How To Sing Like Merry Clayton

Merry Clayton is one of the most successful and well-known backup singers in the music industry. With over 50 years of experience in the industry, she has offered backing vocals on some of the most famous songs of all time.

Clayton's unique voice is known for its power, soulfulness, and dynamic range. Her gospel-influenced style is particularly evident in her signature song, "Gimme Shelter" by the Rolling Stones. Clayton's voice has an incredible grit and power, which allows her to add depth and dimension to any song she sings.

If you are looking to learn how to sing like Merry Clayton, here are some practical steps you can follow:

Analyze Your Voice

First, you need to get a sense of your voice and find out the extent of your range. Take the Singing Carrots vocal range test to identify your range, and learn which famous singers have similar range. Knowing your vocal range is essential because it helps you to choose the appropriate song to practice.

Practice Breathing Techniques

Breathing is the foundation of great singing. Without proper breath support, it's impossible to control your voice. Check out the Singing Carrots article Breathing Basics to learn how to breathe correctly.

Learn Chest Voice

One of the most prominent features of Clayton's voice is her chest voice. To master Clayton's style, learn how to sing in chest voice. Check out the Singing Carrots Chest Voice Explained video for exercises and tips on how to sing in chest voice.

Sing with Power

One of the trademarks of Clayton's voice is her power. She can effortlessly belt out high notes with impressive power and volume. To sing like Clayton, begin by practicing your chest voice and gradually adding more power to your singing. Check out the Singing Carrots Voice Break video to learn how to mix your voice and achieve voice breaks.

Work On Vibrato

Clayton's voice is also known for her distinctive vibrato. Vibrato is the natural oscillation that occurs in your voice when you hold a note. Listen to Clayton’s "Gimme Shelter" to hear her natural vibrato. Check out the Singing Carrots Singing with Vibrato article and Beggars Bounce video for more insights on how to produce effective vibrato.

Look After Your Vocal Health

Clayton's voice has been around for over 50 years, and good vocal health is one reason why. Take care of your voice by following good practices that can be found in our Singing Carrots Vocal Health article.

Practical Application

To develop your skills further, you can use Singing Carrots' resources:

• Pick a song in Clayton’s style: Choose a song from the Singing Carrots Song-search feature that matches your vocal range and genre preference.
• Warm-up exercises: Start with the Farinelli Breathing exercise to engage your diaphragm and prepare for the practice ahead.
• Song Learning: Use the How to Learn a Song Effectively article as a guide to incorporate structure and efficiency strategies during your song learning experience.

Remember to practice regularly to improve your singing skills. By following these tips and using the resources provided by Singing Carrots, you'll be on the path to singing like the legendary Merry Clayton.