Neil Sedaka’s “Bad Blood” features Elton John as an uncredited – but clearly recognizable – backup singer.
Roy Orbison’s “A Black and White Night” may have had the most impressive line up of backing vocalists ever.
From Wikipedia: “Male background vocals and some guitars were provided by Bruce Springsteen, Tom Waits, Elvis Costello, Jackson Browne, JD Souther and Steven Soles. Female background vocalists were k.d. lang, Jennifer Warnes and Bonnie Raitt.”
During “Dream Baby” hearing (and watching) lang, Warnes and Raitt doing the “sha-la-la’s” sent shivers up my spine.
Highly recommended!
Don Henley 's “I Will Not Go Quietly” has W. Axl Rose (of Guns n Roses) doing backup.
Assuming you’re asking about Rockwell: no. But, he is the son of Motown founder Berry Gordy.
Ah, I must have dimly remembered a connection between the two, but not that one. Thanks.
When Carly Simon performed on Saturday Night Live, Chevy Chase sang the chorus and banged the cowbell. Also, she did not perform live, but pre-recorded her performance.
Jack White was the backup singer on Danger! High Voltage by Electric Six. (Though the Wiki page doesn’t use the term “backup”; it says he was the “secondary Falsetto lead vocals” on the track.)
Patti Smith appears on Blue Oyster Cult’s “The Revenge of Vera Gemini.” She also wrote lyrics for about a half dozen (I’m guessing) of their songs, including that one.
Madonna is the backup singer on Peter Cetera’s Scheherezade from his 1988 album, One More Story.
Well, second is almost first.
It’s notable backup!