Clydie Mae King (August 21, 1943 – January 7, 2019) was an American singer, best known for her session work as a backing vocalist. King also recorded solo under her name. In the 1970s, she recorded as Brown Sugar, and her single "Loneliness (Will Bring Us Together Again)" reached No. 44 on the ''Billboard'' R&B charts in 1973.

Life and career

King was born in

Dallas Dallas () is the third largest city in Texas and the largest city in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex, the fourth-largest metropolitan area in the United States at 7.5 million people. It is the largest city in and seat of Dallas County ...

, Texas, and after her mother's death was raised by her older sister. After starting to sing in the local church, she moved with her family to Los Angeles in the early 1950s. Discovered by songwriter Richard Berry, King began her recording career in 1956 with Little Clydie and the Teens; before she was a member of

Ray Charles Ray Charles Robinson Sr. (September 23, 1930 – June 10, 2004) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. He is regarded as one of the most iconic and influential singers in history, and was often referred to by contemporaries as "The Ge ...

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for three years and contributed to early 1960s

recordings A record, recording or records may refer to: An item or collection of data Computing * Record (computer science), a data structure ** Record, or row (database), a set of fields in a database related to one entity ** Boot sector or boot record, r ...

by producer

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. She recorded solo

singles Singles are people not in a committed relationship. Singles may also refer to: Film and television * ''Singles'' (miniseries), a 1984 Australian television series * ''Singles'' (1992 film), written and directed by Cameron Crowe * ''Singles'' ...

for Specialty Records, Kent Records and others. Her 1971 solo single "'Bout Love" reached No. 45 on the R&B chart. Reviewing her 1972 debut album ''Direct Me'',

Robert Christgau Robert Thomas Christgau ( ; born April 18, 1942) is an American music journalist and essayist. Among the most well-known and influential music critics, he began his career in the late 1960s as one of the earliest professional rock critics and ...

wrote in '' Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies'' (1981): "Clydie has a voice that's more sly Diana than robust Martha and addresses the title plea to Gabriel Mekler, who (this time, anyway) proves neither as sly nor as robust as Berry Gordy." King provided backing vocals for

Humble Pie Humble Pie are an English rock band formed by guitarist and singer Steve Marriott in Moreton, Essex, in 1969. They are known as one of the first supergroups of the late 1960s and found success in the early 1970s with songs such as " Black C ...

, which had great success in the United States, and she went on to become an in-demand session singer, worked with Venetta Fields and

Sherlie Matthews Sherlie Matthews (born November 10, 1934) is an American singer, songwriter and former Motown Records producer, best known as a backing vocalist for pop, R&B and rock groups from the mid-1960s to the present time. Early life Matthews started ...

and recorded with B.B. King,

The Rolling Stones The Rolling Stones are an English rock band formed in London in 1962. Active for six decades, they are one of the most popular and enduring bands of the rock era. In the early 1960s, the Rolling Stones pioneered the gritty, rhythmically dr ...

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, Dickey Betts,

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, and many others. She was a member of The Blackberries with Fields and Matthews and sang on

's '' Mad Dogs and Englishmen'' tour, which became a feature film. In 1971, she was featured on the Beaver and Krause album ''Gandarva''. She sang the lead vocal on the gospel-inflected "Walkin' By the River." Ray Brown played bass on the cut. Along with Merry Clayton, she sang the background vocals on Lynyrd Skynyrd's seminal hit " Sweet Home Alabama". King was married two, or three times. Her first husband was Robin Hale, by whom she had three sons: Christopher, Randy, and Magge Hale. Her second husband was Tony Collins, by whom she had a daughter, Delores Collins. In 1998, newspapers reported that

's then girlfriend, Susan Ross, had stated that Dylan had been secretly married to Clydie King and had two children by her. She also stated that he had had long-term relationships with other backing vocalists including

Helena Springs Helena Lisandrello, known professionally as Helena Springs (born 1961), is an American singer. The singer was first a backup vocalist for Bob Dylan, starting in 1978 aged 17, and co-wrote 19 songs with him, more than any of his other collabor ...

Carol Woods Carol may refer to: People with the name *Carol (given name) * Henri Carol (1910–1984), French composer and organist * Martine Carol (1920–1967), French film actress * Sue Carol (1906–1982), American actress and talent agent, wife of actor ...

and Carol Dennis. King died on January 7, 2019, at the age of 75, of complications from a blood infection.

Discography

Singles

*1956 Little Clydie & The Teens: "A Casual Look" / "Oh Me" (RPM 462) *1957 Clydie King: "Our Romance" / "Written On The Wall" (Specialty 605) *1958 Clydie King: "I'm Invited To Your Party" / "Young Foolish Love" (Specialty 642) *1960 The Meadowlarks: "There's A Girl" / "Blue Mood" (Original Sound 12) *1961 The Meadowlarks: "It's Stompin' Time (Part 1)" / "It's Stompin' Time (Part 2)" (Interlude 101) *1962 Clydie King & The Sweet Things: "The Boys In My Life" / "Promises" (Philips 40001) *1962 Clydie King &

Mel Carter Mel Carter (born April 22, 1939, Cincinnati, Ohio) is an American singer and actor. He is best known for his 1965 million-selling recording, "Hold Me, Thrill Me, Kiss Me". Biography At age 16 Carter studied singing with vocalist Little Jimmy S ...

