Claudia Lennear

Claudia Lennear (also rendered as Linnear and Lenier when she appeared on Stephen Stills' albums)^[1] is an American soul singer who began her singing career back in the mid-1960s as a young Ikette working with Ike and Tina Turner. The very talented Ms. Lennear was soon in demand as one of L.A.'s most-sought session singers in her stellar career. She has worked with many acts including Ike and Tina Turner, Humble Pie, recording with the Pie on their "Shine On" (1971) recording, Joe Cocker and Gram Parsons. She sung backup on the original sessions of Parsons' "Grievous Angel" recording, being featured on the song "She". She later recorded a solo album entitled Phew! in 1973.^[2]

She was part of a trio of backup singers for Delaney and Bonnie, that also included Rita Coolidge. Lennear's meetings with Mick Jagger and David Bowie are often cited as inspiration for The Rolling Stones' "Brown Sugar" (1971), Leon Russell's "Delta Lady", and Bowie's "Lady Grinning Soul" (1973).^[3][4][5] NME editors Roy Carr and Charles Shaar Murray noted in 1981 that she was "yet to reply in song to either Mick or David".^[3] Claudia Lennear was one of Leon Russell's Shelter People. She sang back-up vocals on Joe Cocker's 1970 Mad Dogs and Englishmen tour and live album, and can be seen singing the songs "Cry Me A River" and "Let It Be" on the video chronicle of the tour, on Leon Russell and the Shelter People, released in 1971 and on George Harrison's The Concert for Bangla Desh.

Lennear had a bit part in the 1974 film Thunderbolt and Lightfoot, playing the secretary who asks Clint Eastwood's character for his Social Security number. She appeared in the August 1974 issue of Playboy magazine in a pictorial titled "Brown Sugar".

References

1. ^ The New York Times
2. ^ Allmusic
3. ^ ^{a b} Roy Carr & Charles Shaar Murray (1981). Bowie: An Illustrated Record: p.56
4. ^ "Lady Grinning Soul" at The Ziggy Stardust Companion
5. ^ Bill Wyman quoted at Time Is On Our Side

Persondata
Name	Lennear, Claudia
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth
Place of birth
Date of death
Place of death