R.I.P. Gwen Mcrae

Soul singer Gwen McCrae, best known for her 1975 hit single, 'Rocking Chair,' has died age 81...

From Soul Tracks

Florida born singer Gwen McCrae is popularly known for the 1975 smash “Rockin’ Chair,” but the deep voiced singer recorded regularly for decades and amassed a loyal following in both the US and Europe for her dance-oriented material and her expressive vocals.

McCrae grew up as Gwen Mosley in Pensacola, Florida, into a church-going family. Her mother played piano in the church and Gwen started singing in the choir at age seven. She continued performing as a teen, and began planning a career in music after high school. At age 20 she met fellow Florida resident George McCrae and the two married and began performing together professionally in the mid 60s. They were discovered by singer Betty Wright (“Clean Up Woman”) and Gwen was introduced to Henry Stone, the Miami entrepreneur and founder of the Alston and TK record labels.

Gwen began as a background singer at TK before cutting a few tracks for the Florida label’s subsidiary, Cat. She scored a moderate R&B hit with a cover of Ed Townsend’s “For Your Love” but did not record a supporting album. Husband George (whom she divorced in 1976) hit it big first, as his hit “Rock Your Baby” became an across-the-board smash and helped put both disco and TK on the map. Gwen followed in 1975 with the Clarence Reid/Willie Clark composition, “Rockin’ Chair,” which hit the top five. Her rich alto voice sounded like she was still singing in church, but the lyrics were pure 70s pop/soul.

Over the next five years TK became one of the hottest labels around, but Gwen couldn’t repeat the success of “Chair.” She released a number of critically acclaimed albums (perhaps the best of which was Let’s Straighten It Out, where she recorded a solid version of the Latimore hit) but failed to land another sizable hit in the US.

Despite her lack of success in the US, Gwen remained popular in Europe, and continued recording and performing there in the 80s. She returned to US-based Ichiban Records for a couple albums in the 90s, and later turned to Gospel, recording I’m Not Worried in 2004.

Gwen continued to perform and record until she suffered a stroke in 2012 that impaired her ability to walk and sing. But she remained one of the legendary singers of a legendary era, and will continue to be celebrated for years to come. Rest in peace.