Johnny Ray is a well-… Read Full Bio ↴Note there are two artists with similar names.
Johnny Ray is a well-known Latin music artist (percussionist and band leader). A native of Puerto Rico, he moved to New York, where he formed several bands (starting in the 60's) focused on salsa and tropical music. His current band ("Salsa Con Clase") continues to perform (see: http://www.salsaconclase.com/).
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Johnnie Ray (born on 10 January 1927 in Hopewell, Oregon, USA – 24 February 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 personality.
Ray's 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".[3] Selling over two million copies of the 78rpm 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.[citation needed] 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.
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.
Ray first attracted the attention of Bernie Lang, a song plugger, who was taken to the Flame Showbar nightclub in Detroit, Michigan by local DJ, Robin Seymour of WKMH. "We were both excited" Seymour recalls. "We heard two shows that first night."
Lang rushed off to New York to sell the singer to Danhy Kessler, the "Mr. Big" of the Okeh label, which is a subsidiary of Columbia Records. Kessler came over from New York, and he, Lang and Seymour went to the Flame. According to Seymour, Kessler's re-action was, "Well, I don't know. This kid looks well on the stand, but he will never go on records."
It was Seymour and Lowell Worley of the local office of Columbia who persuaded Kessler to have a test record made of Johnnie Ray. Worley arranged for a record to be cut at the United Sound Studios in Detroit. Seymour told reporter Dick Osgood that there was a verbal agreement that he would be cut in on the three-way deal in the management of Johnnie Ray. But the deal mysteriously evaporated, and so did Seymour's friendship with Danny Kessler.[2]
Ray's 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.[3]
Ray's performing style included theatrics later associated with rock 'n roll, including beating up his piano, writhing on the floor and crying.[citation needed] Ray quickly earned the nicknames "Mr. Emotion", "The Nabob of Sob", and "The Prince of Wails", and several others.[3]
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 did, however, hit again in 1957 with "You Don't Owe Me a Thing", which reached #10 in the Billboard charts. He was popular in the United Kingdom, breaking the record at the London Palladium formerly set by Frankie Laine.[citation needed] In later years, he retained a loyal fan base overseas, particularly in Australia.
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.
In early 1969, Ray befriended Judy Garland, performing as her opening act during her last concerts in Copenhagen, Denmark and Malmo, Sweden. Ray was also the best man during Garland's wedding to nightclub manager Mickey Deans in London.
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. 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.[6] 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.[7] 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. He was name checked in the lyrics to "Come On Eileen" (viz "Poor old Johnnie Ray sounded sad upon the radio / he moved a million hearts in mono").
His other video appearance was in Billy Idol's 1986 "Don't Need a Gun", in which Ray appeared on-camera.
Ray had issues surface regarding his sexuality several times in his career, including two arrests for soliciting men for sex. 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. 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.
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. The wedding ceremony, attended by New York mayor Vincent R. Impellitteri, made the cover of the New York Daily News.[10] Morrison, the daughter of a Los Angeles nightclub owner,[10] was aware of the singer's sexuality from the start, telling a friend she would "straighten it out."[9] The couple separated in 1953 and divorced in 1954.
In the years hence, writers have noted that the marriage occurred under false pretenses, and that Ray had a long-term relationship with his manager, Bill Franklin. Ray also had a relationship with columnist Dorothy Kilgallen, whom he met following an appearance on What's My Line? in 1956. Kilgallen was a strong support for Ray during the 1959 solicitation trial.
Ray drank regularly and his alcoholism caught up with him in 1960, when he was hospitalized for tuberculosis. He recovered but continued drinking, and was diagnosed with cirrhosis at age fifty.
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. 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 short-lived. He performed in small American venues such as El Camino College in 1987.[10] Australian, English and Scottish promoters booked him for their large venues as late as 1989, his last year of performing.
On 24 February 1990, Ray died of liver failure at Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles. He is buried at Hopewell Cemetery near Hopewell, Oregon.
For his contribution to the recording industry, Johnnie Ray has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame at 6201 Hollywood Boulevard.
As Time Goes By
Johnny Ray Lyrics
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A kiss is still a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh
The fundamental things apply
As time goes by
And when two lovers woo
They still say, I love you, on that you can rely
No matter what the future brings
Moon light and love songs, they're never out of date
Hearts full of passion, jealousy and hate
Woman needs man and man must have his mate
No one can deny
It's still the same old story
A fight for love and glory, a case of do or die
The world will always welcome lovers
As time goes by
It's still the same old story
A fight for love and glory, a case of do or die
The world will always welcome lovers
As time goes by
The lyrics of Johnny Ray's song As Time Goes By speak about the timeless nature of love and the enduring nature of passion and romance. The first two lines of the song, "You must remember this, a kiss is still a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh" speak to the continuity of love and its ability to transcend time. The song points out that some things never go out of style, and the fundamental experiences of love and romance are among them.
The lyrics go on to describe the commonalities shared by lovers throughout time. The phrase "Moonlight and love songs, they're never out of date" speaks to the evergreen nature of romantic themes, while "Hearts full of passion, jealousy, and hate" suggest the emotional intensity that can accompany romantic love. The lyrics also address the idea that men and women are designed to complement each other, with "A woman needs a man, and man must have his mate."
The final verse reiterates the themes of the song, describing how love and romance will always be integral parts of human life. It highlights the fact that while the world may change, the basic needs of people and the challenges they face in love remain constant. The line "The world will always welcome lovers" suggests that the human desire for love and connection is universal and unchanging.
Line by Line Meaning
You must remember this
What follows is something important to remember
A kiss is still a kiss, a sigh is just a sigh
No matter what happens, love and heartache are universal experiences and have remained consistent over time. A kiss is still a kiss, and a sigh is just a sigh, like it has always been.
The fundamental things apply
The essential elements of love and romance have remained the same throughout history
As time goes by
Even as time passes, love endures.
And when two lovers woo
When two people fall in love and court each other
They still say, I love you, on that you can rely
Despite the changes that time brings, expressing love and devotion to one another remains a constant in romantic relationships
No matter what the future brings
Regardless of what the future may hold or what changes occur, the feelings of love are everlasting
Moon light and love songs, they're never out of date
The romantic symbols of moonlight and love songs are timeless and still evoke strong emotions for people in love
Hearts full of passion, jealousy and hate
Love is a complex and powerful emotion that can be accompanied by other intense feelings such as jealousy and hate
Woman needs man and man must have his mate
Both men and women have a biological urge to form relationships and find a romantic partner
No one can deny
This is a universal truth that applies to all people and cannot be disputed
It's still the same old story
The narrative of love and romance has remained unchanged for generations
A fight for love and glory, a case of do or die
Falling in love can involve intense emotions, and the struggle to obtain it and keep it can be fierce
The world will always welcome lovers
People will always celebrate and honor those in love
As time goes by
Even as time passes, love endures.
Contributed by Josiah Y. Suggest a correction in the comments below.