: "Who Do You Love" / "The Wrong Side Of Town" (Philips 40049) *1962 Clydie King: "Turn Around" / "Don't Hang Up The Phone" (Philips 40051) *1963 Clydie King and The Sweet Things: "Only The Guilty Cry" / "By Now" (Philips 40107) *1965 Bonnie & The Treasures: "Home Of The Brave" / "Our Song" (Phi-Dan 5005) *1965 Clydie King: "The Thrill Is Gone" / "If You Were A Man" (Imperial 66109) *1965 Clydie King: "Missin' My Baby" / "My Love Grows Deeper" (Imperial 66139) *1966 Clydie King: "He Always Comes Back To Me" / "Soft and Gentle Ways" (Imperial 66172) *1967

Jimmy Holiday Jimmy Holiday (July 24, 1934 – February 15, 1987) was an American R&B singer and songwriter. Holiday was born in Sallis, Mississippi, United States. He recorded for Everest Records in the 1960s and later moved to the New Orleans label Mini ...

and Clydie King: "Ready, Willing and Able" / "We Got a Good Thing Goin'" (Minit 32021) *1967 Clydie King: "One Of Those Good For Cryin' Over You Days" / "My Mistakes Of Yesterday" (Minit 32025) *1967 Clydie King: "I'll Never Stop Loving You" / "Shing-A-Ling" (Minit 32032) *1969 Clydie King: "Love Now, Pay Later" / "One Part, Two Part" (Minit 32054) *1969 The Brothers and Sisters of Los Angeles: " The Mighty Quinn" / " Chimes of Freedom" (Ode 121) *1969 The Brothers and Sisters of Los Angeles: " The Times They Are A-Changin'" / " Mr. Tambourine Man" (Ode 123) *1970 Clydie King: "Never Like This Before" / " The Long and Winding Road" (Lizard 21005) *1971 Clydie King: "'Bout Love" / "First Time, Last Time" (Lizard 21007) *1972 Barry Goldberg & Clydie King: "Mockingbird"" / "Jackson Highway" (Reprise 1120) *1972 Brown Sugar: "Somebody Stronger" / "One Way Street Called Love" (Abkco 5001) *1972 The Blackberries: "Somebody Up There" / "But I Love Him" (Mowest 5020) *1973 The Blackberries: "Don't Change On Me" / " Twist and Shout" (A & M 1442) *1973 Brown Sugar: "Don't Hold Back" / "Loneliness (Will Bring Us Together Again)" (Bullet 711) *1973 Brown Sugar: "Don't Hold Back" / "Loneliness (Will Bring Us Together Again)" (Chelsea 78–0125) *1973 Brown Sugar: "Sugar, Didn't I" / "Moonlight and Taming You" (RCA APBO-0149) *1974 Clydie King & Brown Sugar: "Dance To The Music" / "Love Can Bring You Down" (RCA APBO-0239) *1974 The Blackberries: "Life Is Full Of Joy" / "Yesterday's Music" (A & M 1630) *1975 Clydie King: "Punish Me" / "Punish Me" (instrumental) (U.K. 2801) *1977 Clydie King: "Streets Full Of Flowers" / "Streets Full Of Flowers" (instrumental) (Whisper WX 2345)

Albums

*1972 Clydie King: ''Direct Me'' (Lizard / Ampex Records, A-20104) *1973 Brown Sugar: ''Brown Sugar featuring Clydie King'' (Chelsea Records, BCL1-0368) *1976 Clydie King: ''Rushing to Meet You'' (Tiger Lily Records, TL 14037) *2007 Clydie King: ''The Imperial & Minit Years'' (Stateside Records, 5099950958122)

As backing vocalist (selected)

: ''It's a Blues Thing'' 1995 – King sang " Ode to Billie Joe" rec. 1968 *

: '' Love Country Style'' 1970 – duet on "Sweet Memories" *

Crabby Appleton Crabby Appleton was an American rock band in the early 1970s. Fronted by singer-songwriter Michael Fennelly, they scored a Top 40 hit with their first single, "Go Back." History Though nearly everyone in the group was from a Los Angeles, C ...

: ''Rotten to the Core'' 1971 *

The Supremes The Supremes were an American girl group and a premier act of Motown Records during the 1960s. Founded as the Primettes in Detroit, Michigan, in 1959, the Supremes were the most commercially successful of Motown's acts and the most successf ...

: '' Nathan Jones'' 1971 * Beaver and Krause: ''Walkin' By the River'' on Gandarva 1971 * Madura: ''Madura II'' 1973 * Dickey Betts: ''

Atlanta's Burning Down ''Atlanta's Burning Down'' is the third studio album by Dickey Betts of The Allman Brothers Band. It was recorded with his band Great Southern in late 1977, and released in early 1978. The standout tracks are "Good Time Feeling" and "Atlanta's Bur ...

