arrangements, mixing
  • Gary Corbett – keyboards
  • Bruce Turgon – bass, rhythm guitar, backing vocals, arrangements
  • Pino Palladino – bass
  • Ben Gramm – drums, percussion
  • Maxi Anderson – backing vocals
  • Merry Clayton – backing vocals
  • Siedah Garrett – backing vocals
  • Phillip Ingram – backing vocals
  • Darryl Phinessee – backing vocals
  • Ina Wolf – backing vocals
  • Reinhold Bilgeri – backing vocals
  • Robin Clark – backing vocals
  • Lani Groves – backing vocals
  • Gonzalo Espinoza, Paul Ericksen – recording, mixing
  • Jules Bowen, Eric Thorngren – recording
  • Carlos Gollisher – recording assistant, production coordinator
  • Chris Bubacz, Doug Oberkircher – recording assistant
  • Stephen Marcussen – mastering
  • Stephen Nider – project coordinator assistant
  • Bob Defrin – art direction, design
  • Roy Volkmann – photography

Track listing:

  • Angel with a Dirty Face – Lou Gramm, Ina Wolf, Peter Wolf
  • Just Between You and Me – Lou Gramm, Holly Knight
  • Broken Dreams – Lou Gramm, Ina Wolf, Peter Wolf
  • True Blue Love – Lou Gramm, Peter Wolf
  • I’ll Come Running – Lou Gramm, Bruce Turgon
  • Hangin’ on My Hip – Lou Gramm, Bruce Turgon
  • Warmest Rising Sun – Lou Gramm
  • Day One – Lou Gramm, Bruce Turgon, Peter Wolf
  • I’ll Know When It’s Over – Lou Gramm, Bruce Turgon
  • Tin Soldier – Ronnie Lane, Steve Marriott

Lynyrd Skynyrd: Second Helping

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On April 15, 1974, “Sounds of the South” and “MCA” labels released “Second Helping”, the second Lynyrd Skynyrd studio album. It was recorded June 1973 – January 1974, at “Studio One” in Doraville, Georgia, “Record Plant Studios” in Los Angeles, and was produced by Al Kooper. In 1987, “Second Helping” was certified 2 x Platinum by RIAA.

Personnel:

  • Ronnie Van Zant – lead vocals
  • Gary Rossington – guitar
  • Allen Collins – guitar
  • Ed King – guitar, bass, backing vocals
  • Al Kooper – piano, backing vocals
  • Billy Powell – keyboards
  • Leon Wilkeson – bass, backing vocals
  • Bob Burns – drums
  • Mike Porter – drums
  • Bobby Keys, Trevor Lawrence, Steve Madaio – horns
  • Merry Clayton, Clydie King, Sherlie Matthews – backing vocals

Track listing:

  1. Sweet Home Alabama – Ed King, Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant
  2. I Need You – Ed King, Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant
  3. Don’t Ask Me No Questions – Gary Rossington, Ronnie Van Zant
  4. Workin’ for MCA – Ed King, Ronnie Van Zant
  5. The Ballad of Curtis Loew – Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant
  6. Swamp Music – Ed King, Ronnie Van Zant
  7. The Needle and the Spoon – Allen Collins, Ronnie Van Zant
  8. Call Me the Breeze – J. J. Cale

Big Country: Peace In Our Time

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On September 26, 1988, “Mercury” label released “Peace in Our Time”, the fourth Big Country album. It was recorded in 1988, and was produced by Peter Wolf.

Personnel:

  • Stuart Adamson – vocals, guitar, piano, e-bow
  • Bruce Watson – vocals, guitar, harmonica, mandolin, sitar, e-bow
  • Tony Butler – vocals, bass, guitar
  • Mark Brzezicki – drums, percussion
  • Peter Wolf – keyboards
  • Josh Phillips – keyboards
  • Maxine Anderson – backing vocals
  • Merry Clayton – backing vocals
  • Donna Davidson – backing vocals

Track listing:

 All tracks by Stuart Adamson, except where noted.

  1. King of Emotion
  2. Broken Heart (Thirteen Valleys)
  3. Thousand Yard Stare – Stuart Adamson, Bruce Watson
  4. From Here to Eternity
  5. Everything I Need
  6. Peace in Our Time
  7. Time for Leaving – Stuart Adamson, Mark Brzezicki, Tony Butler, Bruce Watson
  8. River of Hope
  9. In This Place
  10. I Could Be Happy Here – Stuart Adamson, Bruce Watson

Allen Toussaint: Toussaint

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On June 6, 1971, “Sceptor” and “DJM” labels released “Toussaint”, the second Allen Toussaint studio album. It was recorded in 1970, and was produced by Charles Greene and Allen Toussaint.

Personnel:

  • Allen Toussaint – vocal, piano, arrangements
  • Terry Kellman – guitar
  • Mac Rebennack – organ, guitar
  • Eddie Hohner – bass
  • Freddie Staehle – drums
  • John Boudreaux – drums
  • Ed Greene – drums
  • Earl Turbinton – alto saxophone
  • Frederic Kemp – tenor saxophone
  • Clyde Kerr – trumpet
  • Merry Clayton – backing vocals
  • Venetta Fields – backing vocals
  • Dick Smith – artwork

Track listing:

All tracks by Allen Toussaint, except where noted.

