Dobie Gray (July 26, 1940 - December 6th 2011) was an African American singer and songwriter, whose musical career spanned soul, country, pop and musical theater. His hit records included "The 'In' Crowd" in 1965, and "Drift Away", which was one of the biggest hits of 1973, sold over one million copies, and remains a staple of radio airplay. Gray was born near Houston, Texas, by his own account in Simonton although some sources suggest the nearby town of Brookshire.