Editing Ray Stevens

{{Short description|American country and pop musician (born 1939)}}
{{use mdy dates|date=December 2024}}
{{About|the singer|other persons of the same name|Ray Stevens (disambiguation)}}

{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
| name             = Ray Stevens
| image            = Ray Stevens.jpg
| caption          = Stevens on ''[[The Johnny Cash Show]]'', {{circa}} 1971
| background       = solo_singer
| birth_name       = Harold Ray Ragsdale
| birth_date       = {{birth date and age|mf=y|1939|1|24}}
| birth_place      = [[Clarkdale, Georgia]], U.S.
| instruments      = {{flatlist|
*Vocals
*keyboards 
*trumpet}}
| genre            = {{flatlist|
*[[country music|Country]]
*[[pop music|pop]]
*[[gospel music|gospel]] 
*[[Novelty song|novelty]]
*[[comedy music|comedy]]}}
| occupations       = {{flatlist|
*Singer-songwriter
*arranger
*comedian}}
| years_active     = 1957–present
| label            = {{flatlist|
*[[National Recording Corporation|NRC]]
*[[Mercury Records|Mercury]]
*[[Monument Records|Monument]]
*[[Barnaby Records|Barnaby]]
*[[Warner Bros. Records|Warner Bros.]]
*[[RCA Records|RCA]]
*[[MCA Nashville Records|MCA]]
*[[Curb Records|Curb]]
*[[Columbia Records|CBS]]
*[[Janus Records|Janus]]}}
| spouse = {{marriage|Penny Jackson|March 30, 1961|December 31, 2021|reason=died}}
}}

'''Harold Ray Ragsdale''' (born January 24, 1939),<ref name="rays-bio">{{cite web| url=https://raystevens.com/about/| title=Ray Stevens just thinks funny| date=January 8, 2016| website=Ray Stevens| access-date = February 3, 2018}}</ref><!--<ref>[http://www.raystevens.com/bio/index.php] {{webarchive |url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090921153550/http://www.raystevens.com/bio/index.php |date=September 21, 2009 }}</ref> --> known professionally as '''Ray Stevens''', is an American [[country music|country]]<ref>{{cite news| url=https://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/11/arts/music/11singleton.html| title=Shelby Singleton, Nashville Producer, Dies at 77| newspaper=[[The New York Times]]| date=October 10, 2009| first=Bill| last=Friskics-Warren| access-date=October 10, 2022| url-access=subscription}}</ref> and pop singer-songwriter and comedian.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2010/06/02/ray-stevens-comes-streaking-back-with-immigration-song/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0|title=Ray Stevens Comes Streaking Back With Immigration Song|newspaper=[[The New York Times]]|date=June 2, 2010 |access-date=August 20, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite book |last=Roy |first=Don |editor-last=Kingsbury |editor-first=Paul |date=1998 |chapter=Ray Stevens |title=The Encyclopedia of Country Music |chapter-url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofco00coun/page/507/mode/1up |chapter-url-access=registration |location=New York |publisher=Oxford University Press |isbn=978-0195116717 |page=507 |via=[[Internet Archive]]}}</ref> He is best known for his [[Grammy]]-winning recordings "[[Everything Is Beautiful]]" and "[[Misty (song)|Misty]]", as well as novelty hits such as "[[Gitarzan]]" and "[[The Streak (song)|The Streak]]". Stevens has received [[Music recording sales certification|gold albums]] for his music sales and has worked as a producer, music arranger, and television host. He is also an inductee of the [[Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame]], the [[Georgia Music Hall of Fame]], the Christian Music Hall of Fame, and the [[Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum]].

