Latest news with #GwenMcCrae
Boston Globe
11-03-2025
- Entertainment
- Boston Globe
Gwen McCrae, singer who helped open the dance floor to disco, dies at 81
She released most of her best-known songs through TK Records, a regional powerhouse founded by Henry Stone that counted other proto-disco acts, including Betty Wright and KC and the Sunshine Band, among its stable. She began performing with George McCrae as a duo. They recorded their own albums, sang backup on others, and carved a presence for themselves in the clubs of South Florida. Get Starting Point A guide through the most important stories of the morning, delivered Monday through Friday. Enter Email Sign Up They also performed separately, and Gwen McCrae's repertoire was not limited to dance songs. On her own, she was the first person to release a version of the ballad 'You Were Always on My Mind,' in 1972; sometimes shortened to 'Always on My Mind,' it was later recorded by the likes of Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson, and the Pet Shop Boys. Advertisement "She was an amazing talent," Harry Wayne Casey, a songwriter at TK Records and the lead singer of KC and the Sunshine Band, said in an interview. "She had one of the most soulful voices I've ever heard." After the worldwide success of George McCrae's signature hit, "Rock Your Baby," in 1974, Gwen McCrae recorded her own hit the next year: "Rockin' Chair," a sensual, swinging tune that topped the Billboard R&B chart and reached No. 9 on the Hot 100 pop chart. There was some dispute over how the two came to record their respective songs. Gwen McCrae later said that Casey and Richard Finch had written 'Rock Your Baby' for her, but that she had given it to her husband to help his career — and then asked for her own hit song once his went big. Advertisement But George McCrae had a different spin: Their marriage was on the rocks, he said, and she had given him "Rock Your Baby" in a bid to keep them together. Regardless, their marriage did not last. They divorced a year later. After TK Records closed in 1981, she moved to New York City and signed with Atlantic, where she had a minor hit with "Funky Sensation" in 1981 and recorded two albums. Although her career had begun to slow in the postdisco era, she found a new fan base in Europe, especially in Britain, where the discovery of classic American soul, sometimes called 'rare groove,' was underway in the 1980s. DJs and hip-hop artists sampled her songs. She became known as the 'queen of rare groove' across Britain and Europe. "When I went overseas, I didn't know people loved me so much. They really loved my old stuff," she said in a 1996 interview with a Swedish journalist. "Yeah, I was shocked!" Gwendolyn Patricia Mosley was born Dec. 21, 1943, in Pensacola, Fla. Her father, Aaron, died when she was young, and she was raised by her mother, Winnie (Lee) Mosley. She began singing gospel songs in church and aspired to make religious singing her career. Even later in her career, when she was belting out disco tracks filled with double entendres, she found it uncomfortable to be too explicit. "I had the worst time singing 'Damn Right It's Good,'" she said in the 1996 interview, referring to a song she released in 1976. "I sang like 'Darn right it's good, you better knock on wood'; I could not sing 'Damn right it's good.' And I still can hardly say it. It ain't me!" Advertisement She met George McCrae in 1963, when he was stationed in Pensacola with the Navy. They married soon after, and they began singing together once he left the service in 1967. She leaves two daughters from her marriage to McCrae: Sophia and Leah; a daughter from a previous relationship, Wanda; a son from a later relationship, Alex; 12 grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. Although 'Funky Sensation' was her last hit in the United States, Ms. McCrae continued to make music and to draw a dedicated following for her live performances, both at home and in Europe. In 2004, she released a gospel album, "I'm Not Worried." Two years later, she worked once more with Stone, recording an album of standards from the TK Records catalog, "Gwen McCrae Sings TK." Although she claimed Florida as her primary residence, she toured Europe extensively. She stopped in 2012, when a stroke after a concert in England left her paralyzed on the left side of her body. This article originally appeared in
BBC News
25-02-2025
- Entertainment
- BBC News
Gwen McCrae: Tributes paid to funk and soul singer who has died
Tributes have been paid to Gwen McCrae, the much-loved and influential US funk and soul singer, who has died aged 81 after a long known as the "queen of the rare groove", McCrae had a 1975 soul smash with Rockin' catalogue - which also includes the dancefloor anthem All This Love That I'm Givin', as well as other tracks like 90% of Me Is You, Keep the Fire Burning and Funky Sensation - has been heavily sampled by artists including Lady Gaga, Cassius, Avicii, Madlib, Cypress Hill and Mobb singer died on Friday in Miami, Florida, her family confirmed in a statement to the BBC late on Monday. 'Remarkable legacy' "While we will miss her dearly and our hearts are heavy, we find solace in knowing she is no longer suffering from the pain she endured in the last few years of her 81 years of life," added daughters Wanda, Sophia, Leah and son added they now wished to "celebrate" the "remarkable legacy" of a "talented and gifted artist"."She poured her love into what she did, and cherished her family, friends, and adoring fans worldwide."From around the music world, Disclosure and Dave Pearce led the tributes to the singer."Rest in peace the great Gwen McCrae," posted English electronic duo Dave Pearce said: "Sad to learn of the passing of soul legend Gwen McCrae - thanks for all the amazing tunes..." Born Gwen Mosley in Pensacola, Florida into a church-going musical family, the star started singing in the church choir aged began her career as a teenager singing in local clubs with groups such as The Lafayettes and The then met a young navy sailor and singer named George McCrae who she married within a week of meeting. And the couple signed to Henry Stone and Steve Alaimo's TK Records, which would provide the groundwork for the later disco McCrae found success on the R&B chart as a solo artist with 1970 single Lead Me in 1972 she released Always on My Mind, a track that would go on to be a hit for the likes of Elvis Presley, the Pet Shop Boys and Willie 1975 minor hit, It's Worth the Hurt, was eclipsed by the success of her husband's mega hit Rock Me Baby, a track which had originally been meant for response came in the form of her own big hit, Rockin' Chair - penned by Willie Clarke and Clarence Reid - which helped to define the label's dance-oriented Miami sound."Her rich alto voice sounded like she was still singing in church, but the lyrics were pure 70s pop/soul," noted US music source Soul Tracks of the respective successes put a strain on the couple's marriage and they got divorced a year later. Despite her lack of subsequent mainstream chart success in the US, McCrae went on to record well-received albums and found a following on the northern soul and rare groove scenes, becoming a cult figure among record collectors and DJs alike across the UK and consolidated her status by recording an album of covers of TK's biggest hits including Please Don't Go - as made famous by KC & the Sunshine Band - with producer George "Chocolate" singer continued to perform and record - moving in a more gospel direction - until 2012, when she suffered a stroke which impaired her ability to make music and sing."The only time I'm really happy is when I'm on that stage, in front of my audience," McCrae said in 1997, according to the Guardian."Then I'm the happiest woman in the world."
