Rock & Roll saved the Black Female Backup Singer who was taking more and more of a back seat to the all male rap acts. A good example is the backup vocal on Gimme Shelter by Merry Clayton. So powerful. It kicked off a whole new legacy for many of those ladies.
Chaka Khan, the singer started as a back up for Rufus.
It very quickly became a case of ‘all about Chaka’.
She had the voice, the stage presence and was better to look at than Patty Labelle.
And don’t forget Pink Floyd’s “Great Gig in the Sky” on “Dark Side of the Moon.”
Great piano by the late, great Richard Wright, but the vocals are truly amazing.
Mark