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This article is about the singer. For the baseball player, see Johnny Ray. John Cornelius Ray (born March 1 1957 in Chouteau Oklahoma, USA is a former Second baseman in Major League Baseball who had a 10-year
Johnnie Ray
Johnnie Ray in There's No Business Like Show Business, 1954
Background information
Birth name John Alvin Ray
Born January 10, 1927(1927-01-10)
Hopewell, Oregon, USA
Died February 24, 1990 (aged 63)
Los Angeles, California, USA
Genre(s) Traditional pop music
Occupation(s) Singer, songwriter
Instrument(s) Vocals, piano
Years active 1951-1989
Label(s) OKeh Records

John Alvin Ray (January 10, 1927 – February 24, 1990) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. There's No Business Like Show Business is a 20th Century Fox film that was released on December 16, 1954. Events 49 BC - Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon, signaling the start of civil war. Year 1927 ( MCMXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Hopewell is an unincorporated community in Yamhill County Oregon, United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Events 303 - Galerius, Roman Emperor, publishes his edict that begins the persecution of Christians in his portion of the Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A music genre is a categorical and typological construct that identifies musical sounds as belonging to a particular category and type of music that can be distinguished from other Traditional pop or Classic pop or Standards music denotes in general Western (and particularly American popular music that either wholly predates the advent of A songwriter is someone who writes the Lyrics to songs the Musical composition (chords or Melody to songs or both A musical instrument is a device constructed or modified for the purpose of making Music. The piano is a Musical instrument played by means of a keyboard that produces sound by striking steel strings with Felt covered hammers In the Music industry, a record label can be a Brand and a Trademark associated with the Marketing of music recordings and Music Okeh Records began as an Independent record label based in the United States of America in Events 49 BC - Julius Caesar crosses the Rubicon, signaling the start of civil war. Year 1927 ( MCMXXVII) was a Common year starting on Saturday (link will display full calendar of the Gregorian calendar. Events 303 - Galerius, Roman Emperor, publishes his edict that begins the persecution of Christians in his portion of the Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) The United States of America —commonly referred to as the A songwriter is someone who writes the Lyrics to songs the Musical composition (chords or Melody to songs or both A pianist (/'piənɪst/ is a Musician who plays the Piano. A professional pianist can perform solo pieces play with an ensemble or Orchestra Popular for most of the 1950s, Ray has been cited by critics as a major precursor of what would become rock 'n roll, for his jazz and blues-influenced music and his animated stage persona. Rock and roll (also known as rock 'n' roll) is a form of Music that evolved in the United States in the late 1940s and early 1950s with roots in mostly African Jazz is an American Musical art form which originated in the beginning of the 20th century in African American communities in the Southern United States The Blues is a vocal and instrumental form of Music based on the use of the Blue notes It emerged as an accessible form of self-expression [1]

Contents

Biography

Early life

Ray was born in Hopewell, Oregon, spending part of his childhood on a farm, eventually moving to Portland, Oregon. Hopewell is an unincorporated community in Yamhill County Oregon, United States. Portland is a city located in the Northwestern United States, near the Confluence of the Willamette and Columbia rivers Ray was of Native American origin; his great-grandmother was a full-blooded Indian and his great-grandfather was Oregon pioneer George Kirby Gay of Berkeley, Gloucestershire, England. Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples from the regions of North America now encompassed by the continental United States George Kirby Gay (1810&ndash1882 was an English sailor and later settler in the Oregon Country. Berkeley (ˈbɑːkli is a town between the south bank of the River Severn and the M5 motorway within the Stroud district of Gloucestershire England is a Country which is part of the United Kingdom. Its inhabitants account for more than 83% of the total UK population whilst its mainland He became deaf in his right ear at age 13 after an accident during a Boy Scout event, and later performed wearing a hearing aid. The Boy Scouts of America ( BSA) is the largest youth organization in the United States with over five million A hearing aid is an electroacoustic body-worn apparatus which typically fits in or behind the wearer's Ear, and is designed to amplify and modulate sounds Surgery performed in New York in 1958, left him almost completely deaf in both ears, although hearing aids helped his condition.

