Soul & Disco Singer Gwen McCrae Reportedly Passes Away at 81

Source: GAB Archive / Getty

Gwen McCrae, the R&B and Disco singer best known for hits such as “Rockin’ Chair” and “Keep The Fire Burning” among others, has reportedly passed away at the age of 81.

Soul music news website SoulTracks was the first to report the story. The cause of death is not known at press time.

Born and raised in Pensacola, FL, McCrae started her career performing in local clubs as a teen. Eventually meeting and marrying fellow singer George McCrae, the two recorded as a duo for TK Records and branched out into solo careers.

As a solo artist, Gwen found success on the R&B Charts with a cover of Bobby Bland’s “Lead Me On” in 1970. After her husband George’s solo success with the hit single, “Rock Your Baby,” Gwen scored a big of her own with “Rockin’ Chair” in 1975. The track landed at #1 on Billboard’s R&B chart and #9 on the Hot 100.

In 1972, she released “Always on My Mind,” a track later popularized by Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson, and Pet Shop Boys among others.

Later hits include “Funky Sensation,” which peaked at #22 on the R&B chart in 1981, and “Keep The Fire Burning,” a top 5 hit on the dance charts in 1982.

McCrae continued to perform and record until a stroke in 2012 impaired her ability to walk and sing.