Bobby McFerrin
Bobby McFerrin slides through categories as easily as he does from a bass voice to a falsetto. Blessed with a four octave range, McFerrin has brought the sounds and audiences from folk, jazz, classical, and pop together. Born in New York in 1950, the son of classical singers, McFerrin debuted in New Orleans in 1977 with the group Astral Projection. He moved to San Francisco where he met Bill Cosby, who helped him get an appearance at the 1980 Playboy Jazz Festival. The following year’s gig at the Kool Jazz Festival led to a contract with Elektra. McFerrin’s 1984 release, The Voices, became the first solo vocal album to be released by a major label. He performed the theme song for the television hit, The Cosby Show. His 1988 album, Simple Pleasures, included a song that would become an enormous pop hit, and an anthem for everyone’s daily life - “Don’t Worry, Be Happy.” McFerrin continues to combine genres and talents, moving from solo vocal to conducting. In addition to a cappella work with his group Voicestra, McFerrin has worked with Herbie Hancock, Chick Corea, the Manhattan Transfer, Yo-Yo Ma, St. Paul Chamber Orchestra, New York Philharmonic, Cleveland Orchestra, Chicago Symphony, Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Vienna Philharmonic. McFerrin has won ten Grammys, and has become a passionate ambassador for music education.
