In 1969, Merry Clayton stepped into a recording studio in her pajamas and sang an enduring, chill-inducing part on The Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter.” At this point, Clayton had been working as a vocalist for several years. She only grew more successful afterward. Clayton has continued to work as a singer. Here’s what her life has been like in the years since “Gimme Shelter.”
Merry Clayton was not expecting to sing on ‘Gimme Shelter’
In 1969, The Rolling Stones were recording “Gimme Shelter” in Los Angeles when they decided they wanted a woman to sing on the song. They called Clayton late at night, and she rushed to the studio, four months pregnant and in pajamas and hair rollers.
“I called Curtis [Amy]: ‘These boys want me to sing about rape and murder,’” she told The Guardian in 2021. “I wanted them to hear me, talking real loud to my husband on the phone. But we got the gist — that it was part of the song and not something just flying out of the sky. I was tired, it was cold and my voice cracked. We listened back and they said: ‘Oh that’s bloody fabulous. Can you do it again?’”
Clayton said she sang the part only three times, quickly giving one of her most famous vocal performances before heading back to bed.
Merry Clayton’s career since recording ‘Gimme Shelter’
Clayton worked as a backing vocalist for years. She got her start as a teenager singing with Bobby Darin before becoming a Raelette, a member of Ray Charles’ touring band. She continued working as a backup singer after “Gimme Shelter,” working with musicians such as Ringo Starr, Carole King, Joe Cocker, and Lynyrd Skynyrd.
Clayton has also released a number of solo albums, beginning with 1970s Gimme Shelter. On it, she covered The Stones’ song. She also appeared on the Dirty Dancing soundtrack with the song “Yes,” and picked up a few acting roles.
In 2013, Clayton featured heavily in the Oscar-winning documentary 20 Feet From Stardom. The film focused on the lives and careers of backup singers.
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One year after the film’s release, Clayton was in a car accident that was so severe that doctors had to amputate both her legs. When she learned about the loss of her legs, Clayton’s only concern was whether or not her voice was affected by the accident. When doctors told her it was fine, she broke into song. “If she’s singing, she’s fine,” her sister said.
One week after leaving the hospital, Clayton recorded vocals for the Coldplay album A Head Full of Dreams. She released her most recent solo album, Beautiful Scars, in 2021.
She said she hopes her music inspires others
When Clayton left the hospital, she said she began working hard to bring a sense of normalcy back to her life. Many of the people who know her have described her as a living miracle.
“I have friends who’ve told me: ‘Girl, if it were me, they would have had to put dirt on me — God knew who to put this on because I couldn’t bear it. You’re a walking, talking miracle,’” she said. “And I really, truly believe that, because I refuse to give in and I refuse to give up.”
Part of her drive has to do with her music. Clayton believes music has healing properties, and she wants to spread this to as many people as possible. She told USA Today that she wants listeners to feel “blessed and encouraged” by her voice.
“I just hope that I’ve been able to, you know, truly just bless people, and let them know that everything’s gonna be OK,” she said.
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