The Honky Tonk Years (1950-1966)
Noble Ray Price (January 12, 1926 – December 16, 2013) was an American coun… Read Full Bio ↴Noble Ray Price (January 12, 1926 – December 16, 2013) was an American country music singer, songwriter and guitarist. His wide-ranging baritone has often been praised as among the best male voices of country music. Some of his well-known recordings include "Release Me", "Crazy Arms", "Heartaches by the Number", "For the Good Times", "Night Life", and "You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me". He was elected to the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1996 and—even into his late 80s—continued to record and tour.

Price, born in Perryville, Texas, served with the U.S. Marines from 1944–1946, and began singing for KRBC in Abilene, Texas during 1948. He joined the Big D Jamboree in Dallas in 1949. He relocated to Nashville in the early 1950s, rooming for a brief time with Hank Williams. When Williams died, Price managed his band, the Drifting Cowboys, and had minor success. He was the first artist to have a success with the song "Release Me" (1954), a top five popular music hit for Engelbert Humperdinck in 1967.
In 1953, Price formed his band, the Cherokee Cowboys. Among its members during the late 1950s and early 1960s were; Roger Miller, Willie Nelson, Darrell McCall, Van Howard, Johnny Paycheck and Johnny Bush, Buddy Emmons, Pete Wade, Jan Kurtis, Shorty Lavender and Buddy Spicher. Miller wrote one of Ray Price's classics in 1958, "Invitation to the Blues", and sang harmony on the recording. Additionally, Nelson composed the Ray Price song "Night Life".
Price became one of the stalwarts of 1950s honky tonk music, with hit songs such as "Talk To Your Heart" (1952) and "Release Me". He later developed the famous "Ray Price Shuffle," a 4/4 arrangement of honky tonk music with a walking bassline, which can be heard on "Crazy Arms" (1956) and many of his other recordings from the late 1950s.

During the 1960s, Ray experimented increasingly with the so-called Nashville sound, singing slow ballads and utilizing lush arrangements of strings and backing singers. Examples include his 1967 rendition of "Danny Boy", and "For the Good Times" in 1970 which was Price's first country music chart No. 1 hit since "The Same Old Me" in 1959. Written by Kris Kristofferson, the song also scored No. 11 on the popular music chart and featured a mellower Price backed by sophisticated musical sounds, quite in contrast to the honky tonk sounds Price had pioneered two decades before. Price had three more No. 1 country music successes during the 1970s: "I Won't Mention It Again", "She's Got To Be A Saint", and "You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened To Me." His final top ten hit was "Diamonds In The Stars" in early 1982. Price continued to have songs on the country music chart through 1989. Later, he sang gospel music and recorded such songs as "Amazing Grace", "What A Friend We Have In Jesus", "Farther Along" and "Rock of Ages."
In 2006, Price was living near Mount Pleasant, Texas and still performing in concerts throughout the country. In 2009, Price made two performances for the Fox News show Huckabee. The first was with the Cherokee Cowboys and host Mike Huckabee, and he performed "Crazy Arms" and "Heartaches By The Number". Weeks later he performed with the Cherokee Cowboys and Willie Nelson (again with Huckabee playing bass guitar). This time they performed duets of "Faded Love" and "Crazy."
Price worked on his latest album, Last of the Breed, with fellow country music singers Willie Nelson and Merle Haggard. This album was released on March 20, 2007 by the company Lost Highway Records. The two-disc set features 20 country classics as well as a pair of new compositions. The trio toured the U.S. from March 9 until March 25 starting in Arizona and finishing in Illinois. This was Price's third album with Nelson and first album with Haggard. After the tour, Haggard remarked, "I told Willie when it was over, 'That old man gave us a goddamn singing lesson.' He really did. He just sang so good. He sat there with the mic against his chest. And me and Willie are all over the microphone trying to find it, and he found it."

