Merry Clayton is back, with a sweet vengeance. After a terrible car accident in 2015, the legendary singer from the Rolling Stones’ “Gimme Shelter” and from Carole King’s hit albums of the 70s, has made a new album.
“Beautiful Scars” is named for a title track written by Diane Warren. The album is produced by Lou Adler, who first signed Merry to Ode Records in 1970. She had solo albums and she sang on Ode Records’ Carole King albums memorably. Her voice on the Stones song remains a key part of their legacy and hers.
Merry was featured in the Oscar winning drama “20 Feet to Stardom” a few years ago. I was at a Grammy event with her and Darlene Love and a few others from that film in a small club in Los Angeles, and will never forget her peeling the paint off the ceiling when she sang. Utterly amazing.
“Beautiful Scars” drops on April 9th.