Bobby McFerrin In 1986, McFerrin was the voice of Santa Bear in "Santa Bear's First Christmas", and in 1987 he was the voice of Santa Bear/Bully Bear in the sequel "Santa Bear's High Flying Adventure". That same year, he performed the theme song for the opening credits of Season 4 of "The Cosby Show". In 1988, McFerrin recorded the song "Don't Worry, Be Happy", which became a hit and brought him widespread recognition across the world. The song's success "ended McFerrin's musical life as he had known it," and he began to pursue other musical possibilities on stage and in recording studios.
Robert McFerrin York City and began receiving vocal coaching from Hall Johnson, the composer and choir director. McFerrin married Sara Copper, another aspiring singer, in 1949. The couple had two children, Robert Jr. (Bobby) and Brenda. In New York, McFerrin's singing career prospered. A 1949 appearance in a small role in the Kurt Weill Broadway musical, "Lost in the Stars", led to acquaintance with Boris Goldovsky. Goldovsky presented the baritone in the title role of "Rigoletto" at the Tanglewood Music Festival in 1949 and cast him in his company, the New England Opera Theater (later the Goldovsky Opera Theater) as Valentin in