On November 6, 2012, Ray Price confirmed that he was fighting pancreatic cancer. Price told the San Antonio Express-News that he had been receiving chemotherapy for the past six months. An alternative to the chemo would have been surgery that involved removing the pancreas along with portions of the stomach and liver, which would have meant a long recovery and stay in a nursing home. Said Price, "That's not very much an option for me. God knows I want to live as long as I can but I don't want to live like that." The 87-year-old Country Music Hall of Famer also told the newspaper, "The doctor said that every man will get cancer if he lives to be old enough. I don't know why I got it – I ain't old!" Price retained a positive outlook and hoped to play as many as a hundred concert dates in 2013.
As of early February 2013, the cancer appeared to be in remission. Sometime in May 2013, Price was hospitalized with severe dehydration. On December 2, 2013, Price entered a Tyler, Texas, hospital in the final stages of pancreatic cancer, according to his son, then left on December 12 for home hospice care. Price died at his home in Mt. Pleasant, Texas, on December 16, 2013.
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The Honky Tonk Years (1950-1966)
Ray Price Lyrics


A Fallen Star A star fell from Heaven Right into my arms The brightest sta…
A Girl in the Night She lives her life in honky tonks and the crowded…
A Legend In My Time If heartaches brought fame in love's crazy game I'd be…
A Maiden's Prayer Twilight falls, Evening shadows find, There 'neath the st…
A Mansion On The Hill Tonight down here in the valley I'm lonesome and oh…
A Thing Called Sadness (It's a thing called sadness) It's been here since you've be…
A Way To Free Myself What strange power do you have that ruins this life…
A Way To Survive I look at your picture too often It helps keep your…
Am I That Easy to Forget They say you've found somebody new but that won't stop…
An Eye for an Eye Just because you lost your heart Did you lose your conscienc…
Another Bridge To Burn I've had to burn most every bridge I've crossed It seems…
Are You Sure Oh look around you look down the barroom the lonely…
Beyond the Last Mile I'm watching the clock tick the hours away They say that…
Blues Stay Away From Me Blues stay away from me Blues why don't you let…
Born to Lose Born to lose I've lived my life in vain every…
Bright Lights And Blonde Haired Women I'm gettin' tired of roamin' around I'm gettin' tired of…
Bubbles in My Beer Tonight in a barroom I'm sitting apart from the laughter…
Burning Memories (Burning mem'ries, burning mem'ries Memories of you that I c…
Burnt Fingers When a man plays with fire, he gets burnt fingers When…
City Lights A bright array of city lights (ooh) As far as I…
Crazy Crazy crazy for feeling so lonely I'm crazy crazy for…
Crazy Arms Now blue ain't the word for the way that I…
Curtain in the Window These lyin' lips said, they'd forget Those same lovin' arms …
Danny Boy Oh Danny boy, the pipes, the pipes are calling From glen…
Deep Water I'm drifting into deep water I'm starting to care for you An…
Don't Do This To Me I've tried hard in pleasin' You tell me you leavin' I must…
Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes Don't let the stars get in your eyes don't let…
Don't Tempt Me Your hand is like a torch each time you touch…
Don't You Believe Her Don't You Believe Her Lyrics She can give you a reason…
Don't You Ever Get Tired Of Hurting Me You make my eyes run over all the time and…
Don't You Know Me Any More Please don't leave me anymore darlin' Partings are so sad my…
Driftwood On The River I'm just driftwood on the river floating down the tide I…
Each Time Each time I see your picture a flood of memories…
Faded Love As I look at the letters that you wrote to…
Faith You must have faith in everything you do Faith will help…
Four Walls (Four walls to hear me four walls to see Four walls…
Funny How the Time Slips Away Well hello there my it's been a long long time How…
Go Away Make the world go away and get it off of…
Gone Hold back the rushing minutes make the wind stand still Don'…
Hang Your Head in Shame /Outro Oh, don't your conscience ever bother you Everytime you hear…
Healing Hands Of Time They're working while I'm missing you those healing hands of…
Heart over Mind I love you so much that I can't leave you Even…
Heartaches By the Number Heartache number one was when you left me I never knew…
Help Through My Unbelief The wondrous gift that Jesus offers me if I but…
Here Comes My Baby Back Again Here comes more tears to cry here comes more heartaches…
Hey La La Oh, come hear my story, I'll tell it to you…
Home in San Antone Well, I haven't got a worry, I haven't got a…
How Big Is God Though man may strive to go beyond the reach of…
How Long Is Forever I fell too hard and much too deep in love…
I Can't Escape From You I've tried and tried to run and hide To find a…
I Can't Go Home Like This There's too much lipstick on my collar I'm spent down to…
I Can't Help It Today I passed you on the street and my heart…
I Can't Run Away from Myself The day you left me I left town that night I…
I Fall to Pieces I fall to pieces each time I see you again I…
I Know I'll Never Win Your Love Again Day and night I worry over you I'm payin' now for…
I Lie A Lot I say that I don't miss you if they ask…
I Lost the Only Love I Knew You ask me why my heart's so sad, And why the…
I Love You Because I love you because you understand dear every single thing…
I Saw My Castles Fall Today I saw my castles fall today and crumble into dust…
I Told You So So your new love let your feelings sad and blue And…
I Want To Hear It From You If all our love is through if you found someone…
I'd Fight The World Now I don't care what anybody thinks of me My pride…
I'll Keep on Loving You If the world keeps on turning as I'm sure it's…
I'll Sail My Ship Alone We've been sweethearts for so long Now you say we're thru Th…
I'm Alone Because I Love You Today I passed you on the street and my heart…
I'm Still Not Over You Today I made a point to go somewhere I knew…
I'm Tired Well I'm standin' on the corner of a busy street A…
I've Got A New Heartache You're back in town again spreadin' talk around That I'm sti…
I've Got To Know You're back in town again spreadin' talk around That I'm st…
I've Gotta Have My Baby Back Baby, baby, I miss you so very much, it hurts…
ICE COLD HEART Ice cold love Your love is cold as ice cold I wish…
If She Could See Me Now I saw the one I loved and lost last night…
If You Don't, Somebody Else Will If you don't wanna kiss me, say so baby Somebody else…
If You're Ever Lonely Darling If you're ever lonely darling Think of all that I've…
In The Garden I come to the garden alone while the dew is…
Invitation to the Blues I couldn't sleep last night, just walked the floor Don't…
It Should Be Easier Now Now that I've made up my mind you're gone it…
It's Only Love If I don't act myself when I'm around you and…
Just As I Am (Just as I am just as I am) Just as I…
Just for the Record I know our love is over you've made it plain…
Let Me Talk to You Just one more dance just one more chance so I…
Let Your Heart Decide When your alone at night with the world locked outside Have…
Letters Have No Arms I just got your letter dear sweetheart and darling I…
Lil' Liza Jane I no a girl thet you don't no Lil liza jane Comes…
Lonely Street I'm looking for that lonely street I've got a sad, sad…
Maiden's Prayer When the evening falls twilight shadows find There beneath t…
Make The World Go Away Make the world go away and get it off of…
Many Years Ago Many tears ago you said you love me oh how…
Move On in and Stay There's an empty spot inside my heart for someone just…
My Confession Sweetheart I'm all alone tonight thinking about my wasted pa…
My Shoes Keep Walking Back to You I may say that I don't care Hold my head up…
Now The Day Is Over Now the day is over night is drawing nigh Shadows of…
One More Time I wonder what the power is that you hold over…
Please Don't Leave Me Please don't leave me dear I love you I have…
Please Talk to My Heart Please talk to my heart because I'm lonesome pretend even…
Pride You know that you're doing lots of things that ain't…
Release Me Please release me, let me go I don't love you anymore To…
Rock Of Ages Rock of ages cleft for me let me hide myself…
