Merry Clayton
Her explosive, hair-raising vocal on 'Gimme Shelter' is one of rock's most iconic moments, yet her own monumental talent spent decades in the shadows.
Born 1948 (age 78)·American soul and gospel singer (b. 1948)·Birthday: December 25·Baby Boomers
Biography
Merry Clayton was a gospel child prodigy from New Orleans who found her true calling not in the spotlight, but just to the side of it. Discovered singing in a church choir by Bobby Darin, she became one of Los Angeles's most in-demand session singers by her early twenties, a secret weapon for producers seeking raw, spiritual power. That power was captured indelibly in the middle of a 1969 night when a phone call summoned her to a studio to sing on a Rolling Stones track. Wearing curlers and a nightgown, she delivered the searing, terrified, and terrifying performance on 'Gimme Shelter' that elevated the song from great to apocalyptic. Despite solo albums and a rich career supporting everyone from Carole King to Lynyrd Skynyrd, mainstream recognition was elusive until the documentary '20 Feet from Stardom' finally pulled her and her peers into full view, showcasing the artistry and sacrifice behind some of music's most famous sounds.
Baby Boomers
1946–1964
The largest generation in history at the time. Shaped by postwar prosperity, the Vietnam War, the sexual revolution, and Watergate. They questioned every institution their parents built — then ran them.
Merry was born in 1948, placing them squarely in the Baby Boomers. The events that shaped this generation — postwar prosperity, civil rights, Vietnam, and the counterculture — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Merry Was Born
The biggest hits of 1948
#1 Movie
The Red Shoes
Best Picture
Hamlet
#1 TV Show
Texaco Star Theatre
Merry's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1948Born
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1953Started school
DNA structure discovered by Watson and Crick
Gas: $0.27/galHome: $8,750Min wage: $0.75/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Song from Moulin Rouge" — Percy FaithBest Picture: From Here to Eternity
1961Became a teenager
Yuri Gagarin becomes the first human in space
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $12,500Min wage: $1.15/hrPresident: John F. Kennedy"Tossin' and Turnin'" — Bobby LewisBest Picture: West Side Story
1964Could drive
Civil Rights Act signed; Beatles arrive in America
Gas: $0.30/galHome: $13,450Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"I Want to Hold Your Hand" — The BeatlesBest Picture: My Fair Lady
1966Could vote
Star Trek premieres on television
Gas: $0.32/galHome: $14,200Min wage: $1.25/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"The Ballad of the Green Berets" — SSgt Barry SadlerBest Picture: A Man for All Seasons
1969Turned 21
Apollo 11: humans walk on the Moon; Woodstock festival
Gas: $0.35/galHome: $15,550Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Richard Nixon"Sugar, Sugar" — The ArchiesBest Picture: Midnight Cowboy
1978Turned 30
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 40
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 50
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2008Turned 60
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2018Turned 70
Royal wedding of Harry and Meghan; Parkland shooting
Gas: $2.72/galHome: $211,800Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"God's Plan" — DrakeBest Picture: Green Book
2026Age 78 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Provided the legendary backing vocal on the Rolling Stones' 'Gimme Shelter', creating one of the most memorable moments in rock history.
- Her solo work includes the 1970 gospel-rock album 'Gimme Shelter', which featured her version of the song.
- Won two Grammy Awards for her contributions as a featured artist on '20 Feet from Stardom' and its accompanying soundtrack.
- Recorded and performed with a vast array of artists including Joe Cocker, Neil Young, and Ray Charles.
Did You Know?
She was pregnant when she recorded her parts for 'Gimme Shelter'; she later suffered a miscarriage, which she sometimes attributed to the physical strain of the intense vocal performance.
She sang backup on Lynyrd Skynyrd's 'Sweet Home Alabama'.
She played the role of the choir soloist in the film 'Dirty Dancing'.
“When I heard myself back, I said, 'Oh my God. Who is that?' It was a total release. I didn't know I had that in me.”
