Judy Clay
b. Judy Guion, North Carolina, USA. Originally based in New York, Clay was part of the gospel group, the Drinkard Singers (featuring Dee Dee and Dionne Warwick, and Cissy Houston), prior to launching her solo career. She recorded several excellent ‘uptown’ soul singles, but her first success came in partnership with Billy Vera. Although a follow-up single, Country Girl—City Man, was actually a bigger pop hit, Storybook Children (1967) remains their best-remembered release. On both of these singles the couple were backed by a vocal quartet, the Sweet Inspirations who featured former-Drinkard Cissy Houston, as well as Judy's sister Sylvia Shemwell. Clay was then teamed with William Bellin 1968 for the sublime Private Number. This promising partnership was better received in the UK where the single reached the Top 10. Judy also recorded on her own and finally scored a minor solo hit in 1970 with Greatest Love. She has since completely retired from music.