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Bonnie Bramlett’s Missed Shot at Gimme Shelter
BONNIE BRAMLETT AND THE SHELTER THAT NEVER WAS Before Merry Clayton blew the roof off Gimme Shelter, Bonnie Bramlett almost had that spot. In ’69, while the Stones were cutting Let It Bleed in L.A., Bonnie rehearsed the track with Mick and Keith at Sunset Sound. History, though, went another way—Clayton delivered the iconic scream we all know. Still, Bramlett’s brush with the song is a cool little twist in Stones lore, proof that even legends have “what if” moments.
As history has it, Bonnie Bramlett (of Delaney & Bonnie fame) practiced Gimme Shelter with Mick and Keith at Sunset Sound Studios, 1969, but then the final version ended up with Merry Clayton in charge of the vocals.
Bonnie: “I just wish you’d put in that there really is a Merry Clayton who did the singing on the Stones’ ‘Gimme Shelter’. I was supposed to do the session, and there were some press people down there when we were practicing, but when the time came to put the song on tape, I just didn’t have any more voice left. So they called in Merry and it’s her voice which is on the record, not mine. I’m really worried about this since the same thing happened to me once and I lost about a year’s worth of work. If people would know that it’s her on ‘Gimme Shelter’ instead of thinking that it’s me, then it might do some nice things for her.”
Bonnie Bramlett and the Untold Story Behind Gimme Shelter
*By Marcelo Sonaglioni
Bonnie Bramlett’s connection to the Rolling Stones’ Gimme Shelter is an interesting footnote in the song’s history. While Merry Clayton’s powerful vocals are iconic on the released version, Bramlett was initially involved in the recording process. In 1969, during the recording sessions for the Let It Bleedalbum, the Rolling Stones were working on Gimme Shelter at Elektra Studios in Los Angeles.
Bramlett, a successful session singer and performer in her own right, was brought in to provide backing vocals.Bramlett recorded a version of the song with the band. However, for reasons that remain somewhat unclear (various accounts suggest scheduling conflicts or a desire for a different vocal tone), her vocals were ultimately not used on the final release. Merry Clayton was then brought in, and her now-legendary vocal performance, with its raw intensity and emotional delivery, became a defining element of the song.
The Overlooked Role of Bonnie Bramlett in Stones History
While Bonnie Bramlett’s version remains unreleased and largely unheard by the public, her involvement highlights the collaborative and sometimes experimental nature of the Stones’ recording process. It also underscores the importance of Merry Clayton’s contribution to the song’s enduring impact. It’s worth noting that Bonnie Bramlett had a successful career in music, both as a solo artist and as part of the duo Delaney & Bonnie, known for their blend of rock, blues, and soul. Her brief involvement with Gimme Shelter is a small but intriguing part of her musical history and the story of this iconic Rolling Stones song.
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