Deborah McCrary, a vocalist of the acclaimed McCrary Sisters, has passed away, People reports. She was 67.
In a statement, the McCrary Sisters confirmed her passing.
"It is with deep sorrow that we share the news of the passing of our beloved sister Deborah,” the statement read.
The cause of death is currently unknown.
The sisters paid tribute to Deborah on their Facebook page.
“My sister Deborah McCrary just got her wings!” the post read. “Gone but not forgotten! I thank God for her life. She was our baby! We love you, Deborah.”
Rounder Records, the McCrary Sisters' label, took to Twitter to express their condolences to Deborah’s family.
"We are saddened by the news of Deborah McCrary's passing,” the tweet read. “Our hearts go out to her family during this difficult time.”
A native of Nashville, Tennessee, Deborah and her siblings learned to sing by watching their father, the late Rev. Samuel McCrary, who was a member of the legendary gospel group The Fairfield Four.
Deborah would go on to perform in the BM Mass Choir and performed with Elvis Presley, Isaac Hayes and Ray Stevens.
After working for years as a nurse, Deborah formed the group with her three sisters: Ann, Regina, and Alfreda in 2010. The group received critical acclaim with original songs that crossed the genres of R&B, country and gospel.
The McCrary Sisters released their first album, Our Journey, in October 2010 and followed up with 2013's All the Way, 2015's Let's Go, and 2019's A Very McCrary Christmas as well as a 2017 live album Live.
In 2013, Deborah suffered a stroke. Six months after the incident, she returned to the stage.
“When I had my stroke, I remembered that God does things for a reason,” she told the Grand Ole Opry. “That’s where I was supposed to be, with my sisters by my side. I thank God for my sisters because they’ve helped me in a lot of ways, and that whole experience gave me a deeper understanding of just how much I love being with them.”
In addition to their own albums, the sisters sang background vocals for Carrie Underwood, Miranda Lambert, Margo Price and Allison Russell. At the 2016 CMT Music Awards, the group performed “My Church” with Maren Morris; and in 2017, the performed with Chris Stapleton during "Skyville Live Presents a Tribute to Jerry Lee Lewis."
We offer our prayers and deepest condolences to the family and friends of Deborah McCrary.
