In other words, don't worry, be hep to the moment. Bobby McFerrin is a legendary name who has received many honors in his career. American folk and jazz singer and conductor, From 19942011, the category was split into, MJQ & Friends: A 40th Anniversary Celebration, Best Vocal Arrangement for Two or More Voices, "Jeremy Denk, Bobby McFerrin: Two talented wits bring their music to San Francisco", "Bobby McFerrin's Improv-Inspired 'Vocabularies', "The Echo & Dissonance of George Bush's 1988 Campaign Music", "Berklee Honors Rollins, Holds Summer Clinics", "Madison McFerrin: a cappella with a twist", "Returning to Minnesota, Grammy-winner Bobby McFerrin gives first interview in 4 years", "BOBBY MCFERRIN - full Official Chart History", "Bobby McFerrin Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography", "Don't Worry, Be Happy in Canadian Top Singles Chart", "American certifications Bobby Mc Ferrin Don't Worry Be Happy", Recording Industry Association of America, "British certifications Bobby McFerrin Don't Worry Be Happy", Evergreen (Love Theme from A Star Is Born), Ray Charles McCullough II, Jeremy Reeves, Ray Romulus & Jonathan Yip, Grammy Award for Best Children's Music Album, The Chipmunk Song (Christmas Don't Be Late), Britten: Young Person's Guide to the Orchestra, Dr. Seuss: How The Grinch Stole Christmas, The Little Mermaid: An Original Walt Disney Records Soundtrack, Beauty and the Beast: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack, I Am Malala: How One Girl Stood Up for Education and Changed the World, Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance, An Evening with Herbie Hancock & Chick Corea: In Concert, Live in Europe 1969: The Bootleg Series Vol. He also featured as the voice of Santa Bear in the film Santa Bears First Christmas. Cocktail was a huge hit, taking in $72 million at the box office; on the list of 1988s highest earners, Cocktail sits at #8, right between the first Die Hard and the first Naked Gun. The tale was justly ironic and thus much beloved: the man who'd crooned "In every life we have some trouble, but when you worry you make it double" ultimately couldn't stomach what he'd been spooning out to others. So if you like truly happy endings (as opposed to "Be Happy" endings), McFerrin's ability to thrive as a cultural explorer while going off the pop-culture radar makes for a fine cap to his story. His mother was a singer and his father was an operatic baritone. Bobby McFerrin was born in the Year of the Tiger. Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). In 1989, the album Strange Angels was released by Laurie Anderson. Thats not exactly Bobby McFerrins fault; he never couldve foreseen the places that Dont Worry, Be Happy would go. Weve had plenty of hit songs where people made funny screeches, percussive plops, and goofy sound-effects with their mouths, but Dont Worry, Be Happy is the only song where those things are the entire song. 26-Foot Marilyn Monroe Statue Still Causing a Stir Among the . Bobby McFerrin Greatest Hits // Bobby McFerrin Best Songs - YouTube Given how that election went, maybe Bobby McFerrin shouldve worried. I was especially touched by the way he brought members of the audience up onto the stage to participate in the show. Maybe you know about Bobby McFerrin very well But do you know how old and tall is he and what is his net worth in 2023? There was only one explanation for this: The song made people so unbearably happy that the only antidote was to associate it with deep unhappiness, whether that involved suicide or the end of the world. On 10 February 1942, the man who in 1915 wrote the music for "Pack Up Your Troubles in Your Old Kit Bag and Smile, Smile, Smile," took his own life. His song "Don't Worry, Be Happy" (featured in the 1988 movie Cocktail, and the 2005 movie Jarhead) was a #1 U.S. pop hit in 1988. It was a single from her debut album Word of Mouth, and it was originally written by Mike Chapman and Nicky Chinn. "I wanted to do something with a band, and a lot simplerPeople are more aware of my jazz and classical and world music roots, but the rock and blues and soul influences have always been there, too," he said recently. , . What a refusal to even consider the thought that maybe things could be better. Maybe that's because his music seems to be a story of his life and the jazz and classical music he's learned to perform all seem to melt together and become one unique category all of its own. McFerrin em 13 de agosto de 2011, no Brampton Global Jazz & Blues Festival. He has been married to Debbie Green since October 18, 1975. McFerrin, a New York native, is part of a proud lineage of boundary-breaking musicians. The