I’d go with the I Threes.
This many replies, and no mention of The Jordanaires?!?!
Whoever Roger Waters hires. I love the female harmonies he puts together.
The unholy but thrilling screeching of the Sirens (Doreen Chanter and Jacquie Sullivan) backing up Roxy Music in the mid-70s. I once read a review that described them as a “harpy chorus,” and that sounds just about right.
Aretha Franklin’s backup singer on Ain’t No Way. Wait until about 1:04 on the video. Also, Mary and Flo of The Supremes, particularly Florence Ballard, both of whom were relegated to backup status when it was decided that Ross would sing most of the leads. Patsy Cline often used The Jordanaires as her backup group.
Cissy Houston! Whitney’s mom.
I always pay close attention to the back up singers when I watch a live performance. Anytime I see Alicia Keys or Mariah Carey pause at the high notes, I can bet there will be 3 fat, sassy black women behind them, hitting those notes and doing a jazzy little bounce-rock with it.
Love love love Dolette McDonald. She has performed with Sting for years and definitely gave his early solo albums a great sound.
Rosemary Butler, who sang with Warren Zevon, Bonnie Raitt, and others.
Here she is hitting the high notes with Jackson Browne.
Ouch!
Good call.
My money’s on Kirsty MacColl, who backed up everyone from Simple Minds to the Talking Heads to The Smiths in the 1980s. There are a few artists who have the incredible ability to stack their vocals and create a choir from their own voice - Kirsty was a master of this, along with Michael Jackson. Listen to the 12" of “A New England” and you can hear how many amazing things she could do with her voice.
It’s almost Christmastime, so I’ll be hearing “Fairytale of New York” quite a bit, and will doubtless weep the first time I hear it and remember Kirsty.
Helen Terry, who did a lot of work with Culture Club.
A clip that caused me to chuckle for years was from Richard Pryor’s short-lived TV variety show. He was waylaid by a woman who demanded that he feature her favorite group, The Pips.
I could never hear “Midnight Train To Georgia” after that without cracking up at the “I know you will” part.
Holy moley I love YouTube!
Ok, I have to, not to push Hap, but because her backup singer is awesome too. One of many examples, Kelly Bird’s powerful backing vocals in this cover of Duran Duran’s “Come Undone”. There are tons more. Her voice is so great, and she’s so funny too. Their riffing was often hilarious, they would have made a great stand-up comedian duo.
There was a bit on Saturday Night Live (I think) that I remember. There’s a group like the Pips or the Temptations that gets hired to perform somewhere, and during the rehearsal they sing but don’t dance at all. The guy who hired them says that when he saw them before, they had movement and choreography. One of the guys explains that they had to sing and direct traffic at the same time. So they start to sing again and all the hand motions are like they’re directing traffic.
If anyone can find that on YouTube, I’d like to see it again.
I saw that the night it aired and never forgot it. Hilarious.
SNL, 4/9/77 Belushi and Murray were extraordinary in that bit.
Season 2, ep. 19, “Great Moments In Motown”
Emmylou Harris, who has sung backup for just about everyone in country music.
The McGarrigle sisters (Kate & Anna) who frequently sang backup for Emmylou and others.
Merry Clayton, one-time Raelette who sang backup on Rolling Stones “Gimme Shelter.”
Margie Hendricks, of the Raelettes, on “Night Time is the Right Time.”