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.
If Your Ever Lonely Darling
Ray Price Lyrics
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Long and lonesome nights sweetheart I've waited on you
Say in your mind you have it coming and you know you have to pay
Maybe baby you will learn and change someday
Why oh why did you try to deceive me
You've made me blue sweetheart both night and day
Say in your mind you have it coming and you know you have to pay
Why oh why did you try...
These lyrics from Ray Price's "If You're Ever Lonely Darling" are a poignant ode to a lost love. The song speaks of the longing and heartache that come with waiting for someone who doesn't see your worth. The singer implores the listener to think of all the nights he spent alone waiting for her, and to acknowledge that she owes him for her selfish behavior. He hopes that she will learn from her mistakes and change her ways.
The first verse sets the scene, with the singer reminding the listener of his pain and loneliness. He emphasizes that he has been through so much because of her, and that he has been waiting for her return for a long time. The second verse speaks directly to the listener, asking her why she would deceive him and make him feel so sad. He emphasizes that he has put in the effort to make things work between them, but she hasn't reciprocated. The chorus is a hopeful plea, with the singer believing that the listener will eventually see the error of her ways and change for the better.
Overall, these lyrics represent the universal experience of heartbreak and the hope for change. The singer's vulnerability and earnestness make this song a timeless classic.
Line by Line Meaning
If you're ever lonely darling think of all that I've been through
When you feel alone, remember the pain and hardship I have endured waiting for you.
Long and lonesome nights sweetheart I've waited on you
I've spent many sleepless nights yearning for your love.
Say in your mind you have it coming and you know you have to pay
You must acknowledge the consequences of your actions and accept the price to be paid.
Maybe baby you will learn and change someday
Perhaps one day you will understand and transform for the better.
Why oh why did you try to deceive me
I question and lament over your betrayal and lies.
You've made me blue sweetheart both night and day
Your actions have caused me great sadness and distress around the clock.
Say in your mind you have it coming and you know you have to pay
It's crucial for you to acknowledge the consequences of your actions and accept the price to be paid.
Maybe baby you will learn and change someday
Perhaps one day you will understand and transform for the better.
Lyrics © Peermusic Publishing, Warner/Chappell Music, Inc.
Written by: LEFTY FRIZZELL
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind