This is a relatively easy one, but we'll do it anyway because it could prove to be a good topic for further discussion...or maybe not.

Clare Torry

Mary Clayton

Marcy Levy

Michelle Branch

What is the common bond they share ?( thankfully Ms.Torry's 1st name doesn't start with an 'M'...or I'd have to word this differently).

Mary Clayton did the backup vocals on 'Gimme Shelter'. I recognized her right off the bat.  I don't know why I remember that, other than the fact that "Let it Bleed" is one of my all time favorite albums.  It's the only thing I know about her.

Marcy Levy worked with Clapton.  A bunch actually, once upon a time, including co-writing some hits.  And Clare with Pink Floyd.  Branch? I got nuthin.  But I'm sure the answer is somewhere along this line of providing backup vocals to a more famous (British?) male act.

 

Slim, you are on the right track. Follow your own clues...forget the "British" , that has nothing to do with it.

Michelle Branch worked with Santana. Does that help?

I guess I need more coffee.  Beyond they backed up famous dudes I still don't see it. Sorry.  Time to bring in the varsity to help I guess.

 

They were all back up singers that were better than the vocalists they were backing up?????

It appears everyone has either no interest or has given up.

Typically, when we think of a "backup singer" or someone who contributes vocals on a Rock album, we think of that singer singing in the background as the group's lead vocalist takes the lead vocals.

Santana has had many lead vocalists over the years, but through the years we have identified a male voice as lead singer in a Santana song. Michelle Branch is the LEAD  vocalist on the big Santana hit 'The Game Of Love.' Having a non group member sing lead vocal was a common thing for Santana during this time period, but this one became a big hit, and was sung by a female.

Do you see where this heading yet?

Marcy Levy took the lead vocal on Eric Clapton's song 'The Core' off of the Slowhand LP. Clapton typically handles the role of lead vocalist...at least since the days of Cream. This song, while not on regular playlists of Classic Rock  stations of today, was played frequently on FM radio back when Slowhand was first released.

Clare Torry sings lead on two songs by Classic Rock acts who typically use a male voice as lead singer. She is the lead vocalist on Pink Floyd's 'Great Gig In The Sky' from Dark Side Of The Moon....a well known Floyd number. Roger Waters or David Gilmour sing lead on Pink Floyd songs of this era ( the ones that are not instrumental). So Clare Torry's LEAD vocal on this song is a deviation from the band's norm. (Clare also sings lead vocal on an Alan Parsons Project song from Eve, but as that group was mainly a studio project with changeable parts, we'll disregard that for now).

Mary Clayton does not sing LEAD vocal on the ENTIRE song by the Stones 'Gimme Shelter', but she does in fact share the LEAD vocal with Jagger through much of the song, more than just echoing Jagger as a backup, she actually takes over lead vocal for a good deal of the song. So, technically is a shared LEAD vocalist in this song.

These songs all appeared on LPs by Pink Floyd,Rolling Stones, Eric Clapton and  Santana all of had a lead vocal sung by a female artist who is not a true member of the band. Normally a "guest vocalist" appears as a backup singer , not in these cases.

I was trying to think of another, and I came up with Stevie Nicks who shares lead vocl with Don Henley on 'Leather And Lace.' Also 'Stop Dragging My Heart Around'...but I had to eliminate that one because it appears on a Stevie Nicks LP , not on a Tom Petty LP.

Any other examples of a female singer taking lead vocals or sharing lead vocals on an album by a band of which she is not a full time member?

 

You had me stumped my large reptilian friend.I understand the connection now though;

Another example would be kissin' cousin Ruby Starr singing a shared lead vocal with Jim "Dandy" Melgram of Black Oak Arkansas on the song "Jim Dandy to the rescue"

 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyEgrWw0Xog&feature=related

In response to ZILLAGOD's comment:

Yah, Ellen Foley "Paradise By The Dasboard Light" with Meatloaf...

 

Although Ellen Foley is recorded on the album, another woman, Karla DeVito, was used for the music video and for live performances...

Roger,good call on Ellen Foley!! 

+1

Fun facts about Ellen Foley:

She sang on the Ian Hunter song 'We Gotta Get Outta Here'...she also sang on the Blue Oyster Cult LP 'Mirrors' and the Clash LP 'Sandanista.' Also she was a regular on the sitcom Night Court.

Fun facts about Mary Clayton:

She was not the first choice to sing with Jagger on 'Gimme Shelter'....it was supposed to be Bonnie Bramlet ( the Bonnie of Delaney and Bonnie). Clayton sings backup on Lynyrd Skynyrd's 'Sweet Home Alabama' , on Neil Young's debut LP (she can be heard prominently on 'The Old Laughing Lady'). Clayton was the original Acid Queen in the 1972 London production of Tommy. Dec. 25 is her birthday....she sang the title song for the Get Smart/ Don Adams film 'The Nude Bomb'....which really was a bomb. She sang with Ray Charles as one of the Raelettes.

 

 

 

The forums were mostly unusable late last week.  At least I couldn't get to them.  Happens alot.

I did not know that Mary Clayton was on 'Sweet Home Alabama'.  That's the sort of tidbit I usually do have packed away.

As for the follow up, I'll add  Kiki Dee and Elton John on 'Don't Go Breaking My Heart'.  Not sure if it's considered lead singing, but also Ronnie Spector with Eddie Money on 'Take Me Home Tonight'. (Seems this one came up very recently around here, but I can't place where).

Edit:  Got one more,  Nicolette Larson with Neil Young on 'Comes A Time' . (Another of my all-time favorite albums)

 

Clare also sings lead vocal on an Alan Parsons Project song from Eve, but as that group was mainly a studio project with changeable parts, we'll disregard that for now).

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Of course Mr Parsons engineered Dark Side of the Moon, and at the ripe old age of 22.