Gwen McCrae

Gwendolyn Patricia McCrae (née Mosley, December 21, 1943 – February 21, 2025) was an American singer. She is best known for her 1975 hit "Rockin' Chair", which reached number one on the Billboard Hot R&B chart and number nine on the Billboard Hot 100. Known across Europe as the "Queen of Rare Groove", McCrae's gospel, soul, disco, and funk vocals have been heavily sampled in dance music, including songs by Cassius, Madlib, Lady Gaga, Avicii, and Mobb Deep. The New York Times has credited her early 1970s hits as paving the way for disco music. She performed regularly in Europe until 2012, when a stroke paralyzed the left side of her body.