The celebrated gospel, rock, and soul singer Merry Clayton received some long-overdue recognition in the 2013 documentary, "20 Feet from Stardom."

Now, years after losing both legs in a car accident, she is back with a new solo album, "Beautiful Scars."

Clayton says that when she was working on her new album, the music chose her.

"When you go into the studio to make music, you don't know what's going to happen with the music," she said. "You really don't even know what music will be presented to you. On 'Beautiful Scars,' the music just came. Whatever song was brought to me, I will give it my heart, soul and spirit. And once I do that, that's what it is. So it was just wonderful to interpret all those great songs. Of course, you must know that my father is a minister, and I'm out of the church. So, any time you get a project like this, it's all about how the spirit moves you."

Clayton was raised in New Orleans as a Christian and spent a lot of her time in her father's church. But when she and her family moved to Los Angeles, she became more interested in pursuing a music career.

"So I learned all of my craft in the church," she said. "That's why I was able to go to these different record sessions and recording dates and do these wonderful things with these guys coming from England from all over the world because I had that training. If I would've not had that training, I wouldn't know what to do. And in 1969, Jean Paige, who was a wonderful producer, called me about an album with a big choir that needed three singers. So I went to the studio, and that's when I met the producer, and a month later, he signed me to my record deal."

Clayton says that after signing her first record deal, she could work with numerous well-known artists.

"I got a chance to work with Joe Cocker. I got a chance to work with Mick and Keith and the Rolling Stones. I got a chance to work with Leon Russell. I got the chance to work with Carole King on Tapestry. I got a chance to be the original Acid Queen and 'Tommy' with The Who in London, but I recorded the first record right here in this studio."

Terry Young is the producer on "Beautiful Scars." He believes in bringing a positive spirit into the work he does.

"Gospel itself means the good news," he said. "It brings out the joy in people, no matter what part of the earth you come from. Merry has a cry in her voice. It's like a tear. They can really, really catch you. And a lot of your famous singers, they have that."

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