Play Johnnie Ray Radio
Johnnie Ray
96,786 plays (27,099 listeners)
John Alvin Ray (January 10, 1927 – February 24, 1990) was an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. Popular for most of the 1950s, Ray has been cited by critics as a major precursor of what would become rock and roll, for his jazz and blues-influenced music and his animated stage persona.
Ray was born in Hopewell, Oregon, spending part of his childhood on a farm, eventually moving to Portland, Oregon. Ray was of Native American origin; his great-grandmother was a full-blooded Native American and his great-grandfather was Oregon pioneer George Kirby Gay of Berkeley, Gloucestershire, England. He became deaf in his right ear at age 13 after an accident during a Boy Scout event. It was his participation in the “blanket toss,” a sort of variation of the trampoline, that traumatized the youngster’s inner ear. Ray later performed wearing a hearing aid. 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.
His first record, the self-penned R&B number for OKeh Records, “Whiskey and Gin”, was a minor hit in 1951. 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.
Ray was born in Hopewell, Oregon, spending part of his childhood on a farm, eventually moving to Portland, Oregon. Ray was of Native American origin; his great-grandmother was a full-blooded Native American and his great-grandfather was Oregon pioneer George Kirby Gay of Berkeley, Gloucestershire, England. He became deaf in his right ear at age 13 after an accident during a Boy Scout event. It was his participation in the “blanket toss,” a sort of variation of the trampoline, that traumatized the youngster’s inner ear. Ray later performed wearing a hearing aid. 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.
His first record, the self-penned R&B number for OKeh Records, “Whiskey and Gin”, was a minor hit in 1951. 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.
Top Albums
-
16 Most Requested Songs
Johnnie Ray
Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 $9.99
- 7digital Search
- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
- Amazon $98.38
- eBay Search
-
A Introduction To Johnnie Ray
Johnnie Ray Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 Search
- 7digital Search
- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
- Amazon Search
- eBay Search
-
Cry
Johnnie Ray Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 Search
- 7digital Search
- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
- Amazon Search
- eBay Search
-
Best Of
Johnnie Ray Buy- Download Album
- Amazon MP3 Search
- 7digital Search
- iTunes Search
- Buy Album
- Amazon Search
- eBay Search
Top Tracks
| 1 |
|
Just Walking In the Rain
full track
|
|||
| 2 |
|
Cry
full track
|
|||
| 3 |
|
Just Walkin' In The Rain
full track
|
|||
| 4 |
|
Walkin' My Baby Back Home
full track
|
|||
| 5 |
|
||||
| 6 |
|
||||
| 7 |
|
The Little White Cloud That Cried
full track
|
|||
| 8 |
|
||||
| 8 |
|
Walking My Baby Back Home
full track
|
|||
| 10 |
|
||||
| 11 | |||||
| 12 | |||||
| 13 |
|
Ain't Misbehavin'
full track
|
|||
| 13 |
|
||||
| 13 |
|
Shoutbox
-
SuperCoolBros wrote:
has my name
-
roma1892 wrote:
the best oldies singer!
-
sirrods wrote:
a lovely nostalgic selection
-
bachterman wrote:
Poor old Johnny Ray // Sounded sad upon the radio, he moved a million hearts in mono. // Our mothers cried and sang along and who'd blame them. // Now you're grown, so grown, now I must say more than ever. // Go Toora Loora Toora Loo-Rye-Aye // and we can sing just like our fathers. // // Come on Eileen, // I swear (well he means) At this moment you mean everything, // With you in that dress my thoughts I confess verge on dirty // Ah come on Eileen. //
-
Hosemore wrote:
Who sang the song - - "I'm just a bad boy,boy,boy,boy,all fressed up in fancy clothes" ?
-
ford54 wrote:
superbe
-
Holzhaus wrote:
Just Walking In the Rain...Great song, which also appeared on the BioShock-Soundtrack.
-
deadmissbates wrote:
YESSSSS.
-
bigsexyshaq wrote:
Cutie alert!
Videos
Listeners
-
mightyTACO84
Top Listener
-
Streets_of_love
Top Listener
-
Katvas
Top Listener
-
busterlives
Top Listener
Recent Activity
-
mazumoman, WDGLMG, Oscarcota and 5 other people added Johnnie Ray to their libraries. Sunday morning
-
jroack tagged Johnnie Ray with easy listening, jonnie ray, oldies and one other tag. last month
-
cerayc, schnuppi1, Vampfaith84 and 9 other people added Johnnie Ray to their libraries. last month
-
rockxxz uploaded cool to Johnnie Ray’s images. last month
-
rockxxz linked Johnnie Ray to cool. last month
-
rockxxz uploaded ray to Johnnie Ray’s images. last month
-
rockxxz linked Johnnie Ray to ray. last month
-
rockxxz linked a deleted file to Johnnie Ray. last month
-
rockxxz linked Johnnie Ray to a deleted file. last month
-
rockxxz uploaded johnnie to Johnnie Ray’s images. last month
Related Journals
-
addicted to bristol sound
by ruggine05 |
27 Aug 2008 | Add comment
-
List of Queer Artists and Band Members
by bunkadoo |
30 Jan 2007 | Add comment
-
Update, lesser known yet streamable artists
by scarebear |
23 May 2006 | 1 comment
Groups (7)
-
Queer Artists and Band Members
1,486 members
-
Jazz Vocals
499 members
-
R A I N
458 members
-
50s music
164 members
-
Born in the fifties
25 members
