The Voice

Today’s Throwback Thursday is a birthday celebration for one of the most unique and amazing vocalists in music. One a scale from 1 to 100 of one-hit wonders, he is off the charts. However, dig deep and you’ll appreciate this man so much more.

Bobby McFerrin turns 71 years old today.

Bobby McFerrin is known to most people for one song – “Don’t Worry Be Happy” - It was the first a cappella song to reach number-one on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, a position it held for two weeks.

He is known for his vocal techniques, such as singing fluidly but with quick and considerable jumps in pitch—for example, sustaining a melody while also rapidly alternating with arpeggios and harmonies—as well as improvisational vocal percussion.

McFerrin didn’t release his first album until he was 32 years old. He spent years developing his music style, heavily influenced by pianist Keith Jarrett who had achieved great success with a series of solo improvised piano concerts.

He’s a 10-time Grammy winner who constantly breaks rule with music. He’s always two to three steps ahead of others. He has an innovative approach to mapping harmony and rhythm (as well as melody) with his voice. "I can't sing everything at once," he says, "but I can hint at it so the audience hears even what I don't sing."

I first remember hearing McFerrin in 1986, when his album Spontaneous Inventions came out. It was like nothing I had heard before. I was new-ish to jazz music and dove into a lot of the past and current Blue Note catalog. What I heard from McFerrin blew my mind. Then I would see him perform live on television and it took me to a whole new place. His movement is mesmerizing. His body conforms with the music that he creates – Listening to Bobby McFerrin is just the start, he’s the whole musical package.

More than a one-hit wonder – McFerrin is a giant among vocalists. Someone worth putting headphones on for and dissecting every bit of his songs.