Clydie Mae King (August 21, 1943 – January 7, 2019)[1][2] was an American singer, best known for her session work as a backing vocalist. King also recorded solo under her name. In the 1970s, she recorded as Brown Sugar, and her single "Loneliness (Will Bring Us Together Again)" reached No. 44 on the Billboard R&B charts in 1973.[3]
Early life and career
King was named Clydie Mae Crittendon when she was born to Curtis Crittendon and Lula Mae King in Texas on August 21, 1943, though at King's death the media related that Lula was Clydie's sister and raised her after their mother's 1945 death.[4][5][6] After starting to sing in the local church, King moved with her family to Los Angeles when she was young, where she attended Fremont High School in 1961.[5][7]
Upon King's death the media relayed that Enober Green and Willie King were her siblings.[5] But, as children of Tom and Genevieve King, they were her mother's siblings – her aunt and uncle.[12] King was married multiple times. She married Robin Hale on November 10, 1960 and with him had three sons: Christopher, Randy, and Magge Hale.[13] King and Hale divorced in August of 1969.[14] A subsequent husband was Tony Collins, with whom she had a daughter, Delores Collins.[5]
In 1998, newspapers reported that Bob Dylan's girlfriend at the time, Susan Ross, had stated that Dylan had been secretly married to Clydie King and had two children by her. Ross also stated that he had had long-term relationships with other backing vocalists including Helena Springs, Carol Woods and Carol Dennis.[15][16][17]
Death
King died on January 7, 2019, in a Monrovia, California hospital at the age of 75 from complications of a blood infection.[5][1]
Discography
Singles
1956 Little Clydie & The Teens: "A Casual Look" / "Oh Me" (RPM 462)
1957 Clydie King: "Our Romance" / "Written On The Wall" (Specialty 605)
1958 Clydie King: "I'm Invited To Your Party" / "Young Foolish Love" (Specialty 642)
1960 The Meadowlarks: "There's A Girl" / "Blue Mood" (Original Sound 12)
1961 The Meadowlarks: "It's Stompin' Time (Part 1)" / "It's Stompin' Time (Part 2)" (Interlude 101)
1962 Clydie King & The Sweet Things: "The Boys In My Life" / "Promises" (Philips 40001)
1962 Clydie King & Mel Carter: "Who Do You Love" / "The Wrong Side Of Town" (Philips 40049)
1962 Clydie King: "Turn Around" / "Don't Hang Up The Phone" (Philips 40051)
1963 Clydie King and The Sweet Things: "Only The Guilty Cry" / "By Now" (Philips 40107)
1965 Bonnie & The Treasures: "Home Of The Brave" / "Our Song" (Phi-Dan 5005)
1965 Clydie King: "The Thrill Is Gone" / "If You Were A Man" (Imperial 66109)
1965 Clydie King: "Missin' My Baby" / "My Love Grows Deeper" (Imperial 66139)
1966 Clydie King: "He Always Comes Back To Me" / "Soft and Gentle Ways" (Imperial 66172)
1967 Jimmy Holiday and Clydie King: "Ready, Willing and Able" / "We Got a Good Thing Goin'" (Minit 32021)
1967 Clydie King: "One Of Those Good For Cryin' Over You Days" / "My Mistakes Of Yesterday" (Minit 32025)
1967 Clydie King: "I'll Never Stop Loving You" / "Shing-A-Ling" (Minit 32032)
^Whitburn, Joel (2004). Top R&B/Hip-Hop Singles: 1942–2004. Menomonee Falls, Wisconsin: Record Research Inc. p. 326.
^"Clyde Mae Crittendon". Texas Department of State Health Services. Texas, U.S., Birth Index, 1903-1997. Retrieved November 7, 2024 – via Ancestry.com.
^"Clydie M Crittendon". State of California, Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health Services. California Marriage Index, 1960-1985. Retrieved November 7, 2024.
^"Clydie M Crittendon". Sacramento, California: Center for Health Statistics, California Department of Health. California Divorce Index, 1966-1984.