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.
Peace In The Valley
Ray Price Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
There will be peace in the valley for me, I pray
No sadness, no sorrow, no more trouble there will be
There will be peace in the valley for me
You know the bear will be gentle
You know wolves gonna be so tamed
Mighty lion, if you will right now,
Will lie down with the lamb, oh yes
I know the horse from the wild
Will be led by a little child
And I'll be changed from this creature
There will be peace in the valley for me, one day
No sadness, no, sorrow, no more trouble there will be
There will be peace in the valley, I pray
The song "Peace In The Valley" by Ray Price describes a yearning for a peaceful afterlife. The singer longs for a place where there will be no sadness, sorrow, or trouble. He believes that all the fierce animals will become gentle, and even the wild horse will be led by a little child. The singer is hopeful for a change from his earthly struggles and burdens. The lyrics convey a sense of optimism and the belief that a peaceful life in heaven is attainable for all those who seek it. The tune reflects the joy and hope that this sense of peace brings, with the upbeat rhythm and melody.
There are several interpretations of this song, with some critics suggesting that it is a metaphor for the social, political, and racial injustices of the time. The peaceful afterlife signifies a world where there is no more suffering, and all people are equal, regardless of their backgrounds. It was originally written by Thomas A. Dorsey in the 1930s, and the gospel roots of the song are evident in the lyrics.
Line by Line Meaning
O, there will be peace in the valley for me, one day
I am confident that someday I will find peace in the valley that I have been longing for.
There will be peace in the valley for me, I pray
I am praying for peace to come into my life and bring comfort, hope, and happiness.
No sadness, no sorrow, no more trouble there will be
There will be no grief, no pain, and no more hardships to endure in the peaceful valley that I will find.
There will be peace in the valley for me
I believe that I will experience serenity and calmness in the valley of my life.
You know the bear will be gentle
In the peaceful valley, even the bears will be kind and caring, and there will be no more violence or hostility.
You know wolves gonna be so tamed
The wolves that were once wild and dangerous will become calm and gentle creatures in the peaceful valley that I will encounter.
Mighty lion, if you will right now,
Even the ferocious lions, if they choose to, will bring forth peace and tranquility in the valley of my life.
Will lie down with the lamb, oh yes
The predator and the prey will live together in harmony, and there will be no more fear and danger in the valley of my life.
I know the horse from the wild
Even the wildest horses will be tamed and controlled by a little child, symbolizing the transformation of the valley of my life from chaos to calmness.
Will be led by a little child
The child represents innocence, purity, and a sense of hope that will bring forth change and progress in the valley of my life.
And I'll be changed from this creature
I will no longer be the person I once was, but a new, transformed being that has found peace and happiness in the valley of my life.
There will be peace in the valley for me, one day
I hold onto the hope that someday I will find the peace in the valley of my life that I have been searching for.
No sadness, no, sorrow, no more trouble there will be
The valley of my life will be free from grief, pain, and hardships and will only be filled with joy, comfort, and happiness.
There will be peace in the valley, I pray
I am hopeful and faithful that I will find peace in the valley of my life through prayer and perseverance.
Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., Tratore
Written by: Thomas A. Dorsey
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Tim Arney
During an interview in 2010, the radio announcer at the end said you have 15 seconds to say something Ray, and he replied, "Love life, love God, love Jesus." He was a quiet spoken man with a big heart and full of sincerity.
Ginny Miller
This brought tears to my eyes. I grew up going to a Southern Baptist church with my mother. This kind of music always reminds me of her. Both her and Ray are long gone now. Rest In Peace, Texas gentleman. Your voice was a gift from God. ❤️⭐️
Dorothy Lawson
A Great voice has been stilled, until we meet again rest in Peace, Mr Price!
Janice Dunn
Beautiful song love the gospel music
Walter McCormick
This view of Peace in the Valley by Ray Price is one that touches my heart
jeriw
It is a beautiful gospel song, no doubt!
Marjorie Ash
Rip Ray, love this song
Angelica Capone
Amazing i love it !!!!!
thomas reese
Ray is at peace. We'll see him again someday
Zella Baker
What piece this brought to my heart so comforting