Gwen McCrae
Gwen McCrae was an influential American soul and disco singer best known for her 1975 hit "Rockin' Chair." Born Gwendolyn Mosley on December 21, 1943, in Pensacola, Florida, she passed away on February 21, 2025, at age 81.
Gwen Mosley grew up in a musical, church-going family in Pensacola, singing in the church choir from age seven. She performed in local clubs as a teenager and planned a music career after high school, initially working as a background singer.
At age 20, she married George McCrae in 1963; they formed the duo George & Gwen, recording from 1967 with help from Betty Wright and TK Records. Early singles like "Lead Me On" (1970, peaked at #32 on Billboard Hot Soul Singles) gained regional success.
Signed solo to TK's Cat Records, McCrae hit big with "Rockin' Chair" in 1975 (#1 R&B, US Top 10), followed by the album Love Insurance. George's prior hit "Rock Your Baby" boosted her profile, though their marriage strained amid success and alleged abuse.
After TK's 1981 collapse and divorce, she signed with Atlantic, scoring with "Funky Sensation" (#22 R&B) and "Keep the Fire Burning" (#5 Dance Club). Popular in UK Northern Soul, she released gospel in 2004 and "Now I Found Love" in 2010, but a 2012 stroke paralyzed her left side.
McCrae's emotive style spanned deep soul to disco, with enduring live appeal in Europe despite limited mainstream recognition later on.
Girlfriend’s Boyfriend
2 We've Got The Power 4:26
3 Only Takes One Touch 4:16
4 Does It Matter 5:57
5 Girlfriend's Boyfriend 4:57
6 I'm Sorry 5:26
7 Pass It On 4:02
8 All This Love That I'm Givin 4:00
9 (You Make Me Feel Like A) Natural Woman 5:07
10 Treat Me Like A Queen 4:42
11 Funky Sensation (Original) 5:29
12 Gotta Get Tough 3:20
13 Keep The Fire Burning 5:45
Label: Ichiban Records – ICH 1511-2
Format: CD, Album
Country: US
Released: 1998
Genre: R&B Soul
Style: Nineties Funk Soul
Girlfriend's Boyfriend is an R&B, soul, dance, and house album by American soul singer Gwen McCrae, and produced by Stevie V. and Billy Osborne, featuring re-recordings of her hits like "Keep The Fire Burning" and "Funky Sensation," along with new tracks. While initially released in 1996 by the British label Homegrown, it was reissued in the U.S. in 1998 by Ichiban.
The album blends McCrae's classic, raspy, and soulful vocals with contemporary dance and club-oriented production, appealing to fans of both rare groove/classic soul and modern dance music. The sound is characterized by funky, solid beats, infectious grooves, and deep basslines. The album also features a re-recording of her classic hit "Keep The Fire Burning," along with several remixes. The title track, "Girlfriend's Boyfriend," explores a narrative of being in love with a friend's partner.
The album captures McCrae's enduring popularity in the UK dance and soul scenes of the 1990s and helped cement her legacy as a significant influence in popular R&B dance music.