Marcella Detroit

Marcella Levy (born June 21, 1952), known professionally as Marcy Levy and (later in her career) Marcella Detroit, is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. She co-wrote the 1977 Eric Clapton hit "Lay Down Sally" and released her debut studio album Marcella in 1982. She joined Shakespears Sister in 1988 with ex-Bananarama member Siobhan Fahey. Their first two studio albums, Sacred Heart (1989), and Hormonally Yours (1992), both reached the top 10 of the UK Albums Chart. Detroit sang the lead vocals on their biggest hit, "Stay", which spent eight consecutive weeks at number one on the UK Singles Chart in 1992. Detroit left the band in 1993 and had a UK top 20 hit with "I Believe" in 1994. She formed the Marcy Levy Band in 2002, and finished third in the 2010 ITV series Popstar to Operastar. At the start she began playing for different bands in her home city during the early 1970s. The first major act she worked with was Bob Seger who signed her band "Julia" up to tour with him. She sang backing vocals on his studio album Back in '72 (1973), which was recorded at Leon Russell's Grand Lake studio. Detroit was then asked by Russell to join him on tour, which she later did. After moving to Tulsa, Oklahoma to further pursue her musical career, she and her then-current band were hired by Eric Clapton for touring. She sang backing and group vocals on Clapton's studio album There's One in Every Crowd (1975), and toured and recorded with him for the next four years. While working with Clapton, she sang backing vocals on some of his most enduring songs, including "Lay Down Sally" (which she co-wrote), "Promises", and "Wonderful Tonight". She co-wrote and sang lead vocals on "Roll It" on Clapton's studio album Backless (1978) and dueted with Clapton on "The Core", which she also co-wrote with Clapton.