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Ray first came under the ‘Music Industry spotlight’, in the mid
seventies as Guitarist with FRANKIE MILLER, one of the best Soul/blues
singers (and writers), ever to come out of Britain. Ray’s musical roots
have always been firmly entrenched in the Blues, and after forming
Frankie Millers’Full House with Miller, enjoyed the most successful
years of his career with Frankie, playing on classic Miller hits like,
Be Good to Yourself, Sail Away, Ain’t Got no Money, Jealous Guy, and A
Fool in Love etc. etc. To this day his relationship with Frankie is a
strong one, and is something he cherishes.
After the
success of Full House, he was invited by John Verity and Bob Henrit to
join Russ Ballard, Robert Henrit, John Verity and Jim Rodford in the
“Argent” off-shoot, PHOENIX, where a flourishing Song writing
partnership with John Verity was developed Ray added what Trident Mgt.
and Verity referred to as a raw quality to the band, and his song
writing talents were invaluable, writing eight out of ten of the tracks
on the “In Full View album.” While recording with Phoenix at Cherokee
Studios in Los Angeles, Phil Lynott offered Ray the job of replacing the
departing Gary Moore in the ranks of Thin Lizzy. He turned the gig down.
”Minhinnett too busy for Lizzy”, proclaimed the headline in Melody Maker
shortly afterwards, Meanwhile, Ray carried on with the job in hand, the
recording of, ‘In full view’, Phoenix’s album for Polygram U.S.A. with
Henrit, and Verity. When Phoenix split up, Ray returned to his roots and
his beloved Blues with a new band featuring a five piece Brass section -
The Q-Tips Horns, Andy Pyle on Bass, Graham Walker on Drums, and Don
Airey, and Chris Parren on Keys.
Once again his
old pal Gary Moore entered his life, this time however, when he left, he
took Rays’ band with him, and they became The Midnight Blues Band.
Coincidently, at this time he was offered the opportunity to act as
Musical Director/Co-Presenter alongside Matthew Lorrenzo on Sky TV’s new
flagship show Saturday Night, a two hour live-weekly show that created a
formula that has since been much copied in British TV. Every week, Ray
was given the opportunity of inviting a special guest onto the show to
perform with him and his band. This also allowed his to share centre
stage with great artists like Bobby Womack, Sonny Curtis and Courtney
Pine, Status Quo, Grace Jones and John Parr, playing to a TV audience
counted in millions all over Europe & the UK!
Producer MIKE
VERNON asked Ray to submit a track for a new British blues compilation
album he was planning. It was to be called, ‘UN/American Blues
Activities’ and featured the cream of the British blues scene. The song
Ray contributed was an emotive, self-penned slow blues called ‘Never had
the blues like this before’.This was to prove to be an excellent choice
as that year he was recipient of the Paul Jones Rn’B Radio Shows:
Ray won a whole
new audience for himself when he opened on ERROL BROWNS’ 72 date
sell-out British tour, playing to audiences of between 2 & 3,000 people
every night. The tour included The London Palladium, and the response to
Rays’ set - which he performed with only a Keyboard player was nothing
short of incredible and solicited shouts for encores - as on most nights
of the Tour. During the Tour Ray was already planning, writing, and
recording new material as well as working on his ‘FLAVOURS of CREAM’
project. This album is not only to tip his hat to his mentors, Eric
Clapton and Peter Green, but also to mark what he says, ”Was one of the
saddest days of my life when I was a budding Guitarist”, The last
Concert by Cream at Londons’ Royal Albert Hall. “This year will be the
35th. Anniversary of that Concert, and I wanted to do something,
similiar to Garys’ (Moore) ‘Blues for Greeny’, just to show my gratitude
not only to Eric, but to Peter Greene as well really”. “They were my
point of reference, my start point, before I’d ever heard of Robert
Johnson, Otis Rush, Buddy Guy or Freddie, Albert & BB King”.
His CREAM’D
TOUR last year with ex Savoy Brown Bass Player/vocalist Ian Ellis was a
huge success and won Ray some great press. He also did the opening set
on the tour to promote his own new Album, ‘A Night to Remember’. The
date sheet for 2003 is already almost full with Tour & Festival dates
coming in thick and fast, Rays’ first return to the road for some time
will be to promote his Flavours of Cream’d Album, followed by a new
Accoustic Blues Album with Saxaphone Maestro Harry S. Fulcher later in
the year.
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