Roly Poly Roly Poly eatin' corn and taters hungry every minute of…
Rose Colored Glasses Rose Colored Glasses A perfect kind of love is what you…
Run Boy (Hy Heath) So you and your true love have parted And you've…
Same Old Memories You said that you'd come back and start all over Our…
Sing a Sad Song Sing me a song of sadness And make it as blue…
Sittin' and Thinkin' I got loaded last night on a bottle of gin…
Slowly Dying SLOWLY DYING Writer Al Horn Slowly dying, slowly dying Our…
Soft Rain Soft rain was falling when you told me goodbye Thunder and…
Softly And Tenderly (Will L. Thompson) (Softly and tenderly) Softly and tenderly…
Still My heart cried out for you Over an ocean And your pain…
Sweet Little Miss Blue Eyes (Don Helms - Merle Taylor) Who makes me forget all the…
Swinging Doors This old smoke filled bar is something I'm not used…
Take These Chains from My Heart Take these chains from my heart and set me free You've…
Talk To Your Conscience When your alone at night with the world locked outside Have…
That's All That Matters I know I'm not your first love but there'll just…
That's What I Get For Loving You Eyes that stay awake until the day is dawning Tears that…
The Answer to the Last Letter' I just received your last letter and I feel so…
The Kind of Love I Can't Forget (Bob Wills) The kind of love I can't forget dear Was the…
The Last Letter Why do you treat me as if I was only…
The Old Rugged Cross On a hill far away Stood an old rugged cross The…
The Other Woman Don't accuse me of being without feelings If you do you…
The Price for Loving You Eyes that stay awake until the day is dawning Tears that…
The Road of No Return There were tears in her eyes as she told me…
The Same Old Me When I saw you with your new love today It hurt…
The Same Two Lips The same two lips that once told me they love…
The Twenty-Fourth Hour There are twenty-three hours that I can get by But the…
The Wild Side of Life You wouldn't read the letters that I wrote you You told…
There Goes My Everything I hear footsteps slowly walking as they gently walk across…
There'll Be No Teardrops Tonight (Hank Williams) I'll pretend I'm free from sorrow Make belie…
There's no Fool Like a Young Fool There's no fool like a young fool with wild and…
This Cold War With You The sun goes down It leaves me sad and blue The iron…
Till Death Do Us Part I call you on the phone but to me you're…
Time I wonder what the power is that you hold over…
Time Changes Everything There was a time when I thought of no other…
Together Again Together again My tears have stopped falling The long lonely…
Too Late Too late too late to ask forgiveness too late too…
Too Much Love Is Spoiling You I gave you everything that you asked for I never criticized…
Touch My Heart Touch my heart feel the hurt it's destroying me I've tried…
Under Your Spell Again You've got me, under your spell again Saying those things ag…
Until Then My heart can sing when I pause to remember A heartache…
Walk Me to the Door Walk me to the door and hold me close just…
Wasted Words Wasted words about an old love affair You don't love me,…
We Crossed Our Heart I thought that a love that was true'd never die That…
When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder When the roll is called up yo-onder When the roll is…
Who'll Be the First Everybody told me what a fool I was To fall in…
Whose Heart Are You Breaking Now I was the one that you fooled yesterday whose heart…
Wondering Wondering wondering who's kissing you wondering wondering if…
You Don't Care What Happens To Me Yesterday brought love as sweet as clover Every kiss was fre…
You Done Me Wrong Well, you tell me that you care but now you're…
You Never Will Be True (Ray Price) I've waited up to tell you dear This time you'v…
You Took Her Off My Hands You took her off my hands when you've stepped in You…
You Took My Happy Away When I was with you I was happy but you…
You're Stronger Than Me If you are sincere when you say you don't care At…
Your Heart Is Too Crowded Your heart is too crowded With your new love by your…
Your Old Love Letters (Ray Price) Take back your old love letters that you wrote…


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