Career

Ray first attracted attention while performing at the Flame Showbar in Detroit, Michigan, an R&B nightclub. Inspired by rhythm singers like Kay Starr, LaVern Baker and Ivory Joe Hunter, Ray developed a unique rhythm based style, described as alternating between pre-rock R&B and a more conventional classic pop approach. Kay Starr (born July 21 1922) is an American Jazz and popular Singer. LaVern Baker ( November 11, 1929 – March 10, 1997) was an American Rhythm & Blues singer For the Motown producer-songwriter see Ivy Joe Hunter. Ivory Joe Hunter ( October 10, 1914 &ndash November 8, 1974) was [1]

His first record, the self-penned R&B number for OKeh Records, Whiskey and Gin, was a minor hit in 1951. Okeh Records began as an Independent record label based in the United States of America in The following year he dominated the charts with the double-sided hit single of "Cry" and "The Little White Cloud That Cried". Selling over two million copies of the 45 single, Ray's delivery struck a chord with teenagers and he quickly became a teen idol. ‎ Teen idols refers to someone idolized by teens a teen idol is often young but in many cases no longer teenaged [2]

Ray's performing style included theatrics later associated with rock 'n roll, including beating up his piano, writhing on the floor and crying. Ray quickly earned the nicknames, "Mr. Emotion", "The Nabob of Sob", and "The Prince of Wails", and several others. [2]

More hits followed, including "Please Mr. Sun", "Such a Night", "Walkin' My Baby Back Home", A Sinner Am I and Yes Tonight Josephine. His last hit was "Just Walkin' in the Rain", in 1956. He was popular in the United Kingdom, breaking the record at the London Palladium formerly set by Frankie Laine. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom, the UK or Britain,is a Sovereign state located The London Palladium is a 2286 seat West End theatre located off Oxford Street in the City of Westminster. Frankie Laine, born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio ( Chicago, March 30, 1913 – San Diego, February 6, 2007) In later years, he retained a loyal fan base overseas, particularly in Australia. For a topic outline on this subject see List of basic Australia topics.

Later career influences

Ray had a close relationship with journalist and television game show panelist Dorothy Kilgallen who gave a boost to his sagging career during his engagement at the Tropicana Resort & Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada in 1965. Dorothy Mae Kilgallen (July 3 1913—November 8 1965 was an American Journalist and television Game show panelist known nationally for her coverage The Tropicana Resort & Casino Las Vegas is located on the Las Vegas Strip, in Las Vegas, Nevada. Las Vegas ( Spanish: "The Meadows" is the most populous City in the state of Nevada, the seat of Clark County, and an internationally [3]

In early 1969, Ray befriended Judy Garland, performing as her opening act during her last concerts in Copenhagen, Denmark and Malmo, Sweden. Judy Garland (born Frances Ethel Gumm; June 10 1922 – June 22 1969 was an American actress and singer Copenhagen (ˌkəʊpənˈheɪgən ˌkəʊpənˈhɑːgən ˈkəʊpənˌheɪgən ˈkəʊpənˌhɑːgən kʰøb̥ənˈhɑʊ̯ˀn kʰøb̥m̩ˈhɑʊ̯ˀn is the capital and largest city Ray was also the best man during Garland's wedding to nightclub manager Mickey Deans in London. Mickey Deans ( September 24, 1934 - July 11, 2003) born Michael DeVinko in Garfield New Jersey, was a discotheque manager [4]

Ray's American career revived in the early 1970s, with appearances on The Andy Williams Show in 1970 and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson three times during 1972 and 1973. The Andy Williams Show was a television Variety show which ran from 1959 to 1971 (alternating during the summer of 1970 with Andy Williams Presents Ray Stevens The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was a late-night talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under the ''Tonight Show'' franchise from 1962 His personal manager Bill Franklin resigned in 1976 and cut off contact with the singer a few years later. His American revival turned out to be shortlived. He performed in small American venues such as El Camino College in 1987. El Camino College is a two-year public Community college located in the city of Torrance in Los Angeles County, California, United [5] Australian, English and Scottish promoters booked him for their large venues as late as 1989, his last year of performing.

Some writers suggested that the reason American entertainment bookers and songwriters ignored him in the 1980s was because they simply did not know who he was or what his sound was like. [6] His exposure during the new era of cable television was limited to a few seconds in Dexys Midnight Runners' 1982 music video for Come On Eileen, using archival footage of Ray from 1954. Dexys Midnight Runners are a British pop Group with soul influences who achieved their major success in the early to mid 1980s " Come On Eileen " by Dexys Midnight Runners was a British single released in 1982 His other video appearance was in Billy Idol's 1986 "Don't Need a Gun", in which Ray appeared on-camera. Billy Idol (born William Michael Albert Broad, 30 November 1955, Stanmore, Middlesex) is an English rock

