George McCrae facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
George McCrae
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McCrae at the 2015 Miami International Film Festival
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | George Warren McCrae Jr. |
| Born | October 19, 1944 West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S. |
| Genres | Soul, disco, funk |
| Occupation(s) | Singer |
| Years active | 1963–present |
| Labels |
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| Associated acts | Gwen McCrae KC and the Sunshine Band |
George Warren McCrae Jr. (born October 19, 1944) is an American soul and disco singer. He is famous for his huge 1974 hit song, "Rock Your Baby".
Contents
Life and Music Career
Early Life and Music
George McCrae was born in West Palm Beach, Florida. He was the second of nine children. As a teenager, he formed his own singing group called the Jivin' Jets. In 1963, he joined the United States Navy.
That same year, he married singer Gwen McCrae. After four years in the Navy, George started his music group again. This time, his wife Gwen joined as a singer. Soon, they decided to perform as a duo. Later, Gwen got a contract to sing on her own. George became her manager and would sometimes sing with her.
The Story of "Rock Your Baby"
By 1974, George was thinking about going back to college to study law. But then, he got an important phone call. Two members of the famous group KC and the Sunshine Band, Richard Finch and Harry Wayne Casey, had written a new song.
They needed someone to sing it for them. The song had very high notes that they couldn't sing. They originally wanted George's wife, Gwen, to sing it. But she was late to the recording studio that day. So, George sang the song instead.
His high-pitched voice was perfect for the song. That song was "Rock Your Baby". It became a massive hit and one of the first big songs of the disco era. It sold around 11 million copies all over the world. The song reached number one on the music charts in the United States and the United Kingdom. Rolling Stone magazine even named it the number one song of 1974.
After the Hit
After the success of "Rock Your Baby," George had more hit songs. These included "I Can't Leave You Alone" and "It's Been So Long." Both of these songs were in the top 10 in the UK. He and Gwen had two daughters, Sophia and Leah, but they divorced in 1976.
As the 1970s ended, his songs became less popular. He moved to Canada and took a break from music. He later married again and had another daughter, Jennifer.
Life in Europe and Later Career
In the 1980s, George made a comeback with the album One Step Closer to Love. He moved to the Netherlands and married a Dutch model named Yvonne Bergsma in 1989. They have a son named Shaka.
George continued to make music and perform in Europe. In 2016, he released a new album called Love. His daughters from his first marriage, Leah and Sophia, sang the backup vocals for the album. He continues to share his time between his homes in Florida, Aruba, and the Netherlands.
Discography
Here are some of George McCrae's most well-known albums and singles.
Albums
| Year | Album | Peak chart positions | Certifications | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US R&B |
AUS |
UK |
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| 1974 | Rock Your Baby | 38 | 7 | 26 | 13 |
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| 1975 | George McCrae | 152 | 24 | — | 21 | |
| Together (with Gwen McCrae) |
— | 33 | — | — | ||
| 1984 | One Step Closer to Love | — | — | — | — | |
| 2016 | Love | — | — | — | — | |
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart. | ||||||
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak chart positions | Certifications | Album | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| US |
US R&B |
AUS |
GER |
AUT |
SWI |
NED |
BEL (FLA) |
SWE |
NOR |
IRE | UK |
||||||
| 1974 | "Rock Your Baby" | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 1 | — | 1 | 3 | 1 |
|
Rock Your Baby | ||
| "I Can't Leave You Alone" | 50 | 10 | 92 | 3 | 11 | — | 4 | 3 | — | — | — | 9 | |||||
| "You Can Have It All" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 23 | |||||
| 1975 | "I Get Lifted" | 37 | 8 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Rock Your Baby | |||
| "It's Been So Long" | — | — | — | 27 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 4 | 4 |
|
George McCrae | |||
| "I Ain't Lyin'" | — | 31 | — | 35 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 12 | |||||
| 1976 | "Honey I" | 65 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | — | 20 | — | — | 33 | George McCrae | |||
| 1984 | "One Step Closer (To Love)" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | 19 | — | — | — | 57 | One Step Closer To Love | |||
| "—" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released. | |||||||||||||||||
See also
In Spanish: George McCrae para niños
- List of soul musicians
- List of disco artists (F-K)
- List of artists who reached number one in the United States
- List of artists who reached number one on the UK Singles Chart
- List of performers on Top of the Pops
- List of artists who reached number one on the Billboard R&B chart
- List of Epic Records artists
