A melodious singer who recorded and toured alongside the Crusaders, while also recording her own light soul music. Randy Crawford is one of the most well-known female voices today. Her first recognition was from her fiery voice on “Street Life”, a 1979 song that matched her vocals with the Crusaders. It was also included on the soundtrack to Burt Reynolds’ Sharky’s Machine. Crawford was born in Macon in Georgia and grew up near Cincinnati, Ohio. As a teenager, she worked in clubs with her father. Crawford was the lead singer in a group that also included Bootsy Collins, and she was George Benson’s opening act for 1972. Cannonball Adderley invited Crawford to sing on his album Big Man. Crawford recorded “Don’t get Caught in Love’s Triangle”, a Johnny Bristol song, during a brief stay on the label. After “Street Life,” she moved to Warner Bros. and recorded and toured Europe as part of the Crusaders. Crawford was named Most Outstanding Performer at 1980 Tokyo Music Festival. Through the 1980s and early 1990s, she remained with Warner Bros. She also gained a loyal following in Britain and Europe. Crawford is still very active in the new millennium. She often re-teams with Joe Sample, Crusaders keyboardist, for albums like 2006’s Feeling Good and 2008’s No Regrets. Allmusic
