There are few singers in soul music with a unique signature sound starting in the 60’s and still going strong today. With his straight from the heart, rich in emotion and knee-deep singing delivering breathtaking vocal depth and range George McCrae is one of those artists. After an impressive career including a #1 in more than 40 countries, several golden records, a Grammy nomination as best male R&B singer in 1975 and having worked with legends such as Michael Jackson & the Jackson 5, James Brown, KC & The Sunshine Band, Nile Rodgers and Bernard Edwards as well Bill Wyman, George McCrae is now back with a new great classic and fresh sounding album called LOVE.
Born the second of nine in West Palm Beach, Florida, George started singing gospel in church. Later he formed his own singing group the Jivin’ Jets and after his wife Gwen McCrae joined the line-up, they soon worked as a duo recording for Henry Stone’s Alston record label. They continued singing in clubs in Palm Beach as well on sessions together with Betty Wright doing backing vocals for artists such as the Rolling Stones bassist Bill Wyman’s first solo album “Monkey Grip”. He was about to go back to college to study law enforcement when he heard from Casey and Finch who had written and recorded a song which was too high for KC to sing, George stepped in, and made history.
That song was “Rock Your Baby” and made George McCrae a star himself spearheading the Miami Soul sound. The song sold over 15 million copies peaking #1 in more than 40 countries including the eponymous album in the top of more than 10 countries. “Rock Your Baby” is one of the fewer than forty all-time singles to have sold 10 million (or more) copies worldwide and is still the #1 selling song ever to come out of the state of Florida. It proved to be a highly influential record and is widely considered to be one of the first smashes of the disco era. Rolling Stone named “Rock Your Baby” the #1 song of the year for 1974, and George was Grammy nominated for Best Male R&B Vocalist. John Lennon admired George McCrae and “Rock Your Baby” inspired him to write ‘Whatever Gets You through the Night”: “I still like black music, disco music… “Rock Your Baby”, “I’d give my eyetooth to have written that. But I never could. I am too literal to write “Rock Your Baby”. I wish I could”.
Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus the writers and producers of ABBA Stated “Rock Your Baby” was the song that inspired them to write and compose “Dancing Queen”.
It has been 50 years since and now George McCrae is back with a newly recorded album called “LOVE”; an authentic blend of soul, funk, pop and disco – Miami Soul at its best! George McCrae proves to be one of those true classic old school soul singers with lots of attitude, personality and a unique own signature sound. Everything on this album has been recorded without sequencing in 70’s style meeting the sound of today – a combination of vintage as well modern state of the art recording techniques. It’s all about love, real music by real musicians and real emotions by a real singer.
Now, 2023 he has recorded and released a duo single with song writer Lynda Law, “Step into My Heart”, No.#1 on the British Heritage Charts. George McCrae is ready to spread his Super Love Soul to all of you all over the world!