  1. From a Whisper to a Scream
  2. Chokin’ Kind – Harlan Howard
  3. Number Nine
  4. Either
  5. Sweet Touch of Love
  6. Working in a Coal Mine
  7. Everything I Do Gonna Be Funky
  8. Louie
  9. What is Success
  10. Pickles
  11. Cast Your Fate to the Wind – Carel Rowe, Vince Guaraldi

The Brothers Johnson: Light Up the Night

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On April 4, 1980, “A&M” label released “Light Up the Night”, the fourth Brothers Johnson (The) album. It was recorded 1978 – 1980, at “Allen Zentz Recording” and “A&M Studios” in Hollywood, “Kendun Recorders” in Burbank, California, and was produced by Quincy Jones.

Personnel:

  • George Johnson – lead and backing vocals, lead and rhythm guitar, rhythm arrangements
  • Louis Johnson – acoustic piano, Prophet-5, guitars, lead guitar, bass, backing vocals, rhythm arrangements
  • Greg Phillinganes – acoustic and electric piano, synthesizer
  • Rod Temperton – electric piano, synthesizer and BGV arrangements
  • Steve Porcaro – synthesizers, synthesizer programming
  • John Robinson – drums
  • Paulinho da Costa – percussion, vocal percussion
  • Richard Heath – lead and backing vocals, percussion
  • Kim Hutchcroft – soprano, tenor and baritone saxophone, flute
  • Larry Williams – alto and tenor saxophone, flute, synthesizers
  • Bill Reichenbach Jr. – euphonium, trombone, slide trumpet
  • Gary Grant – trumpet, flugelhorn
  • Jerry Hey – trumpet, flugelhorn, French horn, horn and string arrangements
  • Alex Weir – lead and backing vocals
  • Michael Jackson – backing vocals fills, BGV arrangements
  • Merry Clayton – backing vocals
  • Jim Gilstrap – backing vocals
  • Susaye Greene-Brown – backing vocals
  • Josie James – backing vocals
  • Valerie Johnson – backing vocals
  • Scherrie Payne – backing vocals
  • Quincy Jones – rhythm, synthesizer and BGV arrangements, backing vocals
  • Johnny Mandel – synthesizer arrangements
  • Bill Reichenbach Jr. – string conductor
  • Bruce Swedien – recording, mixing
  • Tim Gerrity – engineer assistant
  • Ralph Osborn – engineer assistant
  • Randy Pipes – engineer assistant
  • John Van Nest – engineer assistant
  • Bernie Grundman – mastering
  • Chuck Beeson – art direction
  • Glen Wexler – art direction, cover concept, photography
  • Ed Eckstien – cover concept
  • Kurt Triffet – illustration
  • The Fitzgerald/Hartley Co. – direction

Track listing:

  1. Stomp! – Rod Temperton, Louis Johnson, George Johnson, Valerie Johnson
  2. Light Up the Night – Rod Temperton, Louis Johnson, George Johnson
  3. You Make Me Wanna Wiggle – Rod Temperton, Louis Johnson, George Johnson, Valerie Johnson
  4. Treasure – Rod Temperton
  5. This Had to Be – Michael Jackson, Louis Johnson, George Johnson
  6. All About the Heaven – Rod Temperton
  7. Smilin’ on Ya – George Johnson, Greg Phillinganes, Louis Johnson, Jerry Hey
  8. Closer to the One That You Love – Rod Templeton, Louis Johnson, George Johnson
  9. Celebration – Rod Templeton, Louis Johnson, George Johnson

Buffy Sainte-Marie: She Used to Wanna Be a Balerina

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In March 1971, “Vanguard” label released “She Used to Wanna Be a Ballerina” the seventh Buffy Sainte-Marie album. It was recorded in 1970, and was produced by Jack Nitzsche and Buffy Sainte-Marie.

Personnel:

  • Buffy Sainte-Marie – vocals
  • Jesse Ed Davis – guitar
  • Neil Young – guitar 
  • Ry Cooder – guitar
  • Jack Nitzsche – piano
  • Merry Clayton – backing vocals
  • Gayle Levant – harp
  • Crazy Horse

Track listing:

All tracks by Buffy Sainte-Marie, except where noted.

  1. Rollin’ Mill Man – Gerry Goffin, Russ Titelman
  2. Smack Water Jack – Gerry Goffin, Carole King
  3. Sweet September Morning
  4. She Used to Wanna Be a Ballerina
  5. Bells – Leonard Cohen
  6. Helpless – Neil Young
  7. Moratorium
  8. The Surfer – Buffy Sainte-Marie, Ariel Gonzales, Carlos Pardeiro
  9. Song of the French Partisan – Anna Marly, Hy Zaret
  10. Soldier Blue
  11. Now You’ve Been Gone for a Long Time