Bobby McFerrin

Bobby was born in 1950 to opera singers Robert McFerrin, Sr., the first African American to sing at the Metropolitan Opera in New York, and Sara Cooper. It's no wonder that, being raised by such parents, Bobby became one of the most talented vocalists of our time. His vocal technique includes the skills to quickly switch between regular register and falsetto, he is a master of vocal polyphony and throat singing, and also uses the percussion capabilities of his vocal apparatus and body. Bobby often sings a-cappella and recorded the whole jazz album The Voice (1984), all parts on which he performed himself without an orchestra and without overdubbing. Despite Bobby's achievements in the field of jazz, soul, reggae and other styles, his most famous composition - Don't Worry, Be Happy - is a classic of pop music. She topped the US Popular Songs chart in 1988 and received a number of awards. McFerrin has also worked with many renowned instrumentalists - pianists Chick Corea, Herbie Hancock, Joe Zawinul, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, and others. In addition to vocal practice, McFerrin regularly conducts symphony orchestras as a guest conductor. At these concerts, he combines the performance of classical music with vocal numbers - both his own and with the participation of the musicians of the orchestra and the public. Often at the end of a concert, the orchestra musicians sing vocal scores written for them by McFerrin, while Bobby himself plays the main part. Bobby is also a frequent philanthropist and writes music with his son Taylor McFerrin.

Awards

Grammy
1985 - Best Jazz Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices, Best Jazz Vocal Performance
1986 - Best Jazz Vocal Performance
1987 - Best Jazz Vocal Performance, Best Children's Record
1988 - Song of the Year, Best Pop Vocal Performance, Record of the Year, Best Jazz Vocal Performance
1992 - Best Jazz Vocal Performance