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.
Softly And Tenderly
Ray Price Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(Softly and tenderly)
Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling
Calling for you and for me
See on the portal he's waiting and watching
Watching for you and for me.
Come home, come home
Ye who are weary come home
Calling, oh sinner, come home.
(Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading)
Pleading for you and for me
(Why should we linger and heed not his calling)
Calling for you and for me.
Come home, come home
Ye who are weary come home
Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling
Calling, oh sinner, come home...
The lyrics of the song "Softly and Tenderly" by Ray Price are inspiring and meaningful. The song is a religious one that expresses the message of Jesus calling out to sinners to come back to him with open arms. The opening lines of the song "Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling, calling for you and for me" give a sense of urgency to the listeners to heed to the call of the savior who is waiting at the portal. The portal refers to the gateway to heaven, and the message is that the savior is waiting with open arms for those who have strayed far from him.
The chorus of the song "Come home, come home, ye who are weary, come home" is a resounding call to sinners to return to their faith and seek redemption. The lyrics tell the sinners to stop hesitating and to heed the call of Jesus that is pleading with them earnestly and tenderly. The song highlights the unconditional love and mercy that God has for all his children, regardless of their sins. The message is that one can always return to God, and he is waiting with open arms. The lyrics of the song convey the message of hope, love, and redemption that Jesus offers to those who have lost their way.
Line by Line Meaning
Softly and tenderly Jesus is calling
Jesus is summoning us gently and with care
Calling for you and for me
He is calling for everyone, without exceptions
See on the portal he's waiting and watching
He is patiently waiting and observing us from the entrance
Watching for you and for me.
He keeps an eye on us constantly, never losing sight of anyone
Come home, come home
It's time to return to the Lord's embrace
Ye who are weary come home
Those who are exhausted, tired, or troubled can find rest and solace in His love
Earnestly, tenderly Jesus is calling
His plea is sincere and affectionate
Calling, oh sinner, come home.
He implores sinners to come back to Him and receive forgiveness
Why should we tarry when Jesus is pleading
Why should we delay or hesitate when He is urging us earnestly?
Pleading for you and for me
Because He cares for all of us equally, and wants us to be reconciled with Him
Why should we linger and heed not his calling
Why should we stay behind and ignore His summon, when it's our chance to be saved?
Calling for you and for me.
He is inviting us to join Him and share in His love forever
Contributed by Victoria S. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
equip man
This man had one of the most unique and beautiful singing voices of all time. I must include Jim Reeves in that.
Such tonal quality that really isn't there with most of today's artists.
jd450lh
Ray brought tears to my eyes when he testified to the fact that it is simple (the plan of salvation). See you soon on the other side, Mr Price. My prayers are with you for a full and speedy recovery. God Bless, Jeff :)
jeriw
For Ray it's always been his ability to make it sound easy as it is for him to breath!
Shirley Evans
I love this song and love Ray Price, one of the best voices in country music ever.
Carol Jarrett
Ray Price is a favorite of mine, and I love how he does this song. Fantastic voice!
Billy Norton
The beautiful gift of a wonderful man and golden voice that God loaned us has gone to be with Jesus, We love and miss you Ray. But we will meet again.
KLUNKET
God I love this man. It is nearly unimaginable that he is gone. Jesus called you on home Ray, but oh how we miss you so.
jeriw
@Barbara Verge So many fans feel the same way, he was a great man!
Barbara Verge
he won't be forgotten as long as I am here on this earth.....can't go a day without my Ray !!!
jeriw
Ray loved his fans and loved his music and entertaining the people. We keep him alive in our hearts by not letting his beautiful music be forgotten.