Judy Clay

Judy Clay (September 12, 1938 – July 19, 2001) was an American soul and gospel singer, who achieved greatest success as a member of two recording duos in the 1960s.

Life Born Judith Grace Guions, in St. Pauls, North Carolina,

However, Vera has stated that television executives denied them appearances together, believing (wrongly) that Vera and Clay were more than just singing partners, and, to add insult to injury, had the song performed on network TV by Nancy Sinatra and Lee Hazlewood. Clay was pregnant, at the time, with her first child by her husband, jazz drummer Leo Gatewood.

A follow-up, "My Baby Specializes", also made the R&B chart, before she returned to Atlantic for one more record with Vera, "Reaching for the Moon", and a final solo hit "Greatest Love" (No. 45 R&B in 1970).

Subsequently, she worked as a backing vocalist with Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Van Morrison, Donny Hathaway and Wilson Pickett. Diagnosed with a brain tumor in 1979, she returned to gospel music shortly after her recovery,

Discography Albums Storybook Children (Atlantic, 1968) – with Billy Vera

Singles Year Title Peak chart positions US Pop US R&B UK 1967 "Storybook Children" (with Billy Vera) 54 20 ― 1968 "Country Girl, City Man" (with Billy Vera) 36 41 ― "Private Number" (with William Bell) 75 17 8 1969 "My Baby Specializes" (with William Bell) ― 45 ― "Reaching for the Moon" (with Billy Vera) ― — ― 1970 "Greatest Love" ― 45 ― "—" denotes releases that did not chart.