Rosemary Butler

Rosemary Ann Butler (born April 6, 1947)[1] is an American singer. She began her career playing bass guitar and singing in an all-female band named the Ladybirds while attending Fullerton Union High School in Fullerton, California. The band appeared on several Los Angeles area television shows before opening for the Rolling Stones in 1964. She then joined all-female hard rock band Birtha[2] who released two albums for Dunhill Records. After they split in 1975, she became a popular back-up singer in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Her vocals were featured on Bonnie Raitt's album, Sweet Forgiveness, on songs "Gamblin' Man", "Runaway", "Sweet Forgiveness" and "Two Lives."

Rosemary Butler
Butler at the California Saga 2 Charity Concert in Los Angeles, 2019
Background information
Birth name	Rosemary Ann Butler
Born	(1947-04-06) April 6, 1947 California, U.S.
Genres	Pop, rock, country, contemporary folk, blue-eyed soul
Occupation(s)	singer, backing vocalist, former bassist
Instruments	Vocals, bass (earlier)
Years active	1960s–present
Associated acts	Birtha, countless others (see text)

Butler has worked extensively as a back-up singer for Linda Ronstadt, James Taylor, Warren Zevon, Neil Young, Bonnie Raitt, Boz Scaggs, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Jackson Browne, and Rosanne Cash among others. She released a solo album, Rose, in 1983.

She achieved her greatest visibility and success as a solo artist in Japan in the early 1980s, contributing songs such as "Riding High" to the movie Dirty Hero (汚れた英雄) and "Children of the Light" (光の天使) to the anime film Harmagedon. She was also co-contractor of the 100-voice choir on Neil Young's album Living with War. She co-founded "The National In Choir," an LA-based volunteer holiday choir with singer/lyricist Deborah Pearl.[3]

After 30 years, Butler's second solo album, You Just Watch Me, was released in 2013.[4][5]