The gospel, rock and soul singer featured in the 2013 documentary “20 Feet From Stardom” lost both legs in a car accident. Now, she has made a triumphant return to the studio with a new album, “Beautiful Scars.”
When asked how she would describe her voice, singer Merry Clayton replied, “Angelic.” “That it is!” concurred correspondent Lee Cowan. “It’s my gift. It’s my gift.” Clayton has been offering that gift for well over half a century. She started at 14 singing with Bobby Darin. Ray Charles made her a Raelette. And soon, artists everywhere wanted Merry Clayton’s spirit behind them, too, like Carole King, Joe Cocker, even The Rolling Stones. “Gimme Shelter” by The Rolling Stones (featuring Merry Clayton): Clayton’s father, a minister in the New Orleans church where Merry started singing, couldn’t have been more proud… or more confused: “He says, ‘Just know this one thing, I know you’re out there with those Rolling Cockers’ – he got Joe Cocker and The Rolling Stones mixed up! – ‘I told the church,’ he said, ‘we’re going to be praying for you!'” She was revered within the industry. But it wasn’t until 2013 when Clayton finally got the recognition she deserved outside it. She was one of the stars of “20 Feet From Stardom,” a documentary about the lives of background vocalists. The film took home both an Oscar and a Grammy. “Once we won the Oscar it was a heavenly thing, you know?” she said. “We were talking about touring, everybody was really happy and up …” “Until…” “Yeah, until I went out for a meeting, and I came home five months later.” That same year Clayton got into a car accident. All she remembers is one of the paramedics who had rushed to the scene: “He says, ‘Oh, Miss Clayton! We just saw you in that movie “20 Feet From Stardom.” Oh, we just loved it!’ And then he said, ‘Well, I’m gonna give you something, you’re in shock, but I’m gonna give you something to knock you out.