==Early life==
Harold Ray Ragsdale was born on January 24, 1939, in [[Clarkdale, Georgia]].<ref name="rays-bio"/> He is the elder of two sons born to Willis Harold Ragsdale (1915–2001) and Frances Stephens Ragsdale (1916–1997).<ref>{{cite web| title=Ray Stevens {{!}} Artist Bio| url=https://countrymusichalloffame.org/artist/ray-stevens/| access-date=2022-02-12| website=Country Music Hall of Fame| language=en-US}}</ref> His younger brother, John, who died in 2020 at the age of 75, became an actor and writer.<ref>{{cite web| title=Ray Stevens' Younger Brother Has 'Unexpectedly' Died At Age 75|first=Jennifer |last=Pernicano| url=https://classiccountrymusic.com/ray-stevens-younger-brother-has-unexpectedly-died-at-age-75/| access-date=2022-02-12| website=Classic Country Music| date=2 April 2020| language=en-US}}</ref> While attending high school, Stevens formed his first band, a [[rhythm and blues]] group named The Barons. He began studying [[business administration]] at [[Georgia State University|Georgia State College]], but very quickly switched to become a music major. Stevens left after completing three of the four years required to obtain a degree, which he felt that he did not need.<ref name="Hieronymus">{{cite magazine |last=Hieronymus |first=Clara |date=December 1970 |title=Ray Stevens |magazine=BMI: The Many Worlds of Music |location=New York |publisher=[[Broadcast Music, Inc.]] |page=19}}</ref><ref name="AMC">{{cite book |last=Woodstra |first=Chris |title=All Music Guide to Country: The Experts' Guide to the Best Country Recordings |year=1997 |publisher=Backbeat Books |isbn=978-0-8793-0475-1 |author2=Erlewine, Steven Thomas |author3=Bogdanov, Vladamir |author4=Erlewine, Michael |page=448}}</ref>

==Career==
===Early career===
At the age of 18, Stevens signed to [[Capitol Records]]' Prep Records division in 1957,<ref name="AMC"/> and produced the single "Silver Bracelet", with a cover of "Rang Tang Ding Dong" as the B-side. The single was met with a positive review from ''Billboard''.<ref>{{cite magazine| title=Reviews and Ratings| page=52| magazine=Billboard| date=January 24, 1957}}</ref> The B-side was originally recorded by doo-wop group The Cellos in 1956.<ref>{{cite book| last=Warner| first=Jay| title=American Singing Groups: A History, From 1940 to Today| year=2006| publisher=Hal Leonard| isbn=978-0-352-33533-3| page=100}}</ref>

Stevens signed with [[Mercury Records]] in 1961.<ref>{{cite book| last=Wadhams| first=Wayne| title=Inside the Hits: The Seduction of a Rock and Roll Generation (Pop Culture)| year=2001| publisher=Berklee Press| pages=78–82| isbn=978-0-6340-1430-7}}</ref>

===1970s===
In the 1970s, Stevens became a producer and studio musician in [[Nashville, Tennessee|Nashville]]. He recorded songs for [[Barnaby Records]] and [[Warner Bros.]] during 1970–1979. Stevens' biggest hit in the U.S. was his gospel-inflected single "[[Everything Is Beautiful]]" (1970). It won a [[Grammy Award]], was the theme song for his summer 1970 TV show, a number-one hit on both the pop and adult contemporary charts, and marked his first time in the top 40 on the country charts, peaking at number 39. The single sold over one million copies and was awarded a [[music recording sales certification|gold disc]].<ref name="The Book of Golden Discs">{{cite book| first=Joseph| last=Murrells| year=1978| title=The Book of Golden Discs| edition=2nd| publisher=Barrie and Jenkins Ltd| location=London| page=[https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/286 286]| isbn=978-0-2142-0512-5| url-access=registration| url=https://archive.org/details/bookofgoldendisc00murr/page/286}}</ref>

