So, great backing singer performances.... Not band members harmonising with their lead singer, but backing singers who've made good songs great.
The automatic nominations should be the backing singers on Aretha's Respect (though other Aretha songs, such as "Chain Of Fools" also merit mention), and the great backing groups Elvis had for support: The Jordanaires and The Sweet Sensations. Merry Clayton's appropriation of "Gimme Shelter" is another obvious nominee.
Motown backing group The Adantes merit nomination for their entire body of work, though what they did (with a few others) on Diana Ross' version of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" is quite astonishing. Likewise, The Ikettes.
Others:
Carol Kenyon on "Temptation" by Heaven 17
Michael McDonald on "Peg" by Steely Dan (and several other tracks)
Dari Lalou, Karen Friedman & Casey Synge on "Walk On The Wild Side" by Lou Reed
Helen Terry on "Black Money" and "Church Of The Poison Mind" by Culture Club
Emmylou Harris on "Love Hurts" by Gram Parsons
Clare Torry on "The Great Gig in the Sky" by Pink Floyd"
Lynn Mabry and Ednah Holt on the live version of "Slippery People" (among others) by Talking Heads
The automatic nominations should be the backing singers on Aretha's Respect (though other Aretha songs, such as "Chain Of Fools" also merit mention), and the great backing groups Elvis had for support: The Jordanaires and The Sweet Sensations. Merry Clayton's appropriation of "Gimme Shelter" is another obvious nominee.
Motown backing group The Adantes merit nomination for their entire body of work, though what they did (with a few others) on Diana Ross' version of "Ain't No Mountain High Enough" is quite astonishing. Likewise, The Ikettes.
Others:
Carol Kenyon on "Temptation" by Heaven 17
Michael McDonald on "Peg" by Steely Dan (and several other tracks)
Dari Lalou, Karen Friedman & Casey Synge on "Walk On The Wild Side" by Lou Reed
Helen Terry on "Black Money" and "Church Of The Poison Mind" by Culture Club
Emmylou Harris on "Love Hurts" by Gram Parsons
Clare Torry on "The Great Gig in the Sky" by Pink Floyd"
Lynn Mabry and Ednah Holt on the live version of "Slippery People" (among others) by Talking Heads
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