Marcella Detroit
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Marcella Detroit (born Marcella Levy on June 21, 1951, in Detroit, Michigan) is a singer, musician and songwriter. She is most famous for her membership of the band Shakespear's Sister along with Siobhan Fahey. In particular her distinctive soprano voice provided the lead vocals on their biggest hit, "Stay", which was number one in the UK for 8 weeks in 1992.
She first began playing with the Bob Seger band in the early 1970s, before joining Eric Clapton’s band in 1974. While working with Clapton she wrote several songs for him, including "Lay Down Sally." After leaving Clapton's band, she did session work for a number of artists, including Aretha Franklin, Al Jarreau, Alice Cooper and Bette Midler. She recorded her first solo album, Marcella, under her birth name, in 1982, and wrote material for Chaka Khan and Belinda Carlisle, amongst others. In 1985 she worked for Clapton again, and performed with him at Live Aid.
In 1989 she joined Shakespear's Sister as a band member and songwriter after being introduced to Fahey by mutual friend Richard Feldman. At about this time she adopted the name Marcella Detroit, after her birthplace. By the second album she had been promoted to “50% member”, but in 1993 Fahey ended the group. After leaving Shakespear’s Sister the single I Believe was released and she produced a number of solo albums: Jewel (1994), which included a duet with Elton John, Feeler (1996), and Dancing Madly Sideways (2001).
In 2004 she began using her birth name again, as she returned to her blues roots and started playing with Carlos Guitarlos. She also started writing music for Charlotte Church and Alex Parks, among others. In September 2006 she released a blues album, The Upside of Being Down under the name Marcy Levy Band.
Other minor appearances have included a 1996 episode of Absolutely Fabulous, in which Detroit played an angel (and performed a few songs alongside Marianne Faithfull), and the novelty album The Simpsons Sing the Blues, on which Detroit was a vocal talent.
[edit] Discography
Albums
- Marcella (1982) (as Marcy Levy)
- Jewel (1994) UK #15
- Feeler (1996)
- MTV "Buzz Live" (1996)
- Abfab Songs (1999)
- Dancing Madly Sideways (2001)
- The Upside Of Being Down (2006) (as Marcy Levy Band)
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart positions | Album | |
| US Hot 100 | UK | |||
| 1978 | "Millie and Billie" (as Marcy Levy with Alice Cooper) | - | - | From the Inside |
| 1980 | "Help Me" (with Robin Gibb) | #50 | - | Times Square OST |
| 1982 | "Close To Her" | - | - | Marcella |
| 1986 | "Come And Follow Me" (with Max Carl) | - | - | Short Circuit OST |
| 1994 | "I Believe" | - | #11 | Jewel |
| 1994 | "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing" (with Elton John) | - | #24 | Jewel |
| 1994 | "I'm No Angel" | - | #33 | Jewel |
| 1995 | "Perfect World" | - | #135 | Jewel |
| 1995 | "Respect" (as part of Artists United Against Racism) | - | - | Charity single-only |
| 1996 | "I Hate You Now..." | - | #108 | Feeler |
| 1996 | "Boy" | - | #102 | Feeler |
| 1996 | "Somebody's Mother" | - | - | Feeler |
| 1997 | "Flower" | - | - | Feeler |
| 2001 | "Lust For Like" | - | - | Dancing Madly Sideways |
| 2002 | "If You Could Read My Mind" (with Aurora) | - | - | Aurora |
| 2007 | "Mystery To Me" (with Loverush UK) | TBR | TBR | - |
