Johnny Ray

Subject: Johnny Ray
From: SINSULL
Date: 25 Apr 06 - 10:09 AM

At NEFFA, Dick and I were recalling Johnny Ray - "Put your head and go on baby and CRRRRYYYYYY"

Sandy Paton didn't have a clue. So I did a little search and found some websites on Johnny. Amazing but true: Bob Dylan claims that Johnny Ray's was the first voice he ever fell in love with. A little scary to think of "Hard Rain" done Johnny Ray style. Here is the link:
http://www.inmusicwetrust.com/articles/08r16.html

I remember Johnny from the Ed Sullivan Show. He had 25 Top Ten Hits including "Cry" and "The Little White Cloud That Cried". Somehow I remember him being called "THe Man With The Tear In His Voice".

So this is for Sandy. I never expected to know more about ANY singer than Sandy!
Anyone else remember Johnny? Here's a link to some audio:
http://www.johnnieray.com/entrance.html

Subject: RE: Johnny Ray
From: jacqui.c
Date: 25 Apr 06 - 10:16 AM

And I had to travel back to Maine from NEFFA with Mary Sunshine doing a very BAD imitation of the first couple of lines of "The Little White Cloud That Cried". Since we were travelling Route 1 looking for thrift shops it was a long long day.......

Subject: RE: Johnny Ray
From: SINSULL
Date: 25 Apr 06 - 10:26 AM

Your ignorance is showing Jacqui - that was the last line from "Cry".

Subject: RE: Johnny Ray
From: jacqui.c
Date: 25 Apr 06 - 10:29 AM

The way it was sung who's to know! :0)

Subject: RE: Johnny Ray
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 25 Apr 06 - 10:59 AM

Johnny Ray was a major discovery for me, back when pop singers were very homogenized. Columbia records didn't know what to do with him because he didn't sound like Perry Como, Johnny Desmond or other crooners of the day. Cry, and Little White Cloud That Cried were released on Columbia's "Race" label, OKeh. I still have my 45 rpm.
The Four Lads sang backup accompaniment. Johhny Ray, Frankie Lane and a handful of others were the first white singers to bring a rawness and energy to pop music that had previously been found in blues and rhythm and blues. I have a couple of CDs of Johnny Ray, and really like his sense of abandonment. Another favorite singer of mine during those days was Lonnie Donegan who was very different in style, but equally emotional.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Johnny Ray
From: ossonflags
Date: 25 Apr 06 - 11:44 AM

I believe Max Bygraves did some Johny Rays covers and brought his own unique brand of emotion to these songs.

Subject: RE: Johnny Ray
From: Danks
Date: 25 Apr 06 - 01:26 PM

There was a very nice documentary on Johnny shown on UK tv's " Southbank Show" a few years ago. I can remember Johnny doing " Walkin' in the Rain" on Uk tv back in the 50s. There is a good biography out on Johnny. Elvis was a big fan.

p.s. is the reference to Max Bygraves tongue in cheek?

Subject: RE: Johnny Ray
From: ossonflags
Date: 25 Apr 06 - 01:49 PM

No.

Subject: RE: Johnny Ray
From: woodsie
Date: 25 Apr 06 - 03:08 PM

Isn't he mentioned in the intro of "Come On Eileen" by Dexy's?

Subject: RE: Johnny Ray
From: woodsie
Date: 25 Apr 06 - 03:12 PM

Yep I found it on google:

Come On Eileen
Dexy's Midnight Runners

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 ....

Subject: RE: Johnny Ray
From: Helen
Date: 25 Apr 06 - 05:04 PM

We had a 78 rpm record of Johnny Ray singing Destiny. What a lovely record that was! One of my favourites. Anyone else singing it would probably have made it trite, but not Johnny. I can't remember what was on the flip side.

Yep, just looked it up: the flip side was Such a Night.

Helen

Subject: RE: Johnny Ray
From: Carol
Date: 25 Apr 06 - 05:56 PM

I remember seeing and hearing him at the London Palladium, must have been 11 - 14 but not really wanting to go and then being bowled over by his voice and presence on stage.

Subject: RE: Johnny Ray
From: GUEST,Hootenanny
Date: 25 Apr 06 - 07:18 PM

Am I correct in thinking that the only reason thet Johhny Ray is mentioned in a folk music forum is because he once recorded a song borrowed/adapted from Leadbelly ?

Hoot

Subject: RE: Johnny Ray
From: Bev and Jerry
Date: 25 Apr 06 - 07:30 PM

"Walkin' My Baby Back Home"

Bev and Jerry

Subject: RE: Johnny Ray
From: SINSULL
Date: 25 Apr 06 - 08:31 PM

No, GUEST. Sandy Paton had no idea who Johnny Ray was and Bob Dylan loved him.

Subject: RE: Johnny Ray
From: Arkie
Date: 25 Apr 06 - 10:44 PM

One thing that I found of interest about Johnny Ray is that he wrote some of the songs that he recorded.   That was fairly common for country singers but not all that common for pop singers of that day.   He also wore an earpiece before it become commonplace for singers.   I don't know if that meant he had some hearing loss.

Subject: RE: Johnny Ray
From: Jerry Rasmussen
Date: 25 Apr 06 - 11:02 PM

Johnny Ray wore a hearing aid. I believe that he had significant hearing loss.

Jerry

Subject: RE: Johnny Ray
From: SINSULL
Date: 26 Apr 06 - 11:02 AM

Born deaf in one ear.

Subject: RE: Johnny Ray
From: Franz S.
Date: 27 Apr 06 - 12:20 PM

He attended my high school in Portland (West) a few years before me, and was remembered as a famous alumnus when I was there (mid-50s). I have been told that he had a big following in Australia for years after his fame her in the US died away.

Subject: RE: Johnny Ray
From: Danks
Date: 27 Apr 06 - 01:21 PM

He appeared in my home town - in the UK - shortly before he died. I didn't go to see him because I'd seen him on UK tv shortly before and I didn't think he was singing well. In retrospect, I'm sorry I didn't see him while I had the chance. He is very much part of my 1950s music experience.