Bobby McFerrin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Bobby McFerrin
McFerrin in 2011
Background information
Birth name	Robert Keith McFerrin Jr.
Born	(1950-03-11) March 11, 1950 (age 75) New York City, U.S.
Genres	Jazz a cappella vocal world classical vocal jazz
Occupation(s)	Singer-songwriter conductor arranger record producer
Instruments	Vocals, piano, percussion, vocal percussion
Years active	1970–present
Labels	Manhattan Blue Note Elektra Sony Classical

Robert Keith McFerrin Jr. (born March 11, 1950) is an amazing American singer, songwriter, and conductor. He is famous for his unique way of singing without any instruments. He uses his voice to make all kinds of sounds, like melodies, harmonies, and even drum beats!

Bobby McFerrin can sing very smoothly. He can also make his voice jump quickly between high and low notes. He often uses scat singing, which is making up sounds and syllables instead of words. He can even sing more than one note at the same time!

His most famous song is "Don't Worry, Be Happy". It was the only song sung completely without instruments (called a cappella) to ever reach number one in the United States. This happened in 1988. The song also won two big awards: Song of the Year and Record of the Year at the 1989 Grammy Awards. Bobby McFerrin has also worked with many other famous musicians.

Bobby McFerrin's Early Life

Bobby McFerrin was born in Manhattan, New York City. His father, Robert McFerrin, was a famous opera singer. His mother, Sara Copper, was also a singer.

Bobby went to high school in Los Angeles. He also studied at a few colleges, including Cerritos College and California State University, Sacramento.

Bobby McFerrin's Career Highlights

McFerrin, 1982

Bobby McFerrin released his first album, Bobby McFerrin, in 1982. He was 31 years old at the time. Before this, he spent six years creating his own special way of singing. For two of those years, he tried not to listen to other singers. He wanted to make sure his sound was completely original.

He was inspired by a pianist named Keith Jarrett. Keith Jarrett was famous for playing solo piano concerts where he made up the music on the spot. Bobby wanted to do something similar, but with his voice.

In 1986 and 1987, Bobby McFerrin was the voice of Santa Bear in two animated movies. He also sang the theme song for the TV show The Cosby Show in 1987.

The Hit Song "Don't Worry, Be Happy"

In 1988, Bobby McFerrin recorded "Don't Worry, Be Happy". This song became a huge hit all over the world. It reached number one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart in 1988.

The song's success changed Bobby McFerrin's music career a lot. He started exploring new musical ideas. The song was used by a politician, George H. W. Bush, for his election campaign in 1988. Bobby McFerrin did not give permission for this. He spoke out against it and even stopped performing the song himself for a while.

In 1989, Bobby McFerrin created the music for the Pixar short film Knick Knack. He was supposed to improvise sounds for the end credits. The notes said "blah blah blah," so he decided to sing those words! The final film includes his "blah blah blah" lyrics. Also in 1989, he started a group of ten singers called "Voicestra". He featured them on his 1990 album Medicine Music.

He also sang Henry Mancini's "Pink Panther Theme" for the 1993 movie Son of the Pink Panther.

McFerrin in 1994

Bobby McFerrin as a Conductor

Besides singing, Bobby McFerrin is also a talented conductor. In 1994, he became the creative chair for the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. He often travels to conduct symphony orchestras across the United States and Canada. These include famous orchestras like the San Francisco Symphony and the New York Philharmonic.

In his concerts, he mixes serious classical music with his own vocal improvisations. He often invites the audience and the orchestra to join in. For example, he sometimes conducts the orchestra in an a cappella version of the "William Tell Overture". In this performance, the orchestra members sing their parts instead of playing them on their instruments!

For a few years in the late 1990s, Bobby McFerrin toured with a concert version of the opera Porgy and Bess. He said he did this to honor his father, who sang a role in the 1959 film version. He also wanted to keep the jazz feel of the music.

McFerrin performing with Chick Corea at the 2008 New Orleans Jazz Festival.

Bobby McFerrin also helps with music education programs. He volunteers as a guest music teacher and speaker at schools. He has worked on music projects with his son, Taylor.

