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Johnnie Ray
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Born
Died
Genre
Styles
Instrument
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Jan 10, 1927 in Dallas, OR
Feb 25, 1990 in Los Angeles, CA
Vocal
Traditional Pop, Vocal Pop, Vocal
Vocals
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Although practically deaf, Johnnie Ray's tear-inflected singing tabbed
him as an early-'50s sensation. Leaving Oregon for Detroit, Ray found a
gig at the Flame Club, an R&B and jazz institution. In 1951, Ray signed
with Columbia's R&B subsidiary Okeh Records, although "Cry," his histrionic
million-seller that year, was a pop entry all the way, with background
vocals by the Four Lads. "Cry" remained perched atop the pop charts for
nearly three months. Ray encored with "The Little White Cloud That Cried"
before moving to the parent Columbia lable and enjoying a steady stream
of pop hits, including "Walkin' My Baby Back Home" in 1952 and a cover
of The Prisonaires' "Just Walking in the Rain" in 1956. Ray's frenzied
antics set off riots among female admirers during his heyday, but the advent
of rock soon dulled his hitmaking powers. By 1959, the hits were through.
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