George McCrae

George Warren McCrae Jr. was born on October 19, 1944, in West Palm Beach, Florida, the second of nine children. His musical journey began in his youth, singing gospel in church. He formed his first group, the Jivin’ Jets, before joining the United States Navy in 1963. After his honorable discharge, he re-formed the group with his then-wife, Gwen McCrae (née Mosley). Together, they pursued a recording career with Henry Stone’s Alston record label. Gwen later secured a solo contract, with George serving as her manager and performing in clubs and at sessions.

A significant turning point in McCrae’s career arrived in 1974. He was preparing to study law enforcement when Richard Finch and Harry Wayne Casey of KC and the Sunshine Band invited him to record vocals for a song. The track, initially intended for Gwen, required high notes that George successfully delivered. This song, “Rock Your Baby,” became a global phenomenon, selling an estimated eleven million copies worldwide and topping charts in the U.S. and the UK. Rolling Stone magazine recognized it as the No. 1 song of 1974, and McCrae received a Grammy Award nomination for Best Male R&B Vocalist the following year. Following this success, he released further singles, “I Can’t Leave You Alone” and “It’s Been So Long,” both reaching the UK Singles Chart Top 10.

Throughout the 1970s, McCrae continued to record albums like “George McCrae” (1975) and “Diamond Touch” (1976) for TK Records. His commercial profile in the U.S. began to decline in the late 1970s, leading him to a period of semi-retirement and a move to Canada. He re-emerged in 1984 with the album “One Step Closer to Love,” which charted in the United Kingdom and Belgium. McCrae later relocated to Munstergeleen, Netherlands, and continued to find success with his music in Europe. In 2016, he released the concept album “Love,” produced by Roger Heijster, featuring his daughters Sophia and Leah on backing vocals. This album achieved “Album of the Week” status in Germany, and its single “Sexy Woman” topped charts in Mallorca. In December 2017, McCrae performed on the BBC’s “Hootenanny” hosted by Jools Holland. As of 2019, McCrae consistently performs his hit “Rock Your Baby” on the StarVista Cruise Line’s floating disco extravaganzas.