McFerrin participating at a TED conference in March 2011.

In 2003, Bobby McFerrin received an honorary doctorate degree in music. This was from Berklee College of Music.

In 2009, he and psychologist Daniel Levitin hosted a TV show called The Music Instinct. It was about how music affects our brains.

Bobby McFerrin has received many awards for his amazing career. He got a lifetime achievement award at the A Cappella Music Awards in 2018. He also received the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters award in 2020. In 2022, he was honored with the Grammy Awards Lifetime Achievement Award. This award celebrates performers who have made outstanding creative contributions to music throughout their lives.

Bobby McFerrin's Personal Life

Bobby McFerrin is married to Debbie Green. They have three children: Taylor, Madison, and Jevon. Taylor and Madison are also musicians. Jevon is an actor.

Bobby McFerrin has shared that he has been diagnosed with Parkinson's disease. This is a health condition that affects movement. Because of this, he moved from his home in Pennsylvania to San Francisco.

Bobby McFerrin's Vocal Technique

Bobby McFerrin is known for his incredible vocal skills. He can quickly switch between his normal singing voice and a higher, lighter voice (called falsetto). This allows him to create sounds like many different instruments playing at once. He can sing the main tune and the background parts of a song all by himself.

He also uses his mouth and taps his chest to make drum-like sounds. He can even sing more than one note at the same time, which is very rare!

His 1984 album, The Voice, shows off his unique style. It was the first jazz album ever recorded with just one voice and no instruments or extra recordings.

Bobby McFerrin's Music

Albums as a Leader

Singles

As a Guest Musician

Bobby McFerrin has also appeared on albums by other artists:

• Laurie Anderson, Strange Angels, 1989
• Chick Corea, Rendezvous in New York, 2003
• Jack DeJohnette, Extra Special Edition (Blue Note, 1994)
• En Vogue, Masterpiece Theatre, 2000
• Béla Fleck and the Flecktones, Little Worlds, 2003
• Chico Freeman, Tangents, 1984
• Gal Costa, The Laziest Gal in Town, 1991
• Dizzy Gillespie, Bird Songs: The Final Recordings (Telarc, 1992)
• Dizzy Gillespie, To Bird with Love (Telarc, 1992)
• Herbie Hancock, Round Midnight, 1986
• Michael Hedges, Watching My Life Go By, 1985
• Al Jarreau, Heart's Horizon, 1988
• Quincy Jones, Back on the Block, 1989
• Charles Lloyd Quartet, A Night in Copenhagen (Blue Note, 1984)
• The Manhattan Transfer, Vocalese, 1985
• Wynton Marsalis, The Magic Hour, 2004
• George Martin, In My Life, 1998
• W.A. Mathieu, Available Light, 1987
• Modern Jazz Quartet, MJQ & Friends: A 40th Anniversary Celebration (Atlantic, 1994)
• Pharoah Sanders, Journey to the One (Theresa, 1980)
• Grover Washington Jr., The Best Is Yet to Come, 1982
• Weather Report, Sportin' Life, 1985
• Yellowjackets, Dreamland, 1995
• Joe Zawinul, Di•a•lects, 1986

Grammy Awards

Bobby McFerrin has won many Grammy Awards for his incredible music:

• 1985: Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male for "Another Night in Tunisia" (with Jon Hendricks)
• 1985: Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices, "Another Night in Tunisia" (with Cheryl Bentyne)
• 1986: Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male, "Round Midnight"
• 1987: Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Male, "What Is This Thing Called Love" (with Herbie Hancock)
• 1987: Best Recording for Children, "The Elephant's Child" (with Jack Nicholson)
• 1988: Song of the Year, "Don't Worry, Be Happy"
• 1988: Record of the Year, "Don't Worry, Be Happy"
• 1988: Best Pop Vocal Performance, Male, "Don't Worry, Be Happy"
• 1988: Best Jazz Vocal Performance, "Brothers" (from the album Duets by Rob Wasserman)
• 1992: Best Jazz Vocal Performance, "Round Midnight" (from the album Play)
• 2023: Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award

See also

In Spanish: Bobby McFerrin para niños