| Author | Message | ||
  Rodmann (rodmann) 4-Laureate Username: rodmann Post Number: 122 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 12.221.222.66 |
Judy Clay is one of my favorite female vocalists. She passed away a few years back but not much was heard about it. That's a shame because this woman was a major talent! Her voice was just so unapologetically SOULFUL! She left SEVERAL excellent recordings behind like 'Country Girl-City Man' with Billy Vera, 'Private Number' with William Bell, my favorite 'You Can't Run Away From Your Heart' on Stax and several others. Judy's sister Sylvia Shemwell of The Sweet Inspirations is also a wonderful singer. They sounded very similar but Judy's voice was slightly rougher. Here's an excellent article all about Miss Clay called PURE SOUL: http://www.indyweek.com/durham /2001-08-29/music.html Miss Clay's son is a Harvard graduate and the Director of Finance and Operations for BMG Music. Here's a short profile about him. He has some interesting things to say about his mother and Jerry Wexler: http://www.kipbusinessreport.c om/Profiles_Leo_Gatewood.htm Is anyone else feeling Judy Clay's vocals like I do? Please feel free to share any thoughts on her in this topic. It's SO SHOCKING and sad that talented folks like her were allowed to languish in obscurity.  | ||
lenny (lennytone) 3-Pundit Username: lennytone Post Number: 44 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 66.241.87.179 |
Nice articles. Judy Clay was a favorite of mine, especially "Storybook Children" and "You Busted My Mind". It's so sad when the artists we love pass away in relative obscurity and with little fanfare. Big Dee Irwin and Big Maybelle also come to mind. But there are so many others. | ||
Eva (bigswede2002) 3-Pundit Username: bigswede2002 Post Number: 39 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 81.226.54.68 |
Thanks so much for the articles on Judy Clay, Rodmann! I have passed on the URLs to the southernsoul list on Yahoogroups, where she has many fans-hope you don't mind. It's so sad when major talents like Judy Clay never get the attention/success they deserve...while other, mediocre singers get fame and fortune. Sometimes it seems like a matter of luck-for example, Dionne Warwick hooked up with Bacharach and made it big, while her equally (or even more)talented sister Dee Dee is still unknown to the mainstream. Sometimes it's purely a matter of promotion, of course, and even more so in these days, when you don't even have to be able to *sing* to become a mega star! Eva | ||
Nosey (nosey) 3-Pundit Username: nosey Post Number: 69 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 66.153.113.238 |
Great articles Rodmann. | ||
Tony Russi (tony_russi) 4-Laureate Username: tony_russi Post Number: 75 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 65.83.152.221 |
Very interesting, good articles. Thank you Rodmann. I always liked Judy Clay...I have the 45's "Country Man City Girl"or vice versa and my favorite "Private Number".I know she had a couple of real good solo releases on Stax but I can't recall them now. | ||
motown_david (motown_david) 1-Arriviste Username: motown_david Post Number: 6 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 195.93.33.10 |
Thanks so much for those articles, Rodmann. Judy Clay has been a long time favourite of mine and I love every record she ever made, going all the way back to her releases on the Ember label. She just shone on Atlantic and Stax and it's always amazed me that she never made it big in the business. Maybe she was just too soulful for the average taste. May she rest in peace. She is so well remembered in Great Britain. David. | ||
Rodmann (rodmann) 4-Laureate Username: rodmann Post Number: 126 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 12.221.222.66 |
I'm glad that everyone enjoyed the articles. Eva, you hit the nail right on it's head about Dionne & Dee Dee! I enjoy several of Dionne's recordings but I've always thought that Dee Dee was the more vocally talented sister. Dionne has even admitted that Dee Dee is "The Singer" in that family! Dee Dee's voice just sounds so much bigger and richer than Dionne's IMO. I also prefer her material over Dionne's. Bacharach's songs could be rather bland and soulless sometimes. I've always wondered what was holding Dee Dee back? Maybe she'll tell her story in a book or article one of these days. David, I'm also thinking that Judy's voice was just much too soulful for everyone. I still can't help but wonder how far she could've went if she had gotten some of the breaks at Atlantic/Stax that Aretha Franklin had gotten. David, how are those Ember sides? I've always wondered what they sounded like. Never seen them around. | ||
motown_david (motown_david) 1-Arriviste Username: motown_david Post Number: 8 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 195.93.33.10 |
Well, Rodmann,I have to say that they're totally wonderful, don't I as I'm a great fan of Judy's? Found them on Ebay just a couple or three years ago and just wish that they would come out on cd really soon. More Than You Know and I Thought I'd Gotten Over You are big beat ballads, entirely suited to Judy's great, powerful voice. There's a piano part played in triplets, rather like a Connie Francis early arrangement on Frankie. However, the voices compare in no way, shape or form. Do You Think That's Right is quicker in tempo and the guitar and heavy drum beat dominate. I love the backing vocals on this one. Its flipside is Stormy Weather and Judy sure belts this one out very powerfully. These two 45s come highly recommended. Hope these short reviews help. Just wish I had the equipment to transfer these to cd for you. Maybe soon. I also live in hopes that Judy's unreleased Stax and Atlantic will see the light of day one day. How about it, David Nathan? Hint, hint. David. | ||
LaBrenda (dotchain) 3-Pundit Username: dotchain Post Number: 39 Registered: 4-2004 Posted From: 166.68.134.174 |
I 1st heard Judy in Salisbury Massachusetts . I must have been eleven.My cousin played Storybook Children endlessly. I had no idea what it was about. People giggled like it was 'taboo' so I in turn listened and it became part of my la la land repertoire.I loved a taboo.When I'd see her name on a list of back up singers (if you were lucky enough to find them listed) I would immediately know I was in for some soul.I have since bought everything Ms Judy had her name on.... Several people informed me of her passing.She was definitely a lot more popular than she probably knew.Nona Hendryx has since recorded that song with Billy Vera as well.It pales of course in comparison.I mean that was ATLANTIC.Weird how the real story behind the stars eventually unwravels.The truth is the light . Those greedy bastards. Life goes by quick I hope they all get theirs.(just rewards)My favorite track at the moment I think is 'Bed of Roses'.Which is really easy to get down too.I have all the Drinkard lps and Ms Judy sounded so grown up and powerful when she was oh so young.Cissy even took a back seat to her apparently on those discs. I have more to say about Ms Judy and will do so in a later posting. God rest her giant Soulful Soul . |
