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.
Vaya Con Dios
Ray Price Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Now the hacienda's dark the town is sleeping
Now the time has come to part the time for weeping
Vaya con Dios, my darling
Vaya con Dios, my love
Now the village mission bells are softly ringing
Vaya con Dios, my darling
May God be with you, my love
Wherever you may be I'll be beside you
Although you're many million dreams away
Each night I'll say a prayer, a prayer to guide you
To help you spend the lonely hour of every lonely day
Now the dawn is breaking through a gray tomorrow
But the memories we share are there to borrow
Vaya con Dios, my darling
May God be with you, my love
(Vaya con Dios, my darling)
May God go with you, my love
The lyrics to Ray Price's "Vaya Con Dios" is a heartfelt farewell to a loved one who is leaving. The song sets the scene of a quiet hacienda at night, where it's time for a couple to part ways. The singer understands that it's time for his darling to leave, and he wishes her well, telling her to "Go with God" (vaya con Dios). The village mission bells signal the departure and the singer, through his heart, hears the bells singing goodbye. He hopes that God would be with her and guide her wherever she goes. Even though they may be physically far apart, the singer promises that he will always be beside her, saying a prayer each night to guide her through the lonely hours of every lonely day. The singer reminiscences that the dawn is breaking through a gray tomorrow, but the memories they shared are there to borrow, and he ends the song by repeating, "May God go with you, my love."
Line by Line Meaning
Now the hacienda's dark the town is sleeping
As night falls and everyone goes to bed, the lively hacienda is quiet and dark, symbolizing the end of a chapter in a romantic relationship.
Now the time has come to part the time for weeping
The moment has arrived for the couple to separate and it's natural to feel sad and cry.
Vaya con Dios, my darling
The singer bids farewell to their partner, wishing them good luck on their journey.
Vaya con Dios, my love
The artist uses a term of endearment to emphasize their affection for the person they are saying goodbye to.
Now the village mission bells are softly ringing
In the background, the church bells are ringing quietly, perhaps indicating an acknowledgement of the couple's love.
If you listen with your heart you'll hear them singing
If one pays close attention, they can sense that the church bells are singing a song of love and guidance.
May God be with you, my love
The singer hopes that God will watch over and protect their beloved.
Wherever you may be I'll be beside you
Despite being apart from each other, the artist promises to be there for their partner and support them.
Although you're many million dreams away
Even if they're far apart, the artist still feels connected to their lover.
Each night I'll say a prayer, a prayer to guide you
The artist will pray every night, hoping to give their partner comfort and guidance.
To help you spend the lonely hour of every lonely day
The singer wishes to aid their lover during difficult and lonely times.
Now the dawn is breaking through a gray tomorrow
As day breaks, a new uncertain future is on the horizon.
But the memories we share are there to borrow
Despite the upcoming change, the couple will always be able to cherish the memories they created together.
May God be with you, my love
The singer repeats their wish for God's protection over their partner.
(Vaya con Dios, my darling)
The singer reiterates their farewell and sends their love to their partner one last time.
May God go with you, my love
The artist restates their desire for God to be with their loved one as they part ways.
Lyrics © Wixen Music Publishing, Kanjian Music, BMG Rights Management
Written by: Buddy Pepper, Inez James, Larry Russell
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Patsy Trejo Vasquez
Love Ray Price, he's one of the best singers I've ever heard.
Adrian Otero
This album needs to be on cd,it is a treasure. ...
nahmanini sithole
Ray Price's style became orchestrated at about the same time Jim Reeves died in a plane crash in 1965. Mr. Reeves was a huge international star and there was a void that needed to be filled. Ray Price took a hell of a beating keeping that part of country music alive and well just as Ray Price did for Country music after the death of another star named Hank Williams. Maybe Ray Price will get the credit he deserves.
BrickPa
There are few singers of any nation or genre that can put as much emotion in a song as Ray. I miss him sorely.
Morganna Johnson
Beautiful song sung by one of the very best!!! Thank you for posting!!!
Lea Armstrong
This song has such feeling and only Ray Price can do it justice. There is no one out there that can out-shine him. Get well Ray. We need you here for a LONG time whether you're at home enjoying life or performing. Warm wishes to you and Janie.
Carole Kohlschmidt
Gorgeous voice.
wot342
What a pity this album can't be on a CD. My personal favorite of all his albums. The man and his music was way ahead of its time. He really needs the Kennedy award while we still have him.
Shirley Wolfe
mine too
Don Hawkins
ALL time best Ray Price Album...