Bobby McFerrin
Vocals

Bobby McFerrin

(1950)

McFerrin uses no instruments — his voice simultaneously carries bassline, melody, and percussion. Known worldwide for Don't Worry, Be Happy, his true range runs far beyond that: duets with Herbie Hancock, conducting major orchestras, and free improvisation that makes the voice sound like an entire band.

Bobby McFerrin's "Don't Worry, Be Happy" reached No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 in September 1988, becoming the first a cappella song ever to top the U.S. chart. At the 1989 Grammys it swept Song of the Year, Record of the Year, and Best Male Pop Vocal Performance.

Don't Worry, Be Happy, Wikipedia, 2024

After meeting at Leonard Bernstein's 70th birthday at Tanglewood in 1988, Bobby McFerrin and cellist Yo-Yo Ma recorded Hush at Dreamland Studios in Woodstock in August 1991. Released on Sony Masterworks in 1992, the album peaked at No. 93 on the Billboard 200.

Hush (Yo-Yo Ma and Bobby McFerrin album), Wikipedia, 2024