Stevens had a transatlantic chart-topping hit in 1974 with "[[The Streak (song)|The Streak]]", a novelty song about [[streaking]] that reached number one on the American and British singles charts.<ref>{{cite book |last1=Bronson |first1=Fred |title=The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits |date=2003 |publisher=Billboard Books |isbn=978-0-8230-7677-2 |page=365 |edition=updated and expanded 5th |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PgGqNrqfrsoC&q=%22ray+stevens%22+%22the+streak%22&pg=PT374 |accessdate=2018-07-08}}</ref><ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book| first=David| last=Roberts| year=2006| title=[[British Hit Singles & Albums]]| edition=19th| publisher=Guinness World Records Limited| location=London| isbn=978-1-9049-9410-7| page=301}}</ref>

Through the late 1970s and early 1980s, with some exceptions (such as "[[Shriner's Convention (song)|Shriner's Convention]]" in 1981), Stevens focused mostly on serious material, as he felt that the novelty song was becoming less popular in the era.<ref name=nutsoversquirrel>{{cite magazine| date=December 8, 1984| title=Stevens Nuts over 'Squirrel'| magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]| pages=39, 42| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zSQEAAAAMBAJ&q=%22mississippi+squirrel+revival%22&pg=RA1-PA39}}</ref> Stevens had an adult contemporary crossover hit in 1979 with "[[I Need Your Help Barry Manilow]]", a cut from Stevens's [[Barry Manilow]] tribute/parody album ''[[The Feeling's Not Right Again]]''.<ref>{{cite magazine| url=http://www.billboard.com/charts/adult-contemporary/1979-04-28| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161105210838/http://www.billboard.com/charts/adult-contemporary/1979-04-28| url-status=dead| archive-date=November 5, 2016| title=Adult Contemporary Chart| magazine=Billboard}}</ref>

===1980s===
Stevens then joined MCA in 1984. Feeling that novelty songs were becoming popular again, he authorized the rush release of "[[Mississippi Squirrel Revival]]" in 1984, which reached the country top 20.<ref name=nutsoversquirrel/> In 1985, Stevens performed at the [[Lanierland Music Park]] in Georgia with Pinkard & Bowden.<ref name="Inc.1985">{{cite magazine| title=Box Score Top Grossing Concerts| magazine=Billboard| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=4yQEAAAAMBAJ&pg=PT48| date=June 1, 1985| page=48| issn=0006-2510}}</ref>

===21st century===
In February 2002, following the [[September 11 attacks]], Stevens released ''[[Osama—Yo' Mama: The Album]]'' after the title track, which was released as a single in late 2001, peaked at #48 on the [[Hot Country Songs]] chart in 2001. The album reached #29 on the US Top Country Albums chart.

In April 2010, Stevens released ''We the People'', a CD/DVD of political songs. This album reached Top-5 on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' Comedy Album chart.<ref>{{cite news| url=http://www.cmt.com/artists/ray-stevens/biography/| archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130223091419/http://www.cmt.com/artists/ray-stevens/biography| url-status=dead| archive-date=February 23, 2013| title=Ray Stevens Bio: Ray Stevens Career| website=CMT Artists| access-date=April 12, 2017| language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url=http://shop.raystevens.com/we-the-people-cd| title=We The People CD| website=Ray Stevens| access-date=April 12, 2017}}</ref>

''RAY-ality TV'' ended its digital TV run in January 2014. Two months later, a [[webisode]] series, also titled ''Rayality TV'' was launched. Later in 2014, Stevens co-starred in the movie ''Campin' Buddies''.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10152378293854871&set=a.10150358709939871.369677.99557674870&type=1&theater |title=Ray Stevens – Timeline Photos |website=Facebook |access-date=August 20, 2014}}</ref>