Miami Herald
24-02-2025
- Entertainment
- Miami Herald
‘Rockin' Chair' singer Gwen McCrae got nation to groove to Miami's '70s Sunshine Sound
Gwen McCrae helped the pre-Bicentennial U.S. find another use for the 'Rockin' Chair,' turning the piece of furniture into one of the soundtracks of the summer of 1975. McCrae was one of the soulful voices that pulled Miami's Sunshine Sound out from the confines of Criteria and TK studios in North Miami and Hialeah to get its pop, Black and tropical fusion blend on radios across the nation and world. McCrae died Friday, Feb. 21, at a care facility in North Miami Beach, said Joe Stone, son of TK Records co-founder Henry Stone. McRae was 81. 'Gwen was an amazing singer. She really did help to shape hip-hop and dance music with her energetic soulful voice and Henry Stone's pioneering and visionary contributions to music around the world,' Stone said. 'Gwen was a force in Miami's TK family. She was loved, admired and she will be missed — but never forgotten.' The sexy crossover tune 'Rockin' Chair' was written by Miami composers Clarence 'Blowfly' Reid and Willie Clarke and it thrust its way up the Billboard Hot 100 pop chart to No. 9 and No. 1 R&B in the summer of 1975. The biggest hit that summer was the Captain & Tennille's chaste smash 'Love Will Keep Us Together.' By comparison, 'Rockin' Chair' percolated into the nation's consciousness on McCrae's sighs, ahhs and 'let's get it on' exhortations to an unnamed 'good lovin' daddy.' She cooed 'Let me be your rockin' chair' in a ear-catching voice of melted butter. George and Gwen McCrae McCrae, who was married at the time to fellow Miami TK star George McCrae, captured the steam Marvin Gaye delivered with his own 'Let's Get It On' two years earlier. Then, as fast as she seemed to rise, the major hits stopped coming. 'Funky Sensation' may be McCrae's other best-known song as it climbed to No. 22 on the R&B chart in 1981. But that song's impact continued into 2018 through the heavy use of samples by acts including Afrika Bambaataa, Aswad, Ja Rule and Disclosure. 'She had one of the most soulful female voices that I had heard of at that time,' said Harry Wayne Casey, who, as the KC namesake of the Sunshine Band, had his breakthrough by co-writing George McRae's trailblazing 'Rock Your Baby' for TK Records in 1974. That song's rhythm inspired ABBA's 'Dancing Queen' in 1976 and its chord structure powered Reid and Clarke's 'Rockin' Chair.' Miami's TK Records family Gwen McCrae was there for so much of that '70s era Miami sound, Casey said. 'She also did many background sessions on TK artists including all the songs on my very first KC LP. You can hear both her and George's distinct voices on my first European hit called the 'Queen of Clubs.' She wails at the end 'the queen is rocking' among other ad libs. Another overlooked true Florida artist of our time,' Casey said. The late Betty Wright, another artist in the Stone's artist group famed for her 1971 Wright-Reid classic, 'Clean Up Woman,' also introduced McCrae to the Miami musicians and songwriters that would help her establish her recording and performing career. McCrae was born Gwen Mosley on Dec. 21, 1943, in Pensacola. She started singing in church by 7. In 1963, after marrying George McCrae, the couple, who were living in West Palm Beach then, formed a musical duo that caught Reid's ears. Reid introduced them to Henry Stone, the co-founder of TK Records, and his business partner, songwriter-producer Steve Alaimo. A young Casey started co-writing songs and supplying background vocals for McCrae as early as 1972, such as 'Leave the Driving to Us.' Casey soon featured the McRaes as backing vocalists on the earliest KC and the Sunshine Band records before 'Get Down Tonight' exploded in the same year as 'Rockin' Chair.' 'When I first met Gwen she had this amazing aura around her as if she was from royalty,' Casey said. 'She dressed immaculately and carried herself in a dignified way. A very classy woman who wasn't afraid to laugh and have fun. She was the apple of Steve Alaimo's eye. He seemed to be the one who guided her career and made her musical decisions. So many memories. Those were the days and we will eternally always be family and Gwen holds a special place in my heart.' KNOW MORE: Steve Alaimo helped make the Miami sound — and was a force behind big hits After 'Rockin' Chair After 'Rockin' Chair,' the McCraes divorced in 1976. She began recording and performing in Europe as musical tastes and trends changed in America. Acts like French duo Cassius sampled her track 'All This Love That I'm Giving' in 1999. She recorded a gospel album and other tracks into the 2000s. McCrae suffered a stroke in 2012 after performing on stage in England that affected her performing ability. McCrae's survivors include her children Wanda, Sophia, Leah and Alex, and grandchildren and great grandchildren. Services will be private.