highest-charting single from Andy Sambergs group the Lonely Island, the 2010 Akon collab I Just Had Sex, peaked at #30.). Bobby McFerrin will celebrate 73rd birthday on a Saturday 11th of March 2023. He is best known for his 1988 hit song "Don't Worry, Be Happy". In 1994, to add to his already sterling CV, McFerrin gained the accolade of creative chair of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra, with whom he embarks on regular tours around the world. McFerrin was honored with the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters award on August 20, 2020. We'll hear tracks from his vast catalog, stories from his illustrious career, and an . Known for his amazing vocal techniques, Bobby has come up with many albums. Bobby McFerrin Concert & Tour History | Concert Archives Bobby McFerrin - Biography. Bobby then came up with the album SpiritYouAll in 2013. The Cocktail soundtrack was also a big deal. Bobby Mcferrin Jr, he is doing well and alive, he is currently 72 as of 2022. In 2020 the National Endowment for the Arts named McFerrin a Jazz Master. He shares the same passion as his father, he was a musician as well. For a few years in the late 1990s, he toured a concert version of Porgy and Bess, partly in honor of his father, who sang the role for Sidney Poitier in the 1959 film version, and partly "to preserve the score's jazziness" in the face of "largely white orchestras" who tend not "to play around the bar lines, to stretch and bend". Bushs campaign invited McFerrin to have dinner with the vice president, and McFerrin declined. In 1993, he sang Henry Mancini's "Pink Panther Theme" for the 1993 comedy film Son of the Pink Panther. They have three children. Join 158,744 fans getting concert alerts for this artist. The No. The days of a cappella overdubbing and one-man-bandsmanship are behind him, for now. At that time, he performed on the PBS TV special Sing Out America! McFerrin may have encountered it on a poster of Meher Baba, an Indian spiritual leader who kept a 44-year vow of silence and who had a whole flock of Western admirers, including Pete Townshend, who used his name in the title of the Whos song Baba ORiley. Baba would write dont worry, be happy in his correspondence with Western followers, and some of them started printing the phrase on things. He often sang a cappella, mixing folk songs, 1960s rock and soul tunes, and jazz themes with original lyrics. Bobby McFerrin is a one of one, a true anomaly. Each concert has been vastly different from the others, however EVERY concert McFerrin gives is outstanding. Omissions? Songkick is the first to know of new tour announcements and concert information, so if your favorite artists are not currently on tour, join Songkick to track Bobby McFerrin and get concert alerts when they play near you, like 158744 other Bobby McFerrin fans. Along with some originals, he covers religious/humanist songs ranging from the Negro-spiritual era on up to Bob Dylan's "I Shall Be Released"; sometimes playing with scatted vocals in his jazzy trademark way, but sometimes going for more of a bluesy, earthy, Americana feel. His later recordings include Circlesongs (1997) and VOCAbuLarieS (2010), for which he drew from various world-music traditions to create minimally accompanied, harmonically rich choral pieces; the impressionistic jazz album Beyond Words (2002); and Spirityouall (2013), an homage to African American spirituals. 1 hit that won the Record and Song of the Year awards at the 1989 Grammys also began turning up in strangely post-apocalyptic contexts. Weve always sung together a lot, just going about the day. [2], McFerrin's song "Don't Worry, Be Happy" was a No. will eventually appear in this column. McFerrin was honored with the National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Masters award on August 20, 2020. Donald Trumps First Wife Belief And Siblings Details, Footage: Robert Adams San Bernardino Ca Shooting, Who Killed Zack Tv? Those who'd heard the tune too often during difficult spans in their own lives found a measure of comfort in this, because as anyone who suffers from clinical depression can tell you, getting over it requires far more than the mere adoption of a Pollyanna attitude. The couple has remained married for over four decades. At the time, in the mid-1980s, it was a sobriquet more readily associated with Frank Sinatra but in its definitive clarity, loaded with implications, no term could have been better suited to his art. song of the year and record of the year, and winning the "best pop vocal, male" award for Bobby McFerrin. A service will be held at Saint Andrew's Episcopal Church 1231 E. Chapman