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.
Cry
Johnny Ray Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
It's no secret you'll feel better if you cry
When waking from a bad dream
Don't you sometimes think it's real?
But it's only false emotions that you feel
If your heartaches seem to hang around too long
And your blues keep getting bluer with each song
So let your hair down and go on and cry
Johnny Ray's song "Cry" is a song that poignantly emphasizes that crying can be a healing salve for emotional wounds. The song seems to specifically address those who are going through a difficult time, whether it be a break-up or a bad dream. The first verse of the song highlights how sometimes, even when a person knows that they are better off without someone, they may still feel the need to cry when the reality of separation hits them. The second verse of the song acknowledges the lingering pain and anguish of heartbreak and suggests that even in the midst of pain, one can find hope and light. The bridge of the song reiterates the message of the song, reminding listeners that crying can actually be a healthy way to release pent-up emotions.
One interesting fact about "Cry" is that it was recorded in 1951 but didn't become a hit until 1952. The song ended up spending 11 weeks at number one on the pop charts and became the best-selling single of the year. Another interesting fact is that "Cry" was written by a 20-year-old songwriter named Churchill Kohlman who was struggling to make ends meet at the time. Kohlman was working in a caramel factory when he penned the lyrics to the song.
The success of "Cry" didn't stop with Johnny Ray's version. The song has been covered by a multitude of artists including Brenda Lee, Tammy Wynette, and even Aerosmith. Additionally, "Cry" has been featured in several films and television shows such as Forrest Gump, Guardians of the Galaxy, and Mad Men.
The chords to "Cry" are:
Verse: C F C G7 C
Chorus: C F C G7 C
Line by Line Meaning
If your sweetheart sends a letter of goodbye
When someone you love sends you a farewell letter
It's no secret you'll feel better if you cry
Crying makes you feel better and relieves the pain
When waking from a bad dream
After having a nightmare
Don't you sometimes think it's real?
Do you sometimes feel like the nightmare is true?
But it's only false emotions that you feel
But those feelings aren't valid and are just illusions
If your heartaches seem to hang around too long
If you can't seem to shake off the pain and sadness
And your blues keep getting bluer with each song
And things keep getting worse with each passing day
Remember sunshine can be found behind a cloudy sky
Bear in mind that things can get better despite the hard times
So let your hair down and go on and cry
So, it's totally okay to let your guard down and cry your heart out
Lyrics © SHAPIRO BERNSTEIN & CO. INC.
Written by: CHURCHILL L. KOHLMAN
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
sauquoit13456
In the February 2nd, 1952 issue of Billboard Magazine, Johnny Ray's "Little White Cloud That Cried"* peaked at #2 {for 1 week} on it's 'Records Most-Played By Disk Jockeys' chart, and for the week it was at #2, the #1 record for that week was Johnnie Ray's own "Cry"...
And also for that week, "Little White Cloud That Cried" was at #3 on Billboard's Best Selling Pop Records chart...
Between 1951 and 1959 the Dallas, Oregon native had twenty-nine records on the Billboard charts, eight made the Top 10 with one reaching #1, "Cry", for eleven weeks on the 'Best Sellers In Stores' chart in December of 1951...
Eight of his twenty-nine charted records were with the Four Lads...
John Alvin Ray passed away at the age of 63 on February 24th, 1990...
May he R.I.P.
* "Little White Cloud That Cried" was Johnnie Ray's first of two of his records to peak at #2, his other #2 record was "Just Walking In The Rain", for one week in October of 1956...
And from the 'For What It's Worth' department, the remainder of Billboard's Most-Played By Disk Jockeys' Top 10 on February 2nd, 1952:
At #3. "Tell Me Why" by the Four Aces featuring Al Alberts
#4. "Tiger Rag" by Les Paul and Mary Ford
#5. "Shrimp Boats" by Jo Stafford
#6. "Tell Me Why" by Eddie Fisher
#7. "Sin" by Eddy Howard
#8. "Any Time" by Eddie Fisher
#9. "Slow Poke" by Pee Wee King
#10. "Slow Poke" by Ralph Flanagan
Johnnie R. Johnson
Saw him at the Black Stallion in Colorado Springs on my 21st birthday in 1977. My girl friend had written a letter to him to let him know that we would be there to see his show. Oh by the way, my Mom named me after him because he was one of her favorite singers. When he came out on stage to start the show, he came down into the audience and came straight to our table and introduced himself to us then introduced me to the audience saying "This is Johnnie Ray and it's his 21st birthday'" and sang "Happy Birthday" to me. Such a wonderful person. He paid for our dinner, invited us backstage between shows and asked if we could stay for the 2nd show. I will never forget that night and when I told my Mom what happened, she started crying. She was so happy for me. We sent him an invitation to our wedding and he called me within a few days saying he wished he could come, but that he would be in Europe at the time of the wedding. Like i said, he was such a wonderful person and I am so glad that I got to meet him in person. Just wish my Mom could have been there.
Janet Street
That's SO COOL! Thank you so much for sharing this. 😊❤
Jennifer Kay
What a story, Johnnie! Not surprised your Mom cried. Johnnie Ray was a Star with a Heart, lucky you!
TristanandIsolt
Great story. I just looked this up after listening to the Song Come on Eileen.
no comment
Man, he sounds like such a humble guy.
Re Come on Eileen, i’d never considered what those lyrics were until ^ mentioned it
Miss Jamie
How’s the wife?
Jerry Klooster
One of the authentic, brave artists that began the transition into rock and roll
Joe Nania
Yes indeed - JOHNNIE RAY with his sometimes rough squelching voice - body movements - arm and hand gestures - hair that would often flop out of place - I say was a big influence on ELVIS PRESLEY - BUT most people do not know of JOHNNIE RAY - And I am glad to see so many videos on youtube showing of HIS talents - HE also played piano very well - I sat at a table with HIM at The Whiskey A Go Go GO night club in Hollywood , California in 1979 and we talked about HIS great career - WOW - what a night , Joe Nania a.k.a. "Hollywood" Joe
Swagothor 3000
I love this. Johnnie Ray is my great great uncle. Wish I had a chance to meet him.
JoJo Leone
True? Is so....very cool! love him