Ray Stevens

Ray Stevens (born Harold Ray Ragsdale on January 24, 1939 in Clarkdale, Georgia, now part of Decatur), is an American country music and pop singer-songwriter known for his novelty songs.

Related Topics:
January 24 - 1939 - Clarkdale, Georgia - Decatur - American - Country music - Pop - Singer-songwriter - Novelty song

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Stevens' recording career began with two singles released on Prep Records, followed by a short stint with Capitol Records. Both these recording contracts were made with the help of Atlanta music maven Bill Lowery. Stevens joined Lowery's National Recording Corporation in 1958, where he also was a member of the NRC staff band, playing numerous instruments, arranging, and doing background vocals. When NRC went into bankruptcy, he signed with Mercury Records, and started a series of hit records in the 1960s that included "Ahab the Arab" and "Jeremiah Peabody's Polyunsaturated Quick-Dissolving, Fast-Acting Pleasant-Tasting Green And Purple Pills".

Related Topics:
Bill Lowery - National Recording Corporation - Mercury Records

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Stevens became a producer and well-known studio musician on the Nashville scene, and recorded hits for Monument, Barnaby, Warner Brothers, MCA, and RCA. Perhaps his most famous hit is "The Streak" (1974), which poked fun at the early-1970s "streaking" fad of running nude in public. Stevens' biggest hit was his gospel-inflected single "Everything Is Beautiful" (1970). A plea for love and tolerance during turbulent times in the United States, the song shot to Number 1 and remained there for weeks in some U.S. and British markets. Stevens has won two Grammy Awards: one for "Everything Is Beautiful" and one for the arrangement of his version of the jazz standard "Misty".

Related Topics:
United States - Grammy Award - Arrangement - Jazz standard - Misty

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

With the popularity of the song "Everything Is Beautiful", Stevens had a variety show on CTV. The Ray Stevens Show appeared in Canada in 1970 and soon appeared in the United States on NBC and the United Kingdom on the BBC. Although it only has eight episodes, it is mostly known for being the show that launched regular cast member Steve Martin's career.

Related Topics:
CTV - Canada - 1970 - United States - NBC - United Kingdom - BBC - Steve Martin

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

Ray Stevens was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1980. Since the 1980s, Stevens has appeared regularly at the country music performing venue of Branson, Missouri. His talents have been showcased in a successful series of videos.

Related Topics:
Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame - Branson, Missouri

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~