Ave. Fullerton, CA, Saturday, Dec. 7th at noon. McFerrin rose to prominence with the release of his eponymous album, which wasnt released until 1982. Bobby Mcferrin Jr, he is doing well and alive, he is currently 72 as of 2022. The guy who sang don't worry be happy is alive. : r/MandelaEffect - reddit Sara McFerrin's Obituary (1924 - 2019) Orange County Register He is known for his vocal techniques, such as singing fluidly but with quick and considerable jumps in pitchfor example, sustaining a melody while also rapidly alternating with arpeggios and harmoniesas well as scat singing, polyphonic overtone singing, and improvisational vocal percussion. His height is 1.75 m tall, and weight is 66 kg. People still remember him for the hit song Dont Worry, Be Happy. As of March 2023, Bobby McFerrins net worth is around $5 million. He is a composer and actor, known for The Two Popes (2019), Cocktail (1988) and Dawn of the Dead (2004). McFerrin had been toying around with the song for a few years, improvising new versions of it at club shows. Click to reveal Don't Worry, He's Happy May 14, 2013, 2:15 AM For a while in the '90s, before the public knew to turn to Snopes.com on such matters, an urban legend persisted. Bobby is also known for coming up with some of the hit singles. Bobby McFerrin was onto something when he titled his second album The Voice. By the beginning of the 21st century, McFerrins work had garnered 10 Grammy Awards. McFerrin's performance throughout was engaging, fun, and beautiful. Bobbys son Taylor McFerrin is a beatboxer, producer, and jazz musician. He has built up a reputation for being skilled at polyphonic singing. McFerrin is also capable of multiphonic singing. To his great credit, McFerrin didnt have any desire to replicate the success of Dont Worry, Be Happy. The song won Grammys for Song Of The Year and Record Of The Year fucking pathetic but McFerrin soon stopped performing it entirely. Snopes and the Snopes.com logo are registered service marks of Snopes.com. Bobby McFerrin 07.30.88 1 2 WKS . The estimated amount also comprises his salary in his activities based on his primitive career and a few more talents. On September 24 of that same year, he performed the theme song for the opening credits of Season 4 of The Cosby Show. But the one McFerrin song that did catch on serves as a living symbol of bumper-sticker philosophy and Reagan-era complacency. Family (1) Spouse Debbie Green ( 18 October 1975 - present) (3 children) 1995 - 2023 by Snopes Media Group Inc. In 1989, he composed and performed the music for the Pixar short film Knick Knack. The phrase dont worry, be happy existed in the world before McFerrin wrote the song. McFerrin was perhaps best known for his spontaneity; in concert he might wander through the auditorium singing, make up songs on listeners names, conduct his audience in choirs, or burst into a condensed version of The Wizard of Oz, complete with tornado sounds and munchkin, witch, and scarecrow voices. Instead, McFerrin, a Democrat, publicly endorsed Michael Dukakis, and the Bush campaign stopped using the song. The new album brings him back to his childhood, since three songs on it were also recorded by his father, Robert McFerrin Sr., on a 1957 album, "Deep River" And Other Classic Negro Spirituals. - Wikipedia Bobby McFerrin net worth 2023, age, height, wife, girlfriend, kids, biography, wiki, Yes (Jevon, Madison, and Taylor McFerrin). Music News Guns N' Roses to Tiffany: No.1 Songs From 1988 . In 1982, he released the songs Moondance/Jubilee and Youve Really Got a Hold on Me. Taylor put out an album on Flying Lotus Brainfeeder label in 2014 Bobby guested on it and hes now part of Robert Glaspers jazz supergroup R+R=Now. He created that lasting ear-worm of a #1 hit early in his career. Bobby McFerrins album Simple Pleasures went gold pretty great for a covers-heavy album of novelty a cappella jazz-pop. It's a form of yodeling, I guessAnd then I started tapping the rhythm on my chest and it all came into place.". 