George Merrill (born January 10, 1956) is an American singer and songwriter whose songs have been recorded by Whitney Houston, Bette Midler, Graham Nash, Dolly Parton and Smokey Robinson, among others. He co-wrote "How Will I Know", which was a hit for Whitney Houston in 1986, as well as Houston's 1987 hit "I Wanna Dance with Somebody (Who Loves Me)".
From the mid-1980s to the present day, Merrill and writing partner Shannon Rubicam have been the vocal duo Boy Meets Girl, who are best remembered for the 1988 hit "Waiting for a Star to Fall". They wrote the song and had initially offered it to Houston and Belinda Carlisle, but they both rejected it (though Carlisle did do a demo recording) and Boy Meets Girl decided to feature it on the next Boy Meets Girl album titled Reel Life. Merrill and Rubicam also sang backing vocals for Deniece Williams' hit "Let's Hear It for the Boy".
Merrill has been married twice. His first marriage was with Rubicam from the mid-1980s until they divorced in 2000. Despite the divorce they have continued working together for various music projects. Merrill married his current wife, artist Rozalynd Roos Merrill, in 2004. He has a daughter, Hilary Rubicam Merrill (with Shannon Rubicam), and stepson Maxfield Roos Chandler. Hilary can be seen as the blond girl in her parents' video of "Waiting for a Star to Fall" also singing backing vocals on the Boy Meets Girl album The Wonderground , Five , and the 2024 single, "We the People".
Discography Albums and EPs YearAlbumRecord LabelChart positionsUSUK1985Boy Meets GirlA&M Records (Universal)76—1988Reel LifeRCA/BMG (Sony)50741990New DreamRCA/BMG (Sony)——2003The WondergroundIndependent——2021Five (EP)Independent——2022FiveIndependent
Singles YearSongPeak chart positionsCertificationsAlbumUSUS ACAUSUK1985"Oh Girl"39———Boy Meets Girl1985"The Touch"————1986"Heartbreaker"————Single only1988"Waiting for a Star to Fall"51359 BPI: GoldReel Life1989"Bring Down the Moon"4928—921989"Stormy Love"————1991"Waiting for a Star to Fall" (re-issue)———762021"More Deeply (In Love with You)"————Five2021"Falling Hard"————Five2021"Gone"Five2022"Stars Are Falling" 2022"How Will I Know (Martini Mix)"Five (Deluxe Edition)2024"We the People"————
Songwriting credits YearSongArtistRelease1983"Falling Star"Phyllis HymanGoddess of Love1983"Your Move My Heart"Phyllis HymanGoddess of Love1984"Haunting Me"Deniece WilliamsLet's Hear It for the Boy1984"Don't Tell Me We Have Nothing"Deniece WilliamsLet's Hear It for the Boy1985"How Will I Know"Whitney HoustonWhitney Houston1987"Love Finds You"Deniece WilliamsLove Finds You1987"I Know You by Heart"Dolly Parton & Smokey RobinsonRainbow1987"I Wanna Dance With Somebody (Who Loves Me)Whitney HoustonWhitney1987"Simply Meant to Be"Gary Morris & Jennifer WarnesBlind Date Soundtrack1988"Best Intentions"Russell HitchcockRussell Hitchcock1988"I Know You By Heart"Bette Midler & David PackBeaches1989"When the Lights Go Down Low"Herb AlpertWhen the Lights Go Down Low1990"Singer in the Storm"Holly NearSinger in the Storm1993"Bring Me Home"Paul YoungThe Crossing1995"Next to You"Sheena EastonMy Cherie1996"Knee Deep"Kermit the FrogThe Muppets at Walt Disney World1997"The Day I Get Over You"Edyta GorniakEdyta Gorniak1997"The Story of Love" OTTThis One's for You1999"Sheila"Danny O'KeefeRunnin' from the Devil1999"Only an Ocean Away"Danny O'KeefeRunnin' from the Devil1999"7 Lonely Days"Human NatureCounting Down2000"We See It Differently"Sister2SisterOne2000"Last One Standing"Girl ThingGirl Thing2004"Take Me to the Clouds Above"LMCTake Me to the Clouds Above2005"In My ArmsMyloIn My Arms2005"Star2Fall"Cabin CrewStar2Fall2005"Falling Stars"Sunset StrippersFalling Stars2006"Dance!"Fatman Scoop, Lumidee, GoleoFIFA World Cup 2006 soundtrack2009"Girls Just Wanna Dance"Royal GigolosGirls Just Wanna Dance2015"How Will I Know"Sam SmithThe Lonely Hour (Drowning Shadows Edition)2015"Somebody"Natalie La Rose, JeremihSomebody2018"In the Middle"Em RossiIn The Middle2021"If You Really Love Me (How Will I Know)"David Guetta, MistaJam, John NewmanIf You Really Love Me (How Will I Know)2021"Dance with You"Laura Marano & GreyUs2022"YAH Know"Chance the RapperYAH Know2023"A Better Life"Graham NashNow2024"The Wonderground"Hopkinson & Boy Meets GirlThe Wonderground
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