Personal life

Ray had issues regarding his sexuality surface several times in his career, including two arrests for solicitation. Ray quietly pleaded guilty and paid a fine after the first arrest, in the restroom of the Stone Theatre burlesque house in Detroit, which was just prior to the release of his first record in 1951. [7] Ray went to trial following the second arrest in 1959, also in Detroit, for soliciting an undercover officer in one of the city's gay bars. He was found not guilty. [7]

Despite these issues, Ray married Marilyn Morrison a short time after he gave his first New York concert, which was at the Copacabana in 1952. Copacabana (often referred to as The Copa) was a famous New York City Nightclub. The wedding ceremony, attended by New York mayor Vincent R. Impellitteri, made the cover of the New York Daily News. Vincent Richard Impellitteri ( February 4, 1900 &ndash January 29, 1987) was an American politician who was the 101st Mayor The Daily News of New York City is the fifth most-widely circulated daily Newspaper in the United States with a daily circulation of 703137 [8] Morrison, the daughter of a Los Angeles nightclub owner,[8] was aware of the singer's sexuality from the start, telling a friend she would "straighten it out. Sexual orientation is believed to refer to "an enduring pattern of emotional romantic and/or sexual attractions to men women or both sexes "[7] The couple separated in 1953 and divorced in 1954.

In the years hence, writers have noted that the marriage occurred under false pretenses,[9] and that Ray had a long-term relationship with his manager, Bill Franklin. [7][10][11] Ray also had a relationship with columnist Dorothy Kilgallen, whom he met following an appearance on What's My Line? in 1956. Dorothy Mae Kilgallen (July 3 1913—November 8 1965 was an American Journalist and television Game show panelist known nationally for her coverage What's My Line? is a weekly panel Game show which was produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman for CBS [7][11][12] Kilgallen was a strong support for Ray during the 1959 solicitation trial. [7][11]

Ray drank regularly and his alcoholism caught up with him in 1960, when he was hospitalized for tuberculosis. [7] He recovered but continued drinking, and was diagnosed with cirrhosis at age fifty. Cirrhosis is a consequence of chronic Liver Disease characterized by replacement of liver tissue by fibrous Scar tissue as well as regenerative [12]

On 24 February 1990, Ray died of liver failure at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. Events 303 - Galerius, Roman Emperor, publishes his edict that begins the persecution of Christians in his portion of the Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Liver failure is the inability of the Liver to perform its normal synthetic and metabolic function as part of normal physiology Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is a Hospital located in Los Angeles California. Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West [2][12] He was interred at Hopewell Cemetery near Hopewell, Oregon. Hopewell is an unincorporated community in Yamhill County Oregon, United States.

For his contribution to the recording industry, Johnnie Ray has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6201 Hollywood Boulevard. The Hollywood Walk of Fame is a Sidewalk along Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street in Hollywood Los Angeles California, USA, that Hollywood Boulevard is a boulevard in Hollywood Los Angeles California, United States, beginning at Sunset Boulevard in the east and running northwest

Hit singles

1951

  • "Cry" (with The Four Lads), Columbia 30th St Studio, NYC,
    October 16, 1951; Mundell Lowe (g) Ed Safranski (b) Ed
    Shaughnessy (d) Buddy Reed (p)
  • "Give Me Time" (with The Four Lads)
  • "(Here Am I) Brokenhearted" (with The Four Lads)
  • "The Little White Cloud That Cried", Columbia 30th St Studio,
    NYC, October 15, 1951; Mundell Lowe (g) Ed Safranski
    (b) Ed Shaughnessy (d) Stan Freeman (p) Lucky Thompson (sax)
  • "She Didn't Say Nothin' At All"
  • "Tell The Lady I Said Goodbye"
  • "Whiskey And Gin"

1952

  • "All of Me"
  • "A Sinner Am I"
  • "Candy Lips" (with Doris Day)
  • "Coffee and Cigarettes (Think It Over)" (with The Four Lads)
  • "Don't Blame Me"
  • "Faith Can Move Mountains" (with The Four Lads)
  • "Let's Walk That-A-Way" (with Doris Day)
  • "Mountains in the Moonlight"
  • "Out in the Cold Again"
  • "Please Mr. " Cry " is the title of a 1951 popular song written by Churchill Kohlman. The Four Lads were a Canadian singing group They grew up together in Toronto Ontario, and were members of St " The Little White Cloud that Cried " is a popular Song written by Johnnie Ray and published in 1951. " All Of Me " is a Popular song and Jazz standard written by Gerald Marks and Seymour Simons in 1931 Doris Mary Anne von Kappelhoff (born April 3, 1922) is an American Singer, actress, and animal welfare advocate known as " Don't Blame Me " is a popular Song. The music was written by Jimmy McHugh, the lyrics by Dorothy Fields. Sun" (with The Four Lads)
  • "The Lady Drinks Champagne"
  • "Walkin' My Baby Back Home"

