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.
I'll Be There
Ray Price Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There ain't no chains strong enough to hold me
Ain't no breeze big enough to slow me
I'll never have seen a river that's too wide
There ain't no jail tight enough to lock me
Ain't no man big enough to stop me
I'll be there if you ever want me by your side
So love me if you ever gonna love me
There ain't no chains strong enough to hold me
There ain't no breeze big enough to slow me
I'll be there if you ever want me by your side
Now there ain't no rope tight enough to bind me
Look for me honey you will find me
Any old time your ready with your charm
I'll be there ready and a waitin'
there won't be any hesitation
I'll be right here if you ever want me in your arms
So love me if you ever gonna love me
I never have seen a road to ruff to ride
There ain't no chains strong enough to hold me
There ain't no breeze big enough to slow me
I'll be there if you ever want me by your side
I'll be there if you ever want me by your side
The song "I'll Be There (If You Ever Want Me)" by Ray Price is a classic country tune about a man's unwavering love and devotion for his partner. The singer begins by emphasizing his independence, claiming that there is nothing that can hold him back or stop him from being there for his lover. He proclaims that he is always ready and willing to be by their side, regardless of what obstacles may come their way. The repeated line "There ain't no chains strong enough to hold me" serves to emphasize his determination and steadfast commitment.
The singer goes on to express his desire for love and acceptance from his partner. He asserts that he is willing to weather any hardship or difficulty in their relationship, promising that he would never abandon them. He declares that he is always available, and that all they have to do is ask in order for him to be there. The repeated line "I'll be there if you ever want me by your side" reinforces the idea that he is always ready and willing to be there for his partner, no matter what.
Overall, "I'll Be There (If You Ever Want Me)" is a romantic and reassuring love song that emphasizes the importance of commitment and loyalty in a relationship. The singer's unwavering devotion and dedication to his partner are conveyed through the song's lyrics, and the repeated refrain serves to reinforce the idea that he will always be there for them when they need him.
Line by Line Meaning
There ain't no chains strong enough to hold me
No obstacle is insurmountable or formidable enough to hinder me from reaching you.
Ain't no breeze big enough to slow me
I am determined to come to you regardless of any difficulty or inconvenience.
I'll never have seen a river that's too wide
I will overcome any vast or deep body of water just to be with you.
There ain't no jail tight enough to lock me
No prison or confinement can prohibit me from being with you.
Ain't no man big enough to stop me
I am unwavering and unyielding, not even anyone's opposition can prevent me from coming to you.
I'll be there if you ever want me by your side
I will always be there for you, whenever you call for me.
So love me if you ever gonna love me
If you truly love me, don't hesitate or withhold any affection.
I never have seen a road too rough to ride
No path or journey is too difficult for me to conquer just to be with you.
Now there ain't no rope tight enough to bind me
No form of restraint can hold me back from reaching you.
Look for me honey, you will find me
If you need me, just call my name and I'll be there.
Any old time you're ready with your charm
Whenever you're ready to love me, I am here for you with open arms.
I'll be there, ready and a waitin'
I will always be prepared and eager to come to you.
There won't be any hesitation
I will be resolute and certain in my decision to be with you.
I'll be right here if you ever want me in your arms
I am always available and willing to hold you tight when you need me.
I'll be there if you ever want me by your side
I will always be there for you, whenever you call for me.
Lyrics © Sony/ATV Music Publishing LLC, Peermusic Publishing
Written by: EMIN ARASOVICH AGALAROV, PAUL GARY MEEHAN, JAMIE SCOTT
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
@deliaramirez9361
Miss you Ray Price🙏
Your legacy lives on. Love your music! True country music, not like the garbage of today!
@sobeits22
Amen and Amen again 😁 My mama raised me right 😁 Monday morning laundry music ❤
@JonesKohrman
We heard of Ray Price on Pearl’s CD and he’s great. We wrote some songs from
Him a long time, He’s a wonderful singer, RIP Ray.
@zechariahbassenheim2517
I love Uncle Ray, I wish I would have spent more time with him on his farm over by Mt Pleasant before he passed. This is one of my faves of his.
@tomhuse6482
I love that this is the drifting cowboys on this!!
@HARYMILY
Ain't no man bigger to stop me, so much love American cowboy countryside musics....🤠🤠🤠🤠
@tomeenmcdonagh530
Great music and singer! Love it 👍💛☺
@ericlewis2416
I love the Cherokee Cowboy!
@user-fe4he7kj3j
Now this is country..
@tommckenzie4493
Love Ray Price,Love this