Stevens published his autobiographical memoir ''Ray Stevens' Nashville'' in 2014.<ref>{{cite book| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LSOsoAEACAAJ| title=Ray Stevens' Nashville| first1=Ray| last1=Stevens| first2=C. W. Buddy| last2=Kalb| date=March 1, 2014| publisher=Harold R.Ragsdale A/K/A Ray Stevens| isbn=978-0-6159-9308-9| access-date=October 27, 2017| via=Google Books}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine| url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/ray-stevens-nashville-details-comic-performers-versatile-career-95889/| title=''Ray Stevens' Nashville'' Details Comic Performer's Versatile Career: Comedic country legend writes memoir of good old days in Music City| author=Betts, Stephen L.| access-date=June 20, 2014| date=June 20, 2014| magazine=[[Rolling Stone]]}}</ref>

In 2015, Stevens began producing and hosting ''Ray Stevens Nashville'', a 30-minute weekly music variety show on cable TV. Since then, the show has been rebranded as ''Ray Stevens CabaRay Nashville'' and is now filmed on stage at his own CabaRay Showroom, which opened to the public in early 2018.

Stevens released the album ''Here We Go Again'' on March 24, 2015, which includes the [[Taylor Swift]] spoof single "Taylor Swift is Stalking Me"<ref>Billboard, March 24, 2015 – [https://www.billboard.com/articles/columns/the-615/6509612/ray-stevens-interview-taylor-swift-is-stalkin-me-video Ray Stevens Returns With 'Taylor Swift Is Stalkin' Me' – By Chuck Dauphin]</ref> and "Come to the USA".<ref>{{cite magazine| magazine=Billboard| date=March 24, 2015| url=https://www.billboard.com/articles/news/957953/ray-stevens-has-youtube-hit-with-pro-arizona-song| title=Ray Stevens Has YouTube Hit With Pro-Arizona Song| first=Chuck| last=Dauphin| access-date=October 10, 2022}}</ref>

==Personal life==
Stevens was married to Penny Jackson Ragsdale for over 60 years, until her death on December 31, 2021, after a lengthy battle with cancer. Two days prior, he had canceled his New Year's Eve concert at CabaRay, due to Penny's rapidly declining health. They had two daughters, [[Suzi Ragsdale|Suzi]] and Timi, and four grandchildren.<ref>{{cite web |last=Dukes |first=Billy |title=Ray Stevens' Wife Penny Has Died |url=https://tasteofcountry.com/ray-stevens-wife-penny-dead-dies/ |website=Taste of Country |date=January 2022 |access-date=January 1, 2022}}</ref>

