Marybelle Luraine Ellison, known professionally as Lorraine Ellison, was born on March 17, 1931, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. She started her career singing gospel music with groups like The Sylvania Singers and The Ellison Singers before transitioning to a solo career in rhythm and blues in the early 1960s. Ellison's breakthrough came with "Stay With Me", released in October 1966, which reached number 11 on the US R&B charts and number 64 on the Billboard Hot 100. The song became her most successful single and has been covered by numerous artists. She released three studio albums with Warner Bros. Records: Heart & Soul in September 1966, Stay With Me in 1969, and Lorraine Ellison in 1974. Ellison also recorded the original version of "Try (Just a Little Bit Harder)", later covered by Janis Joplin. After leaving Warner Bros., she took a hiatus from music to care for her ill mother. Ellison passed away on January 31, 1983, at the age of 51 due to complications from ovarian cancer. Her version of "Stay With Me" has been featured in various media, including Jon Brewer's documentary Jimi Hendrix: The Guitar Hero and the US TV series Mr Inbetween.
