Choruses composed of singers who also have independent careers

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It occurred to me lately that on salsa recordings it is quite common for the coro to consistent of a group of singers who are themesleves successful, accomplished, lead vocalists, with their own recordings and projects. I was thinking maybe this was mostly a 70's thing, when salsa musicians appear to have been a more tightly knit group. However, I see that the coro on Tito Gomez's Las Paginas de mi Via consists of: Victor Manuelle, Roberto Santa Rosa, and someone at least equally as well known whose name is escaping me. No wonder the coros in this music frequently pack so much punch.

How much does this occur in other genres (e.g., Jackson 5 backing up Stevie Wonder)? I get the sense that in rock or maybe even in R&B it would be treated as a big deal to have a celebrity chorus, but in salsa it seems common. I'm impressed that the egos of such major singers (in salsa) allow them to "merely" be part of the chorus. This may be related to the fact that solo soneros often begin their careers as part of the chorus for another singer.

― Rockist Scientist, Tuesday, 7 January 2003 18:48 (twenty-three years ago)

Don't know if this counts, but it always freaks me out to hear Mick Jagger's voice on Carly Simon's Yer So Vain. Not the fact that he's singing backup, exactly, but the fact that his voice is mixed in so QUIETLY. I mean you only notice it if you know to listen for it.

― Paula G., Tuesday, 7 January 2003 19:21 (twenty-three years ago)

You can just tell this is going to be one of those REALLY lengthy threads...

― Paula G., Tuesday, 7 January 2003 19:33 (twenty-three years ago)

bob dylan chimes in at the end of leonard cohen's memories, first harmonizing and then singing a few bars of 'you cheated, you lied.' he's mixed down pretty low, too.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 7 January 2003 19:34 (twenty-three years ago)

not leonard cohen's memories, but leonard cohen's 'memories' (from death of a ladies' man)

― Amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 7 January 2003 19:34 (twenty-three years ago)

I had no idea that Mick Jagger did backing vocals on "You're So Vain." That's so weird.

I dunno about being "famous," but lots of backup singers in the funk/soul genres had solo records as well.

― hstencil, Tuesday, 7 January 2003 19:35 (twenty-three years ago)

dan ackroyd sings in the 'we are the world' chorus. that required a lot of ego-checking i think.

― Amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 7 January 2003 19:38 (twenty-three years ago)

No but Amateurist I'm in love with the idea of Bob Dylan always chiming in at the end of Leonard Cohen's memories (no quote marks)!

― Paula G., Tuesday, 7 January 2003 19:40 (twenty-three years ago)

boy, that sure was a great night, me and suzanne making love in the moonlight. her naked body o-- what the fuck is bob doing here?

― Amateurist (amateurist), Tuesday, 7 January 2003 19:44 (twenty-three years ago)

I love you.

― Paula G., Tuesday, 7 January 2003 20:02 (twenty-three years ago)

U2's War features backup vocals by The Coconuts (of "Kid Creole and ..." fame).

And Cyndi Lauper's "Change of Heart" (on True Colors) features backup vocals by The Bangles. The Lauper album has lots of celebrity cameos, actually, and many of them -- notably The Bangles and Billy Joel -- are mixed so low you'd never notice. I let go of this disc a long time ago, but I seem to recall in the liner notes a comment from Cyndi that went something like, "This is a SOLO album"; that seemed to be the policy during mixdown, anyway. Lovely title track, though.

― Paul in Santa Cruz (Paul in Santa Cruz), Wednesday, 8 January 2003 01:40 (twenty-three years ago)

Alice Cooper's "Teenage Lament '74" has backup vocals from Liza Minnelli, Ronnie Spector, the Pointer Sisters, and Nona Hendryx and Sarah Dash of Labelle.

― Arthur (Arthur), Wednesday, 8 January 2003 01:52 (twenty-three years ago)

not quite the same but toni basil was backed by devo as her band on the recordings.

― simon 803 (simon 803), Wednesday, 8 January 2003 01:59 (twenty-three years ago)

weren't some of 80s soul albums - Womack(s)? or some Quincy Jones productions? ... Aretha?? - prone to having a whole host of luminaries on back vox?
not sure 'bout the names now, but i do remember wondering then: what's the big friggin' deal bringing them all in only to turn their individual voices into an indistinct collective mush?

― t\'\'t (t\'\'t), Wednesday, 8 January 2003 02:01 (twenty-three years ago)

Correction: Gilberto Santa Rosa, Victor Manuelle and Justo Bentacourt are the chorus on Puerto Rican Power's Wild Wild Salsa (which I just bought along with that Tito Gomez CD, hence the mix-up).

― Rockist Scientist, Wednesday, 8 January 2003 02:49 (twenty-three years ago)

Michael Jackson on Stevie Wonder's "All I Do" is one of my faves. Back when Michael was the shit - not shit.

― Jay Vee (Manon_70), Wednesday, 8 January 2003 17:15 (twenty-three years ago)

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