Gayle McCormick

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 Smith. 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.