Boney M. Biography: Age, Net Worth, Founder, Parents, Members, Songs, Partners, Stage Name, Singles, Albums

Boney M. is a pioneering German-Caribbean disco, funk, and reggae group founded in 1974 by producer Frank Farian.

Known for their infectious rhythms and global hits like “Daddy Cool” and “Rasputin,” the original lineup—Liz Mitchell, Marcia Barrett, Maizie Williams, and Bobby Farrell—propelled them to stardom during the late 1970s disco era, selling over 100 million records worldwide.

Quick Facts

• Members’ Real Names: Liz Mitchell, Marcia Barrett, Maizie Williams, Bobby Farrell
• Stage Name: Boney M.
• Active From: 1974
• Origin: Stuttgart, West Germany
• Active Until: 1986
• Nationality: Jamaican, Montserratian, Aruban, German
• Occupation: Musicians and Performers
• Net Worth: $18 million USD

Early life and Members

Boney M. was a German-Caribbean vocal group specializing in disco and funk, created by producer Frank Farian in West Germany. The original lineup featured Liz Mitchell and Marcia Barrett from Jamaica, Maizie Williams from Montserrat, and Bobby Farrell from Aruba.

Liz Mitchell

• Date of Birth: July 12, 1952
• Age: 73
• Place of Birth: Clarendon Parish, Jamaica
• Ethnicity: Jamaican
• Religion: Unknown.
• Parents: Unknown.
• Siblings: Jacinth Mitchell.
• Education: Not publicly detailed.
• Early Life: Born in Jamaica, Mitchell moved to London with her family at age 11. She began her career in the late 1960s, joining the cast of the musical Hair in London and later in Germany. After performing with The Les Humphries Singers, she returned to the UK before receiving a call in 1976 to join Boney M. as lead vocalist, where her distinctive voice became a signature element.

Marcia Barrett

• Date of Birth: October 14, 1948
• Age: 76
• Place of Birth: St. Catherine, Jamaica
• Ethnicity: Jamaican
• Religion: Unknown
• Parents: Unknown
• Siblings: Unknown
• Education: Unknown
• Early Life: Born in Jamaica, Barrett moved to England as a child and later to Germany, where she worked as a session singer. She joined Boney M. in 1975 after initial lineup changes, contributing key vocals to their recordings alongside Mitchell. She faced significant health challenges, including a diagnosis of ovarian cancer in the early 1990s and a recurrence that sidelined her temporarily, but she recovered by 2009.

Maizie Williams

• Date of Birth: March 25, 1951
• Age: 74
• Place of Birth: Montserrat
• Ethnicity: Montserratian
• Religion: Unknown
• Parents: Unknown
• Siblings: Unknown
• Education: Unknown
• Early Life: Born on the Caribbean island of Montserrat, Williams moved to London as a teenager and worked as a model before transitioning to music. She formed an early band called Black Beautiful People. She was recruited by Farian in 1975 as a dancer for Boney M., later contributing backing vocals live, though not on studio recordings. She remained close to Farrell until his death.

Bobby Farrell

• Date of Birth: October 6, 1949
• Died: December 30, 2010 (Age: 61 years old)
• Place of Birth: San Nicolaas, Aruba
• Ethnicity: Aruban
• Religion: Unknown
• Parents: Unknown
• Siblings: Unknown
• Education: Unknown
• Early Life: Raised on the Caribbean island of Aruba in the Dutch Antilles, Farrell worked as a DJ in the Netherlands before moving to Germany. Spotted byFarian in 1975 for his energetic stage presence, he joined Boney M. as the male frontman and dancer, performing “growling” vocals live but not contributing to studio tracks, which Farian sang.

Formation

Boney M. was formed in 1974 in Stuttgart, West Germany, by producer Frank Farian, who recorded “Baby Do You Wanna Bump” under the pseudonym Boney M., inspired by an Australian TV series.

Initially a studio project, Farian assembled a performing group for TV appearances: Maizie Williams (dancer), Bobby Farrell (frontman), Marcia Barrett (vocalist), and, later, Liz Mitchell (lead vocalist) in 1976, after Claudja Barry’s departure. Their breakthrough came with a 1976 TV performance on Musikladen, launching their disco-era success.

Career

Formed in 1974 as a studio creation by Frank Farian, Boney M. exploded onto the scene in 1976 with their debut album Take the Heat off Me, featuring “Daddy Cool.”

They dominated the late 1970s with hits like “Ma Baker,” “Rivers of Babylon,” and “Rasputin,” selling over 100 million records and topping charts in Europe. The group toured extensively, including a historic 1978 visit to the Soviet Union, and released five studio albums by 1981.

Internal tensions and Farian’s waning interest led to a 1986 disbandment, but various lineups reformed for tours into the 2020s, including a 2023 U.S. tour and 2024 farewell shows in Australia. Farian, the creative force, died in 2024.

Social media

• Instagram Handle: @boneymofficial
• TikTok handle: @boneymofficial
• YouTube channel: Boney M.

Personal life

Liz Mitchell

• Height: 5’7″ (170 cm)
• Marriages: Married to Allan Plummer (since 1972).
• Children: Two daughters, including one who has worked as a backing vocalist.
• Dating History: Unknown

Marcia Barrett

• Height: 5’5″ (165 cm)
• Marriages: Married (details private).
• Children: One son.
• Dating History: Unknown

Maizie Williams

• Height: 5’6″ (168 cm)
• Marriages: Married to Patrice Gomis (since 1986).
• Children: One son.
• Dating History: Private; has led her own Boney M. lineup since the 1990s, focusing on family and tours.

Bobby Farrell

• Height: 6’2″ (188 cm)
• Marriages: Married to Jasmina (until 1995, divorced).
• Children: One son, Zanillya Farrell; one daughter.
• Dating History: Divorced in 1995 amid financial strains; continued touring with his own Boney M. version until his death.

Net Worth

Boney M., the iconic disco group formed in 1974, has a collective net worth estimated at $18 million, amassed through over 100 million record sales, global tours, and enduring royalties from hits like “Rivers of Babylon.” 21 Despite producer Frank Farian’s $200 million fortune from the project, the members received limited earnings due to exploitative contracts.

Discography

Albums:

• Take the Heat off Me (1976)
• Love for Sale (1977)
• Nightflight to Venus (1978)
• Oceans of Fantasy (1979)
• Boonoonoonoos (1981)
• Christmas Album (1981)
• Ten Thousand Lightyears (1984)
• Eye Dance (1985)

Key Singles:

• “Baby Do You Wanna Bump” (1975)
• “Daddy Cool” (1976)
• “Sunny” (1976)
• “Ma Baker” (1977)
• “Belfast” (1977)
• “Rivers of Babylon” / “Brown Girl in the Ring” (1978)
• “Rasputin” (1978)
• “Mary’s Boy Child / Oh My Lord” (1978)
• “Hooray! Hooray! It’s a Holi-Holiday” (1979)