Johnnie Ray
January 10, 1927 – February 24, 1990
Johnnie Ray was a pop singer, songwriter and pianist who helped R&B, jazz and blues transition into rock ‘n roll during the early ’50s. Ray made his first recordings in 1951, and by the following year, he scored his first hit with “Cry.” The record sold over 2 million copies, almost instantly turning him into one of rock ‘n roll’s first teen heart throbs. Ray released several more hits throughout the rest of the decade, helping him a superstar, not only in the U.S., but throughout most of Europe as well. Ray’s popularity dwindled during the ’60s and ’70s, but he experienced a small renaissance thanks to a reference in Dexy’s Midnight Runners’ 1982 hit, “Come On Eileen,” and use of his image in its video. An apparent heavy drinker, Johnnie Ray died of liver failure on February 24, 1990. He was 63 years old.
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