10 One Hit Wonder Artists Who Are Still Worth Millions - TheThings He is widely known for his hit song "Don't worry, be happy" which was streamed globally. His youngest daughter is attending Berklee, but McFerrin favors a different university. He shares the same passion as his father, he was a musician as well. The song became a global hit, and McFerrin decided to begin to pursue other aspects of music such as production and arrangement. Even after being active in his career for a long time, he has not given up and continues to engage himself with some of the popular artists in the world. He is often referred to as his birth nameRobert Keith McFerrinJr. In 1977 he auditioned for and won a singing job. It was in 1988 that McFerrin recorded, produced and released the song Dont Worry, Be Happy. Origins: The 1988 feel-good anthem "Don't Worry, Be Happy" transformed a talented artist into a household name, garnering Grammy honors as. On the song Dont Worry, Be Happy, McFerrin aimed for the kind of simplicity and contentment that the phrase implied. A long time ago I wrote the song 'Simple Pleasures' about my family, and my kids sang it for me last year at my birthday party.". McFerrins 1988 album Simple Pleasures was originally supposed to be a collection of covers. Bobby McFerrin, Roscoe Mitchell, Reggie Workman, Dorthaan Kirk Named 2020 Jazz Masters The four recipients of America's highest jazz honor will be celebrated at a concert in San Francisco next spring. A true master. Get your tour dates seen by one billion fans: Magyar Vasttrtneti Park / Hungarian Railway Museum. Beyond Words became available in 2002. Bill Cosby helped McFerrin get booked at the Playboy Jazz Festival in 1980, and a performance at New Yorks Kool Jazz Festival the next year got McFerrin a deal with Elektra. McFerrin spontaneously decided to sing "blah blah blah" as lyrics, and the final version of the short film includes these lyrics during the end credits. The vocalist has received nominations for the Kids Choice Awards, Soul Train Awards, and Primetime Emmy Awards. As a swinging jazz and ballad vocalist, by 1980 McFerrin was touring with popular jazz singer Jon Hendricks. Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. [13] [14] Vocal technique [ edit] They are the parents of three children named Jevon, Madison, and Taylor McFerrin. Corrections? Bobby McFerrin Death Fact Check, Birthday & Age | Dead or Kicking Unfortunately there are no concert dates for Bobby McFerrin scheduled in 2023. Still, that's a lot of people, and McFerrin managed to touch the entire audience. Apr 29, 2020 10:34 am Pro article. He is often referred to as his birth name Robert Keith McFerrin Jr. It also served to spawn a long-lived rumor: As early as 1992, whispers were afoot that the man who had composed and sung this bouncy little ditty had failed to heed his own advice and had killed himself instead. ("The middle child has a very good voice, but hes into acting," McFerrin said. [2], McFerrin was born in Manhattan, New York City in 1950, the son of operatic baritone Robert McFerrin and singer Sara Copper. McFerrin released his self-titled debut album in 1982, when he was 32. 1 U.S. pop hit in 1988 and won Song of the Year and Record of the Year honors at the 1989 Grammy Awards. McFerrin vocally protested that usage and loudly declared that he was voting for the other guy; some reports at the time even had McFerrin taking it out of his concert repertoire, just to make sure no one got the wrong message. Robert Keith "Bobby" McFerrin Jr. (born March 11, 1950) is an American jazz vocalist and conductor. Wearing the uniform of the Peacehaven Home Guard, former British Staff Sergeant Felix Powell shot himself in the heart using his own rifle. (Cruises other 1988 movie was Rain Man, the years biggest hit. Later he brought audience members on stage to participate with him in Voicestra-style duets and more. Don't Worry, Keep Kosher written by unknown author (s) English January 25, 2005. And, as we're reminded in this episode of Jazz Night in America, he's also a great storyteller and an incisive assessor of his own artistic motivations. Jeff Kravitz/FilmMagic Following his efforts, in 1986 McFerrin was invited to perform at the Playboy Jazz Festival in Los Angeles, being a part of Herbie Hancocks band. "My whole goal this whole time was to be a working musician," he told NPR. Two Native Hawaiians get prison in a crime that exposed the state's But in reality Mcferrin knew the song helped spread the message of positivity to the world abroad and was very proud of the work as a whole.[10]. This updates what you read on open.spotify.com The couple has remained married for over four decades. Alive Inside: 2014: Documentary performer: "Pentatonic Romp" / writer: "Pentatonic Romp" Gympl s (r)ucenm omezenm: 2013: TV Series writer - 1 episode: And we'll consider some of the advice he lives by: that "the stage is a platform for adventure.". If you do not know, We have prepared this article about details of Bobby McFerrins short biography-wiki, career, professional life, personal life, wife, girlfriend, dating, divorce, kids, todays net worth, age, height, weight, and more facts. This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks. Surely a song that cheerful could only lead to a heavily ironic end, no? "" denotes releases that did not chart