1953

  • "Full Time Job" (with Doris Day)
  • "Ma Says, Pa Says" (with Doris Day)
  • "Somebody Stole My Gal"

1954

1955

  • "Flip Flop and Fly"
  • "I've Got So Many Million Years"
  • "Ooh! Aah! Oh!"
  • "Paths of Paradise"
  • "Song of the Dreamer"

1956

1957

  • "Build Your Love (On a Strong Foundation)"
  • "Good Evening Friends" (with Frankie Laine)
  • "Look Homeward Angel"
  • "Should I?"
  • "Soliloquy Of a Fool"
  • "Street Of Memories"
  • "Up Above My Head" (with Frankie Laine)
  • "You Don't Owe Me a Thing"
  • "Yes Tonight Josephine"

1958

1959

1960

  • "I'll Make You Mine"

1961

  • "Lookout Chattanooga"

Filmography

Actor

Year Film Role Other notes
1954 There's No Business Like Show Business Steve Donahue
1955 General Electric Theater Johnny Pulaski episode "The Big Shot"
Shower of Stars Himself episode "That's Life"
1968 Rogues' Gallery Himself

Television appearances

Year Film Role Other notes
1953 The Jack Benny Program Himself Episode "Johnnie Ray Show"
1953-1959 Toast of the Town Himself 7 episodes, 1953-1959
1954 The Colgate Comedy Hour Himself - singer 1 episode
1956 The Jimmy Durante Show Himself - singer as Johnny Ray
Val Parnell's Sunday Night at the London Palladium Himself - Singer - Top Of The Bill 2 episodes, 1955-1960
Shower of Stars Himself
Frankie Laine Time Himself
1957 The Jackie Gleason Show Himself - Guest Host
What's My Line? Himself - Mystery guest 2 episodes, 1955, 1957
1959 Johnnie Ray Sings Himself - Singer/Host Special
1963 Bandstand Himself
1968 The Hollywood Palace Himself - Singer
The Joey Bishop Show Himself Episode dated 25 January 1968
Frost on Sunday Himself Episode dated 8 December 1968
1970 The Andy Williams Show Himself Episode dated 10 October 1970
1972-1973 The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson Himself 3 episodes
1977 American Bandstand's 25th Anniversary Himself
Fall In, the Stars Himself
The Merv Griffin Show Himself Episode dated 21 September 1977
1979 Juke Box Saturday Night Himself (1979)
1979-1980 CHiPs Himself 2 episodes, uncredited