==Discography==
{{main|Ray Stevens discography}}

==Accolades==
===Grammy awards===
{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! Year
! Category
! Nominated work
! Result
! class="unsortable" | Ref.
|-
| 1970
| rowspan=2|[[Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance|Best Contemporary Male Vocalist]]
| "Gitarzan"
| {{nom}}
|<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.rockonthenet.com/grammy/popsolo.htm|title=Grammy Awards: Best Pop Vocal Performance – Male|website=Rockonthennet.com|access-date=October 27, 2017}}</ref>
|-
| 1971
| "Everything Is Beautiful"
| {{won}}
|<ref name="Past Winners Search">{{cite web| url=http://www.grammy.com/nominees/search?artist=&field_nominee_work_value=&year=All&genre=24| title=Past Winners Search| website=Grammy Awards| date=April 30, 2017| access-date=October 27, 2017}}</ref>
|-
| 1971
| [[Grammy Award for Best Arrangement, Instrumental and Vocals|Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)]]
| "Everything Is Beautiful"
| {{nom}}
|<ref name=Grammys71>{{cite web| title=Grammy Awards 1971| url=http://www.awardsandshows.com/features/grammy-awards-1971-220.html| website=Awardsandshows.com| access-date=October 27, 2017}}</ref>
|-
| 1971
| Contemporary Song
| "Everything Is Beautiful"
| {{nom}}
|<ref name=Grammys71/>
|-
| 1971
| [[Grammy Award for Record of the Year#Recipients|Record of the Year]]
| "Everything Is Beautiful"
| {{nom}}
|<ref name=Grammys71/>
|-
| 1971
| [[Grammy Award for Song of the Year#Recipients|Song of the Year]]
| "Everything Is Beautiful"
| {{nom}}
|<ref name=Grammys71/>
|-
| 1971
| Best Inspirational Performance
| "Love Lifted Me"
| {{nom}}
|<ref name=Grammys71/>
|-
| 1976
| [[Grammy Award for Best Arrangement, Instrumental and Vocals|Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s)]]
| "Misty"
| {{won}}
|<ref name="Past Winners Search"/>
|-
| 1976
| [[18th Annual Grammy Awards#Composing and arranging|Best Country Vocal Performance – Male]]
| "Misty"
| {{nom}}
|<ref>{{cite web|title=Grammy Awards 1976|url=http://www.awardsandshows.com/features/grammy-awards-1976-224.html|website=Awardsandshows.com|access-date=October 27, 2017}}</ref>
|-
| 1980
| rowspan=2|[[Grammy Award for Best Comedy Album|Best Comedy Recording]]
| "I Need Your Help, Barry Manilow"
| {{nom}}
|<ref>{{cite news| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=JcopAAAAIBAJ&pg=6870,4003315&dq| title=Grammy awards field a definite mixed bag| date=January 9, 1980| access-date=April 23, 2010| newspaper=[[The Spokesman-Review]]| first=Yardena| last=Arar}}</ref>
|-
| 1988
| "Would Jesus Wear a Rolex"
| {{nom}}
|<ref>{{cite news| url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=CeslAAAAIBAJ&pg=6885,4044707&dq| title=Irish rockers among Grammy nominees| date=January 15, 1988| access-date=April 24, 2010| first=Larry| last=McShane| newspaper=[[The Telegraph (Nashua)|The Telegraph]]| location=Nashua, NH| agency=[[Associated Press]]| page=35}}</ref>
|}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{official website|https://www.raystevens.com/}}
* [https://raystevenscabaray.com/ Ray Stevens Cabaray Showroom Official Website]
* {{IMDb name|0828696}}
* [http://misterguitar.us/news/raystevens2a.html Tom Redmond – Working with Chet Atkins: An Interview with Ray Stevens]
* [http://mybestyears.com/InterviewSpotlights/STEVENSRay051007.html Ray Stevens – MyBestYears.COM INTERVIEW SPOTLIGHT] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160305183347/http://mybestyears.com/InterviewSpotlights/STEVENSRay051007.html |date=2016-03-05 }}
* [https://www.namm.org/library/oral-history/ray-stevens Ray Stevens Interview] at [[NAMM Oral History Program|NAMM Oral History Collection]] (2014)

{{Ray Stevens}}
{{Navboxes
|title = Awards for Ray Stevens
|list1 =
{{2010s Country Music Hall of Fame}}
{{Grammy Award for Best Male Pop Vocal Performance}}
}}

{{authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Stevens, Ray}}
[[Category:1939 births]]
[[Category:20th-century American comedians]]
[[Category:20th-century American male musicians]]
[[Category:20th-century American pianists]]
[[Category:21st-century American male musicians]]
[[Category:21st-century American pianists]]
[[Category:American comedy musicians]]
[[Category:American country keyboardists]]
[[Category:American country pianists]]
[[Category:American country singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:American male pianists]]
[[Category:American male singer-songwriters]]
[[Category:American novelty song performers]]
[[Category:CBS Records artists]]
[[Category:Comedians from Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:Country Music Hall of Fame inductees]]
[[Category:Country musicians from Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:Curb Records artists]]
[[Category:Georgia State University alumni]]
[[Category:Grammy Award winners]]
[[Category:living people]]
[[Category:MCA Records artists]]
[[Category:Mercury Records artists]]
[[Category:Monument Records artists]]
[[Category:National Recording Corporation artists]]
[[Category:People from Cobb County, Georgia]]
[[Category:RCA Records artists]]
[[Category:singer-songwriters from Georgia (U.S. state)]]
[[Category:Warner Records artists]]