or were not released in that territory. NPR.com wrote a few years ago that the song "ended McFerrin's musical life as he had known it." He started out as a pianist and didn't even think about becoming a singer until 1977, when he was 27, though he "always had a nagging suspicion that I wasn't a pianist," he said. At this performance he was nicely supported by 4 others from his Voices ensemble, and at times they provided fun and amusement, other times melancholy and emotion. and funny noises - reminds everyone it's fun to be alive. His chart-topping feat would be truly impressive if the song were any good. Half of Simple Pleasures ended up being McFerrins own songs, and he led the album off with Dont Worry, Be Happy.. Cloudflare Ray ID: 7a2f222a18bcabc3 Please refer to the appropriate style manual or other sources if you have any questions. Robert Keith McFerrin Jr. (born March 11, 1950)[1] is an American folk and jazz singer. Here, for instance, is the scene where the song shows up in 2006s Jarhead: BONUS BONUS BONUS BEATS: Heres the bit from the 2008 masterpiece Wall-E where Wall-Es Big Mouth Billy Bass sings Dont Worry, Be Happy and almost gets lasered into oblivion: BONUS BONUS BONUS BONUS BEATS: Heres the part from 2018s Hotel Transylvania 3 where Dont Worry, Be Happy charms a giant sea monster: (Adam Sandlers highest-charting single, 1996s The Chanukah Song, peaked at #80. He was born on March 11, 1950 in Manhattan, New York. Later that year, the two appeared together on a panel at the World Science Festival. In the songs video, McFerrin mugs frantically with Robin Williams, whod just been in Good Morning, Vietnam and crossed over to big-deal status. McFerrin was given a lifetime achievement award at the A Cappella Music Awards on May 19, 2018. For a while in the '90s, before the public knew to turn to Snopes.com on such matters, an urban legend persisted that the song's originator, Bobby McFerrin, had committed suicide. The song's success "ended McFerrin's musical life as he had known it," and he began to pursue other musical possibilities on stage and in recording studios. Bobby McFerrin started his career by coming up with an eponymous debut album. Oftentimes he will sound like an entire band all by himself, sometimes using his own body as a percussion instrument. Also, he is an expert in Vocals, piano, percussion, and vocal percussion as well. Being born on 11 March 1950, Bobby McFerrin is 72 years old as of today's date 3rd March 2023. As per our current Database, Bobby McFerrin is still alive (as per Wikipedia, Last update: May 10, 2020). His annual income is $400,000. He was the performer and composer of the short film Knick Knack in 1989. Now in his seventies, McFerrin has returned to the stage, performing his Circlesongs at Freight and Salvage each Monday through the end of May. "No matter what style of music you play, improvising is great for your flexibility and your ears. Bobby McFerrin, STOMP coming to Kohler for Distinguished Guest Series An artistic traveler who figures out new uses for the human voice and who seems like hed probably be a great hang. The man was on a run.). Still, millions of people evidently think that McFerrin was Jamaican or, rather, that Dont Worry, Be Happy is actually a song from the most famous Jamaican musician of all time. Articles from Britannica Encyclopedias for elementary and high school students. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Does Kevin Gates Have A Sister? Other than the general novelty of an all-a cappella pop song, I dont hear anything musically redeeming in Dont Worry, Be Happy either. "Initially, I had pictured myself fronting big bands, doing what Harry Connick or Michael Bubl do nowadays," he told the Guardian in 2010. Right now, that video has 158 million views. A Tribute to Jack Johnson), What the World Needs Now: Stan Getz Plays Burt Bacharach and Hal David, Herbie Mann Plays The Roar of the Greasepaint The Smell of the Crowd, Chick Corea/Herbie Hancock/Keith Jarret/McCoy Tyner, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Bobby_McFerrin&oldid=1139320483, 20th-century African-American male singers, California State University, Sacramento alumni, Classical musicians from New York (state), Short description is different from Wikidata, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0. Whatever Happened to Bobby McFerrin? Don't Worry, He's Happy - Yahoo! Live Live Death Statistics Worldwide and The United States Bobby McFerrin - Biography Robert Keith "Bobby" McFerrin Jr. (born March 11, 1950) is an American jazz vocalist and conductor. Bobby McFerrin is a 72 years old Singer-songwriter musician conductor producer from Manhattan, New