References

  1. ^ a b Ruhlmann, William. " Walkin' My Baby Back Home " is a popular Song written in 1930 by Roy Turk (lyrics and Fred E " Alexander's Ragtime Band " is the name of a song by Irving Berlin. " As Time Goes By " is a song written by Herman Hupfeld for the 1931 Broadway musical, Everybody's Welcome. " Hernando's Hideaway " is a Show tune from the musical The Pajama Game, written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross " Hey There " is a Show tune from the Musical play The Pajama Game, written by Richard Adler and Jerry Ross. "Such a Night" is a popular song from 1954 written by Lincoln Chase " Ain't Misbehavin' " is a 1929 song written by Harry Brooks with Fats Waller (music and Andy Razaf (lyrics " Just Walkin' in the Rain " is a Popular song. It was written in 1952 by Johnny Bragg and Robert Riley two prisoners at Tennessee State Prison in Nashville " Who's Sorry Now? " is a popular Song with music written by Ted Snyder and lyrics by Bert Kalmar and Harry Ruby. Frankie Laine, born Francesco Paolo LoVecchio ( Chicago, March 30, 1913 – San Diego, February 6, 2007) "Up Above My Head" is a Gospel song originally recorded in the 1940s by Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Marie Knight as a duo "I'm Beginning to See the Light" is a popular Song and Jazz standard. " Cool Water " is a song written in 1936 by Bob Nolan. " It's All in the Game " was a 1958 hit for Tommy Edwards. Red River Valley is a Folk song and Cowboy music standard of controversial origins that has gone by different names&mdashe There's No Business Like Show Business is a 20th Century Fox film that was released on December 16, 1954. General Electric Theater is an American Anthology series that was broadcast on CBS radio and television. Shower of Stars is an American variety television series broadcast in the United States from 1954 to 1958 by CBS. The Ed Sullivan Show was an American television Variety show that ran from June 20, 1948 to June 6, The Colgate Comedy Hour is an American comedy-musical variety series that aired on NBC network from 1950 to 1955. Sunday Night at the London Palladium was a British Television Variety show made by ATV for the ITV network originally Shower of Stars is an American variety television series broadcast in the United States from 1954 to 1958 by CBS. The Jackie Gleason Show was the name given to a series of popular Television Shows that starred Jackie Gleason, which ran from 1952 What's My Line? is a weekly panel Game show which was produced by Mark Goodson and Bill Todman for CBS The Hollywood Palace is an hour-long Television Variety show that was broadcast weekly (generally on Saturday night on ABC from January The Joey Bishop Show is an American Talk show which debuted on ABC on April 17, 1967 hosted by Joey Bishop The Andy Williams Show was a television Variety show which ran from 1959 to 1971 (alternating during the summer of 1970 with Andy Williams Presents Ray Stevens The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson was a late-night talk show hosted by Johnny Carson under the ''Tonight Show'' franchise from 1962 The Merv Griffin Show was a long-running American Television talk show, starring singer Merv Griffin. CHiPs is an American Television Drama series produced by Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer Studios (licensee by Turner Entertainment) High Drama: The Real Johnnie Ray. Allmusic. com. Retrieved on 2008-03-04. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth
  2. ^ a b c Holden, Steven. "Johnnie Ray, 63, 50's Singer Who Hit No. 1 With a Sob in His Voice", The New York Times, 1990-02-26. Year 1990 ( MCMXC) was a Common year starting on Monday (link displays the 1990 Gregorian calendar) Events 747 BC - Epoch (origin of Ptolemy 's Nabonassar Era 364 - Valentinian I is proclaimed Retrieved on 2008-02-27. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 1560 - The Treaty of Berwick, which would expel the French from Scotland, is signed by England and the Congregation  
  3. ^ Israel, Lee (1979). Kilgallen. New York: Delacorte Press, 401-2. ISBN 0440045223.  
  4. ^ Mickey Deans: Drinking to Judy. Jamd. Getty Images. Retrieved on 2008-03-04. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth
  5. ^ Hawn, Jack. "No Slowing Down For Mr. Emotion", Los Angeles Times, 30 January 1987, pp.  6; Calendar Section. Retrieved on 2008-03-04. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth  
  6. ^ Baker, Glenn A; Coupe, Stuart (1984). The New Rock 'n Roll. Toronto: Sound & Vision. ISBN 0920151000.  
  7. ^ a b c d e f g Rapp, Linda. Ray, Johnnie (1927-1990). glbtq. com. Retrieved on 2008-03-04. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth
  8. ^ a b Di Lorenzo, Josephine. "Johnnie Ray Weds -- Bride Cries", New York Daily News, 26 May 1952.  
  9. ^ Stephens, Vincent Lamar, PhD. (2005). Queering the Textures of Rock and Roll History. College Park: University of Maryland. OCLC 76833219. The OCLC Online Computer Library Center is according to its website a "nonprofit membership computer library service and research organization dedicated to the public purpose  
  10. ^ Stern, Keith (2006). Queers in History. Morrisville, North Carolina: Lulu. com. ISBN 1847283489. Retrieved on 2008-03-04. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth  
  11. ^ a b c Whiteside, Jonny (1994). Cry: The Johnnie Ray Story. New York: Barricade. ISBN 1569800138.  
  12. ^ a b c Reynolds, Barrett. "Johnnie Ray: Why I Cry for the Legend Who Should Have Been", The Halcyon Weekly Press, June 2004. Retrieved on 2008-03-04. 2008 ( MMVIII) is the current year in accordance with the Gregorian calendar, a Leap year that started on Tuesday of the Common Events 51 - Nero, later to become Roman Emperor, is given the title Princeps iuventutis (head of the youth  

Further reading

External links

Persondata
NAME Ray, Johnnie
ALTERNATIVE NAMES Ray, John Alvin
SHORT DESCRIPTION Singer, Songwriter
DATE OF BIRTH 1927-1-10
PLACE OF BIRTH Hopewell, Oregon, United States
DATE OF DEATH 1990-2-24
PLACE OF DEATH Los Angeles, California, United States
Find A Grave is a Website allowing its users to access maintain and expand an online Database of Burial records Hopewell is an unincorporated community in Yamhill County Oregon, United States. The United States of America —commonly referred to as the Los Angeles (lɑˈsændʒələs los ˈaŋxeles in Spanish) is the largest City in the state of California and the American West The United States of America —commonly referred to as the
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