Black Background singers
When music began to evolve in the 1960s and 70s, background singers were key. In the 50s, there were no black background singers; it was women that were white singing songs behind white men. Then it all changed, and black women began to get into the scene. Some of the first and most important singers that made waves in the industry were Darlene Love and Merry Clayton. Love had written and performed songs that the industry loved, but they were never released as her own, they were released as another group's music. This vague discrimination was a huge part of how the music industry acted. Later, huge bands like the Rolling Stones and Lynyrd Skynyrd recruited these black back up singers for the depth they provided in their music. Merry Clayton singing in "Gimme Shelter" by the Rolling Stones was one of the most famous appearances of a black background singer in rock music. This was a huge turning point in the industry- black women moved in to the rock scene, and these bands knew that they would not be able to make their music without them. This change began during the Civil Rights movement, helping to empower black singers. Nowadays, this influence of background singers is leveling the whole playing field. Now background singers aren't only white women- there are women and men of all colors.