From:   "Dik de Heer" 
Date:  Thu Oct 31, 2002  6:22 am
Subject:  Born To Be With You : Ray Smith
 
RAY SMITH (By Jean-Marc Pezet)

Born Raymond Eugene Smith, 31 October 1934, Melbar, Kentucky
Died 29 November 1979, Burlington, Ontario, Canada

Ray Smith was born in Melbar, Kentucky, but raised in Paducah, to a
sharecropper father and a mother who taught him piano. As a child he
sang some western songs in class. He left school at 12, taking several
jobs (even hauling moonshine for his brother-in-law!), but Ray didn't think
of a career in music before his return from the Air Force in 1956, where
he won a talent contest and entertained his fellow comrades with country
music (he was stationed in Metz, France).
He also discovered Elvis, and, back in the USA, started a music career
with gigs around Paducah and Illinois, a radio show and eventually a TV
show where he was spotted by former Onie Wheeler manager Charlie
Terrell who got him a SUN contract.
All in all, he cut six sessions for Sun between January 1958 and February
1959, recording great tracks such as "Right Behind You Baby", "Willing And
Ready", "Break Up" and "You Made A Hit". Three singles were issued with
no success. (Not many people know that the great guitar work on these
sides comes from 18-year old Stanley Walker - Dik.)
By 1959, Charlie Terrell made Ray move to Judd Phillips' Judd label and
things finally took off with "Rockin' Little Angel". Recorded in Nashville in
August 1959, it became a big hit (# 22) five months later, reportedly selling
up to 3,000,000 copies, giving Ray a taste of the big time with appearances
on American Bandstand and shows with the big names of the time. But Ray
was unable to find a follow-up hit and he switched from label to label (even
making a second appearance on Sun in 1961).
Being a reputated strong stage performer, he always got good work in clubs
and, following a spell in Las Vegas, he finally moved to Ontario, Canada in
1967, working steadily.
In 1978, he appeared in England and Holland, but he committed suicide on
November, 29 1979.

Recommended listening:
- "Shake Around" (complete Sun recordingss) CHARLY CPCD 8117
- "Rockin Little Angel" is on "Golden Agee Of American Rock 'n' Roll, Vol. 3"
ACE CDCHD 497