Gwen McCrae’s discography features iconic tracks such as “Rockin’ Chair,” “Always On My Mind,” and “Funky Sensation.”

Renowned soul and disco artist Gwen McCrae has passed away at the age of 81, as reported. The cause of her death has not been revealed at this time.

The soul music outlet SoulTracks announced the sad news on Friday, February 21. In a post shared on X, they stated, “We are devastated to pass on more bad news. Soul and Disco star Gwen McCrae has died. We are still jamming to ‘Rockin’ Chair’ all these years later. Rest in peace Gwen.”

While “Rockin’ Chair,” released in 1975, marked McCrae’s most commercially successful hit, her impressive discography comprises numerous other favorites. Gwen Mosley, born in Pensacola, Florida, began her musical journey singing in church choirs before marrying George McCray and performing alongside him starting in 1963. By 1970, she garnered attention with the release of “Lead Me On” on CBS. The hit “Always On My Mind” followed in 1972, later covered by artists including Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson, and the Pet Shop Boys.

After the success of “Rockin’ Chair,” which became her first single to reach the top ten on the Billboard Hot 100, McCrae and her husband began to drift apart. She quickly followed up with a series of successful singles, including “Me Is You” and “All This Love That I’m Givin’.”

Even as disco waned in popularity in the United States, Gwen McCrae’s career continued to thrive within the UK’s northern soul scene. This community played a crucial role in paving the way for the acid house movement, which catapulted electronic music into a youth culture phenomenon by the late ’80s. McCrae performed until 2012, when a stroke impacted her ability to move and sing.

At EDM Identity, we extend our heartfelt condolences to Gwen McCrae’s family and friends during this challenging time.