'' 1978 *

Neil Diamond Neil Leslie Diamond (born January 24, 1941) is an American singer-songwriter. He has sold more than 130 million records worldwide, making him one of the best-selling musicians of all time. He has had ten No. 1 singles on the Hot 100 and Adul ...

: '' Tap Root Manuscript'' 1970 – backing vocals to ''Childsong'' and ''Missa'' *

: '' Saved'' 1980, '' Shot of Love'' 1981, '' Infidels'' 1983, '' Biograph'' 1985, ''

Down in the Groove ''Down in the Groove'' is the 25th studio album by American singer-songwriter Bob Dylan, released on May 30, 1988 by Columbia Records. A highly collaborative effort, it was Dylan's second consecutive album to receive almost unanimously negative r ...

'' 1988, '' The Bootleg Series Volumes 1–3 (Rare & Unreleased) 1961–1991'' 1991, '' The Bootleg Series Vol. 13: Trouble No More 1979–1981'' 2017 * Chuck Girard: ''Take It Easy'' 1979 *

: '' Eat It'' 1973 *

Elton John Sir Elton Hercules John (born Reginald Kenneth Dwight; 25 March 1947) is a British singer, pianist and composer. Commonly nicknamed the "Rocket Man" after his 1972 hit single of the same name, John has led a commercially successful career a ...

: ''

Caribou Reindeer (in North American English, known as caribou if wild and ''reindeer'' if domesticated) are deer in the genus ''Rangifer''. For the last few decades, reindeer were assigned to one species, ''Rangifer tarandus'', with about 10 subspe ...

'' 1974 * B.B. King: ''Indianola Mississippi Seeds'' 1970 – Angelic Chorus on "Hummingbird" * Gary St. Clair: ''Gary St. Clair'' 1971 *

Lynyrd Skynyrd Lynyrd Skynyrd ( ) is an American rock band formed in Jacksonville, Florida. The group originally formed as My Backyard in 1964 and comprised Ronnie Van Zant (lead vocalist), Gary Rossington (guitar), Allen Collins (guitar), Larry Junstrom ...

: " Sweet Home Alabama" 1974Tom Dupree
Lynyrd Skynyrd in Sweet Home Atlanta
, ''

Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...

'', October 24, 1974. Retrieved September 17, 2006. * Martha Reeves: ''Martha Reeves'', Produced by Richard Perry 1974 *

: '' Exile on Main St.'' 1972 *

: '' Don't Cry Now'' 1973, ''

Heart Like A Wheel ''Heart Like a Wheel'' is the fifth solo studio album by Linda Ronstadt, released in November 1974. It was Ronstadt's last album to be released by Capitol Records. At the time of its recording, Ronstadt had already moved to Asylum Records and ...

'' 1974 *

Diana Ross Diana Ross (born March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. She rose to fame as the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown's most successful act during the 1960s and one of the world's best-selling girl groups ...

: ''

Baby It's Me ''Baby It's Me'' is the eighth studio album by American singer Diana Ross, released on September 16, 1977 by Motown Records. It peaked at No. 18 on the ''Billboard'' Top 200 and No. 7 on the R&B album chart. The album was produced by producer R ...

'' 1977 * Dusty Springfield: '' Cameo'' 1973 *

: ''

Can't Buy A Thrill ''Can't Buy a Thrill'' is the debut studio album by American rock band Steely Dan, released in November 1972 by ABC Records. The album was written by band members Donald Fagen and Walter Becker, recorded in August 1972 at the Village Recorder in ...

'' 1972, '' The Royal Scam'' 1976, '' Aja'' 1977 * Jean Terrell: '' I Had to Fall in Love'' 1978 *

: '' The Smoker You Drink, the Player You Get'' 1973 *

: '' A Star Is Born'' – backup vocals with Venetta Fields as The Oreos 1976 * B.W. Stevenson: ''

My Maria "My Maria" is a song co-written by B. W. Stevenson and Daniel Moore. Lindy Blaskey, music publisher at ABC/Dunhill Records thought Daniel Moore had a possible hit with his verse and chorus, but couldn't get him to finish the song. So Lindy Blas ...

'' 1973 - backup vocals with Bill & Taffy Danoff, Daniel J. Moore*, Lorna Willard, Venetta Fields

References

External links

Clydie King Web Site
— by Hideki Watanabe

— Clydie King Discography * Clydie King creditsat

AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Music ...

The Complete Blackberries
– Documentation of the lady singers in Humble Pie {{DEFAULTSORT:King, Clydie 1943 births 2019 deaths 20th-century African-American women singers American women singers American session musicians Musicians from Dallas RPM Records (United States) artists Specialty Records artists Kent Records artists Imperial Records artists Capitol Records artists RCA Victor artists Musicians from Atlanta American soul singers 21st-century African-American people 21st-century African-American women The Blackberries members The Raelettes members