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 most famous for his 1974 hit song, "Rock Your Baby". This song became one of the first big hits of the disco music era.
Life and Music Career
George McCrae was born in West Palm Beach, Florida. He was the second of nine children in his family. When he was young, he started his own singing group called the Jivin' Jets. In 1963, he joined the United States Navy.
After leaving the Navy, George reformed his group. His wife, Gwen Mosley, joined the band. Soon after, George and Gwen decided to sing as a duo. They recorded music for a record label called Alston. Gwen then got her own solo music contract. George helped manage her career and also sang in clubs.
George was planning to go back to college to study law. But then, Richard Finch and Harry Wayne Casey from KC and the Sunshine Band asked him to sing a song. They had written the song for their band, but they couldn't sing the high notes needed.
The song was originally meant for George's wife, Gwen. However, she was late for the recording session. So, George sang the song by himself. His high voice was perfect for it! That song was "Rock Your Baby".
The Hit Song "Rock Your Baby"
"Rock Your Baby" became a huge hit in 1974. It sold about eleven million copies around the world. The song reached number one on the music charts in both the U.S. and the UK. Rolling Stone magazine even called it the best song of 1974. The next year, George McCrae was nominated for a Grammy Award for his singing.
After "Rock Your Baby," George had two more songs that reached the top 10 in the UK. These were "I Can't Leave You Alone" and "It's Been So Long." He released several more albums, including George McCrae (1975) and Diamond Touch (1976). He also continued to sing with and manage his wife, Gwen, until they divorced in 1976. They had two daughters, Sophia and Leah.
Later Career and Life
As the 1970s ended, George's songs became less popular. He released albums like We Did It! and another album called George McCrae (both in 1978). He got married again and moved to Canada. For a while, he didn't perform as much. With his second wife, he had another daughter named Jennifer.
In 1984, he released a new album called One Step Closer to Love. The main song from this album was popular in the UK, Canada, and the Netherlands. In 1988, he had another daughter, Marcella.
Later, George moved to a village in the Netherlands. He married again in 1989 to a Dutch model named Yvonne Bergsma. They have a son named Shaka.
George's later albums were successful in Europe. He continued to perform there often. By the 2000s, he split his time living in Florida, Aruba, and the Netherlands. In 2016, George McCrae released a new album called LOVE. His two daughters from his first marriage, Leah and Sophia McCrae, sang backup vocals on this album. In December 2017, George performed on a TV show in the UK called Hootenanny.
See also
- 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
