NASHVILLE (CelebrityAccess) – Deborah McCrary, a member of the sibling vocal group the McCrary Sisters, died Wednesday (June 1). Her death was confirmed via a spokesperson for the group; no cause of death was released.
Deborah and her three sisters, Ann, Regina, and Alfreda became the most important Black female group in Nashville music history. Deborah carried the low-harmony voice between the four sisters.
They releases five albums, served as the house band at the annual Americana Awards banquets, were first-call session vocalists, and have backed up some of the greats including Elvis Presley, Isaac Hayes, and Stevie Wonder.
The McCrarys hail from Nashville, the daughters of Rev. Sam McCrary who founded the gospel quartet, The Fairfield Four. The four sisters were exposed to music from early childhood.
The sibling-harmony singing of the four sisters was first showcased on the 2010 album Our Journey. Deborah sang lead on the record’s traditional tune “Dig A Little Deeper.” The McCrary collections All the Way and Let’s Go followed in 2013 and 2015. The sisters published their book Cooking With Love in 2015.
Meanwhile, music greats sought them out as backing vocalists. The McCrarys have recorded with Sheryl Crow, Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, and many others. In 2016, they appeared with Maren Morris at the CMA Awards to perform Morris’s breakout hit “My Church,” one of several national TV appearances made by the group.
Deborah had suffered strokes in previous years. Funeral arrangements were not announced as of press time.
