Marcella Detroit facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Marcella Detroit
Detroit performing with Eric Clapton on tour in San Bernardino, California, on August 15, 1975
Background information
Birth name	Marcella Levy
Also known as	Marcy Levy
Born	(1952-06-21) June 21, 1952 (age 72) Detroit, Michigan, U.S.
Genres	Pop rock R&B soul
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter musician
Instruments	Vocals guitar harmonica tambourine
Years active	1972–present
Labels	Polydor Epic Warner Bros. London AAA

Marcella Levy (born June 21, 1952), known as Marcy Levy and later Marcella Detroit, is an American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. She helped write the 1977 Eric Clapton hit "Lay Down Sally". In 1988, she joined the band Shakespears Sister with Siobhan Fahey. Their albums Sacred Heart (1989) and Hormonally Yours (1992) were very popular in the UK.

Marcella sang the main vocals on their biggest song, "Stay". This song was number one in the UK for eight weeks in 1992. Marcella left the band in 1993. She then had a solo hit in the UK with "I Believe" in 1994. Later, she formed the Marcy Levy Band in 2002. In 2010, she came third in the TV show Popstar to Operastar.

Marcella Detroit's Music Career

Early Years (1970–1987)

Marcella Levy started her music journey in Detroit in the early 1970s. She first toured with Bob Seger and sang backup on his album Back in '72. Later, she joined Leon Russell on tour.

After moving to Tulsa, Oklahoma, she was hired by Eric Clapton for his band. She sang backup vocals on his album There's One in Every Crowd. For four years, she toured and recorded with him. She sang on famous songs like "Lay Down Sally" (which she co-wrote), "Promises", and "Wonderful Tonight". She also sang lead on "Roll It" and dueted with Clapton on "The Core".

Marcella also worked on her own album during this time. She sang and wrote songs for many other artists. These included Aretha Franklin, Burt Bacharach, and Chaka Khan. In 1978, she sang a duet with Alice Cooper called "Millie and Billie". She also sang with Robin Gibb on "Help Me!" for the Times Square movie soundtrack in 1980.

Her first solo album, Marcella, came out in 1982. However, it did not become a big hit. After this, she continued to write and sing for other artists. She sang a duet with Max Carl for the movie Short Circuit 1 in 1986.

Shakespears Sister (1988–1993)

Marcella met Siobhan Fahey (from the band Bananarama) through a friend. Siobhan was starting a new project called Shakespears Sister. Marcella helped with songwriting at first. Siobhan's husband, David A. Stewart, suggested that Marcella and Siobhan form a band together. Marcella officially joined Shakespears Sister after their first single was released.

Their second single, "You're History", became a top 10 hit in the UK. Their first album, Sacred Heart, also reached the top 10.

In 1991, they released "Goodbye Cruel World". Their next single, "Stay", was a massive hit. It was number one in the UK for eight weeks. Their second album, Hormonally Yours, also sold very well. Other hits from this album included "I Don't Care" and "Hello (Turn Your Radio On)".

However, things became difficult between Marcella and Siobhan. They decided to take a break from Shakespears Sister. Marcella found out that Siobhan had ended their partnership in 1993. Marcella and Siobhan did not speak for 25 years, but they met and talked again in 2018.

Solo Career and Other Projects (1994–2018)

After leaving Shakespears Sister, Marcella Detroit started her solo career. Her second album, Jewel, was released in 1994. The song "I Believe" reached number 11 in the UK. The album itself reached number 15. She also sang a duet with Elton John called "Ain't Nothing Like the Real Thing".

Marcella released her third album, Feeler, in 1996. In the same year, she appeared in two episodes of the TV show Absolutely Fabulous as an angel. She also released a collection of demo songs called Demoz in 1999. Her fourth solo album, Dancing Madly Sideways, came out in 2001.

In 2002, Marcella formed the Marcy Levy Band. This band focused on blues music. They released an EP called Button Fly Blues and an album called The Upside of Being Down in 2006.

In 2010, Marcella took part in the TV show Popstar to Operastar. She finished in third place. She released a Christmas EP called Happy Holiday in 2011. In 2012, she released "Madison's Light" as a tribute to her niece. She also started a charity called "The Madison Morr Foundation" for children in need.

Her albums The Vehicle and Skin I'm In were completed in 2012 and released in 2013. She also developed an app for fans.

Shakespears Sister Reunion (2019–present)

In May 2019, it was announced that Marcella Detroit and Siobhan Fahey would reunite as Shakespears Sister. They went on a UK tour called "Shakespears Sister Ride Again". They also released a new song, "All the Queen's Horses". A collection of their best songs, Singles Party, was released in July 2019.

The duo performed "Stay" on The Graham Norton Show in May 2019. This was their first TV performance together since 1993. They also recorded a new mini-album called Ride Again.

In 2021, Marcella sang on a charity cover of Robbie Williams' "Angels". She also talked about her time working with Eric Clapton and Alice Cooper on a BBC Radio 2 show.

Songwriting Career

Marcella Detroit has written many songs for other artists. She famously co-wrote "Lay Down Sally" for Eric Clapton. This song was a big hit in the USA in 1978. She also wrote other songs for his albums.

In the 1980s, she often wrote songs with Richard Feldman. They wrote many songs for other artists. They also wrote most of the songs for Marcella's 1982 album Marcella. Some artists they wrote for include:

• Bobbi Walker
• Patty Weaver
• Jennifer Rush
• Eric Clapton
• Chaka Khan
• Belinda Carlisle

Marcella also worked with songwriters Billie Hughes and Roxanne Seeman. They wrote "Walking on the Chinese Wall" for Philip Bailey. They also wrote songs for Randy Crawford and Al Jarreau.

She co-wrote "Love Made Me" for the metal band Vixen in 1989. This song was a top 40 hit in the UK. Marcella has also written songs for artists like Alex Parks, Charlotte Church, and Joe McElderry.

Personal Life

Marcella Detroit is Jewish American. Her family has roots in Poland and Latvia.

She is married to Lance Aston. They have a son named Maxwell, who was born in 1991.

Discography

• Marcella (1982)
• Jewel (1994)
• Feeler (1996)
• Dancing Madly Sideways (2001)
• The Vehicle (2013)
• For the Holidays (2013)
• Gray Matterz (2015)
• Made in Detroit (2021)
• Gold (2021)

Filmography

Images for kids

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  Detroit performing with Eric Clapton on tour in San Bernardino, California, on August 15, 1975

See also

In Spanish: Marcella Detroit para niños