Robert Cray
Robert Cray (born August 1, 1953, Columbus, Georgia) is an American blues guitarist and singer. A five-time Grammy Award winner, he has led his own band (the Robert Cray Band), as well as an acclaimed solo career. In 2011, Cray was inducted to the Blues Hall of Fame.
While Cray was among artists such as Stevie Ray Vaughan and George Thorogood who got wider radio airplay and regular MTV video exposure during the late 1980s, he started playing guitar in his early teens. Read Full BioRobert Cray (born August 1, 1953, Columbus, Georgia) is an American blues guitarist and singer. A five-time Grammy Award winner, he has led his own band (the Robert Cray Band), as well as an acclaimed solo career. In 2011, Cray was inducted to the Blues Hall of Fame.
While Cray was among artists such as Stevie Ray Vaughan and George Thorogood who got wider radio airplay and regular MTV video exposure during the late 1980s, he started playing guitar in his early teens. At Denbigh High School in Newport News, Virginia, his love of blues and soul music flourished as he started collecting records. Originally, Robert Cray wanted to become an architect, but at about the same time he was going to study design in architecture he formed a local band "Steakface", described as "the best band from Lakewood you never heard of". Cray on guitar and vocals contributed greatly to Steakface's set list of songs by Jimi Hendrix, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Fleetwood Mac, the Grease Band, Blodwyn Pig, Jethro Tull, Forever More, Spirit, and The Faces.
By the time he was twenty, Cray had seen his heroes Albert Collins, Freddie King and Muddy Waters in concert, and decided to form his own band. His band started playing college towns on the west coast. After several years of regional success, Cray was signed to Mercury Records in 1982. His third release, Strong Persuader, received a Grammy Award, while the crossover single "Smokin' Gun" gave him wider appeal and name recognition.
By then Cray was an opening act for such major stars as Eric Clapton (who remains a friend to this day), and sold out larger venues as a solo artist. Cray has generally played Fender guitars (Telecasters and Stratocasters) and there are two signature Robert Cray Stratocasters models available from Fender.
Cray continues to record and tour.
While Cray was among artists such as Stevie Ray Vaughan and George Thorogood who got wider radio airplay and regular MTV video exposure during the late 1980s, he started playing guitar in his early teens. Read Full BioRobert Cray (born August 1, 1953, Columbus, Georgia) is an American blues guitarist and singer. A five-time Grammy Award winner, he has led his own band (the Robert Cray Band), as well as an acclaimed solo career. In 2011, Cray was inducted to the Blues Hall of Fame.
While Cray was among artists such as Stevie Ray Vaughan and George Thorogood who got wider radio airplay and regular MTV video exposure during the late 1980s, he started playing guitar in his early teens. At Denbigh High School in Newport News, Virginia, his love of blues and soul music flourished as he started collecting records. Originally, Robert Cray wanted to become an architect, but at about the same time he was going to study design in architecture he formed a local band "Steakface", described as "the best band from Lakewood you never heard of". Cray on guitar and vocals contributed greatly to Steakface's set list of songs by Jimi Hendrix, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Fleetwood Mac, the Grease Band, Blodwyn Pig, Jethro Tull, Forever More, Spirit, and The Faces.
By the time he was twenty, Cray had seen his heroes Albert Collins, Freddie King and Muddy Waters in concert, and decided to form his own band. His band started playing college towns on the west coast. After several years of regional success, Cray was signed to Mercury Records in 1982. His third release, Strong Persuader, received a Grammy Award, while the crossover single "Smokin' Gun" gave him wider appeal and name recognition.
By then Cray was an opening act for such major stars as Eric Clapton (who remains a friend to this day), and sold out larger venues as a solo artist. Cray has generally played Fender guitars (Telecasters and Stratocasters) and there are two signature Robert Cray Stratocasters models available from Fender.
Cray continues to record and tour.
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Smoking Gun
by Robert Cray
I get a constant busy signal
When I call you on the phone
I get a strong uneasy feeling
You're not sitting there alone
I'm having nasty, nasty visions
And baby you're in every one, yeah
And I'm so afraid I'm gonna find you with
So-called smoking gun
Maybe you want to end it
You've had your fill of my kind of fun
But you don't know how to tell me
And you know that I'm not that dumb
I put two and one together
And you know that's not an even sum
And I know just where to catch you with
That well-known smokin' gun
I'm standing here bewildered
I can't remember just what I've done
I can hear the sirens whining
My eyes blinded by the sun
I know that I should be running
My heart's beating just like a drum
Now they've knocked me down and taken it
That still hot smokin' gun
Yeah still hot smokin' gun
They've taken it
Still hot and smokin' gun
Oh, they've taken it
Still hot and smokin' gun
They've knocked me down, they've taken it
Ooh-ooh
Aaah!
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., BMG Rights Management
Written by: BRUCE M. BROMBERG, RICHARD COUSINS, ROBERT CRAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
by Robert Cray
I get a constant busy signal
When I call you on the phone
I get a strong uneasy feeling
You're not sitting there alone
I'm having nasty, nasty visions
And baby you're in every one, yeah
And I'm so afraid I'm gonna find you with
So-called smoking gun
Maybe you want to end it
You've had your fill of my kind of fun
But you don't know how to tell me
And you know that I'm not that dumb
I put two and one together
And you know that's not an even sum
And I know just where to catch you with
That well-known smokin' gun
I'm standing here bewildered
I can't remember just what I've done
I can hear the sirens whining
My eyes blinded by the sun
I know that I should be running
My heart's beating just like a drum
Now they've knocked me down and taken it
That still hot smokin' gun
Yeah still hot smokin' gun
They've taken it
Still hot and smokin' gun
Oh, they've taken it
Still hot and smokin' gun
They've knocked me down, they've taken it
Ooh-ooh
Aaah!
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd., BMG Rights Management
Written by: BRUCE M. BROMBERG, RICHARD COUSINS, ROBERT CRAY
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
To comment on specific lyrics, highlight them
Daniel Szczepankiewicz
This man does not get the credit he truly deserves. Not only a talented vocalist, but one of the best guitar players of all time.
tinfoilhatter
THEY MADE AN EXTRA-TEENY STRATOCASTER FOR HIM, APPARENTLY, HAHA!! BUT HE SURE GETS A 'BIG' SOUND~
oddly enough, andy summers' stratocaster, looks twice as big, haha!
Daivd Morales
Daniel Szczepankiewicz yes I’ve seen him 15 times he just gets better and better first time mid 90 s then last year 🤘🏽🤘🏽🎸🎸🎶🎶🔥🔥🔥🔥
Stefan Becker
Daniel Szczepankiewicz you‘re right
me me
I completely agree!!! He's so awesome!!!
cathy schug
He’s amazing!!! Today’s music is so bad☹️
Laura Dee
Amazing Band... Talent and Celebrity are so disconnected. I bet Robert Cray doesn't have a gazillion followers on Twitter. Today we're gagging with trash trance and techno ... Real talent doesn't go main stream, just like the Truth never goes prime time.
Hayley Keady
Genuinly could not agree with you more.xx
Robert Bauer
props to you Laura for appreciating this talent!!
Joe Jones
Beautifully Said!