Gayle Mc Cormick - You Really Got A Hold On Me

Gayle McCormick (November 26, 1948, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A.  March 1, 2016, St. Louis, Missouri, U.S.A.) was an American singer best known for her work with the rock band . While a teenager, she acquired experience performing as a soprano with the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra, as a member of the Suburb Choir. She went on to join the local group Steve Cummings and the Klassmen, before moving to Los Angeles where she became a member of "Smith." Spotted by Del Shannon, "Smith" landed a record contract with the Dunhill label resulting in their debut album "A Group Called Smith" (1969). Their cover single "Baby It's You" earned a Top 5 placing on the American Pop Charts and gold record status. They covered The Band's "The Weight" for the "Easy Rider" soundtrack in 1969, after a licensing problem with the original recording arose. From their success, they performed on the TV programs "The Ed Sullivan Show" and "American Bandstand." Following the recording of their album "Minus-Plus" (1970), they disbanded. McCormick went on to a solo career and achieved a Top 50 hit with "It's a Crying Shame" (1971). She retired from the entertainment industry during the mid 1970s. She died following a battle with cancer.

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