York. Bobby McFerrin - Billboard Damn, if I say it, you can slap me right here. McAulay & Wallace Mortuary. McFerrin won a bunch of jazz Grammys, and at Bill Cosbys request, he sang the season-four theme song for The Cosby Show. Writer and Producer: Trevor Smith with Alex Ariff; Consulting Editor: Katie Simon; Host: Christian McBride; Project Manager: Suraya Mohamed; Senior Producer: Alex Ariff; Senior Director of NPR Music: Keith Jenkins; Executive Producers: Anya Grundmann and Gabrielle Armand. His height is 1.75 m tall, and weight is 66 kg. Bobby McFerrin - Age, Birthday, Biography, Movies, Albums & Facts It was titled Kitty, but she changed it so she could alter the perspective of the person telling the story. "It wasn't about being famous or being a celebrity. The rough cut to which McFerrin recorded his vocals had the words "blah blah blah" in place of the end credits (meant to indicate that he should improvise). The father, Robert McFerrin, was an opera singer who voiced Porgy in the movie version of Porgy and Bess. BONUS BEATS: Heres the bit from a 1995 Beavis & Butt-Head episode where the Dont Worry, Be Happy video precipitates a couch brawl between Beavis and Butt-Head: BONUS BONUS BEATS: Dont Worry, Be Happy makes frequent appearances in movies, where directors use it to gain easy irony points. Well, if youre ready, lets start. McFerrin made history with that release, a solo-vox tour de force, and later eclipsed his own feat with Simple Pleasures, which yielded a No. Age is definitely a factor that mentions ones youth and maturity, and you might wonder what is Bobby Mcferrins age as well. This was followed by the albums Spontaneous Inventions and The Elephants Child. He died. In addition to his vocal performing career, in 1994, McFerrin was appointed as creative chair of the Saint Paul Chamber Orchestra. Bobbie McFerrin is an exceptional performer. Bobby McFerrin age, height, net worth 2023, wife, girlfriend, kids In reaction, Bobby McFerrin publicly protested that use of his song, and stated that he was going to vote against Bush. Thinking about recording without any accompaniment took another six years beyond that. This material may not be reproduced without permission. Although he has descended from the musical heights he reached in 1988, Bobby McFerrin is still very much with us. There's a good reason McFerrin has won ten Grammy Awards: he's an amazing musician, song writer, and vocalist, one that comes along once in a lifetime. Bobbys daughter Madison McFerrin has gotten a lot of Pitchforky buzz for her own a cappella version of dancey neo-soul. 1989 saw McFerrin compose the music for a Pixar short film entitled Knick Knack. Robert Keith McFerrin Jr., mais conhecido como Bobby McFerrin ( Nova Iorque, 11 de maro de 1950 ), um msico estadunidense. But Dont Worry, Be Happy fucking sucks, and that is Bobby McFerrins fault. He also dropped the song from his own performance repertoire.[9]. McFerrin says that because of his father's work in the movie, "This music has been in my body for 40 years, probably longer than any other music."[11]. Justin Timberlake posts sweet birthday message for 'dream of a partner' Jessica Biel, Tom Sizemore, star of 'Saving Private Ryan,' 'Heat,' dies at 61 after brain aneurysm, Josh Hartnett is done talking about his break from Hollywood but ready to make fun of actors: 'We're the worst', Michael B. Jordan admits muscle gain for 'Creed' has been harder as he's gotten older, Billy Bush suggests Amy Robach and T.J. Holmes start their own show after ABC exit: 'They've got something that works'. Chico Kaonohi (from eft) prays with Priscilla Hoopii and Lana Vierra in November 2022 outside U.S. District Court in Honolulu, after his Native Hawaiian son was found guilty of a hate crime in the 2014 beating of a white man. We'll hear music from across his chameleonic career, ranging from Mozart to Cream. In 1990, McFerrin made his debut as an orchestra conductor. It may sound odd to say this of an album rooted largely in the music of slavery, but spiritYOUall may be the closest thing to a pop album McFerrin's recorded in a long time. His 10 Grammy Awards and global hit "Don't Worry, Be Happy" are . The message, I guess, was: Everythings going great! Sometimes he would do entirely improvised shows with a 12-piece a cappella vocal group. McFerrin had credibility in jazz and classical circles, but if not for Dont Worry, Be Happy he might be largely remembered as a weird little curio of 80s culture a figure like Michael Winslow, the guy who made the sound effects in the Police Academy movies, or like John Moschitta Jr., the guy who talked really fast in the Micro Machines commercials.