Ray Smith
Background information
BornOctober 30, 1934
Melber, Kentucky, United States
DiedNovember 29, 1979(1979-11-29) (aged 45)
Ontario, Canada[1]
GenresRock and roll, rockabilly, R&B, country
Occupation(s)Singer, songwriter, musician
Instrument(s)Vocals, piano, guitar
Years active1956–1979
LabelsSun Records
Judd Records
Vee-Jay Records
Tollie Records
Smash Records
Boot Records
Various independent record labels
WebsiteRay Smith's Rockabilly Hall of Fame page

Ray Smith (October 30, 1934 – November 29, 1979)[2] was an American rockabilly musician.

Career

Smith recorded for Vee-Jay Records, Tollie Records, Smash Records, Sun Records and Boot Records during his career, and had a hit with the song "Rockin' Little Angel" in 1960 on Judd Records.[3] "Rockin' Little Angel" took a portion of its melody from the 1844 song "Buffalo Gals".[4] The record sold over one million copies, earning a gold disc.[5] It reached #22 on the Billboard Hot 100.[6] Smith often recorded material written by Charlie Rich, and was influenced by Elvis Presley.[3] Smith gave a concert at "Karregat" Hall in Eindhoven on April 21, 1979. It is recorded on an album called The Rocking Side and released by a Dutch label (Rockhouse, LP 7909).

Death

Smith committed suicide on November 29, 1979, at the age of 45.[4] Smith's Judd and Sun singles and session material have been released on Germany's Bear Family Records.

References

  1. ^ "Ray Smith". Discogs. Retrieved October 20, 2019.
  2. ^ "Rockabilly Hall of Fame". Rockabillyhall.com. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  3. ^ a b Greg Adams. "Shake Around - Ray Smith | Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved August 18, 2015.
  4. ^ a b Joel Whitburn, The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits. 7th edn, 2000
  5. ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins. p. 129. ISBN 0-214-20512-6.
  6. ^ tolsen (January 2, 2013). "Billboard Hot 100". Billboard. Retrieved April 21, 2023.
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