Back when I was working with the Stones and with Joe Cocker and Neil Young and Neil Diamond and all of those – ‘the boys,’ I call them – it was fun. Merry Clayton Read Quote
I started with Bobby Darin. He signed me to Capitol when I was 15. I was 14, getting ready to be 15. Then the next encounter I had was with I think Peggy Lee. I sang background with The Blossoms with Darlene Love. Merry Clayton Read Quote
I remember working with Ray Charles when I was quite young, and I would wonder, ‘Why would he sing ‘Georgia On My Mind’ and ‘I Can’t Stop Loving You’ every night?’ I said, ‘Oh my God if I have to sing these songs, if I have to sing ‘I Can’t Stop Loving You’ one more night, I’m going to fall out.’ Of course, I was young and I didn’t understand. Merry Clayton Read Quote
I knew how to sing in choirs and sing in church, but I didn’t know how to sing in a studio. That’s what Darlene and the Blossoms taught me to do – to be a studio singer. Merry Clayton Read Quote
I was able to endure and play a special part in music history. And I always managed to keep working, even if I wasn’t a big solo artist. Merry Clayton Read Quote
I got put out of my church choir because my pastor said, ‘We can’t have baby sister singing the blues and coming in here and singing on Sunday morning.’ Merry Clayton Read Quote
