Merry Clayton, whose riveting vocals helped make Gimme Shelter by the Stones the great song it is, suffered serious injuries in a car accident in Los Angeles on June 16.  The singer, recently celebrated in the outstanding documentary about background singers Twenty Feet From Stardom, sustained '...severe injuries to her lower body, including major trauma to her lower extremities', according to a post on her web site.  Clayton's pipes were also featured on Lynyrd Skynyrd's Sweet Home Alabama as well as on albums and tours of dozens of other artists.
NOLA.com