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Ray Stevens

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This article is about the singer. For other persons of the same name, see Ray Stevens (disambiguation).
Not to be confused with Ray Stevenson.
Ray Stevens
Stevens on The Johnny Cash Show, between 1969 and 1971
Stevens on The Johnny Cash Show, between 1969 and 1971
Background information
Born
Harold Ray Ragsdale

(1939-01-24) January 24, 1939 (age 86)
Clarkdale, Georgia, U.S.
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer-songwriter
  • arranger
  • comedian
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • keyboards
  • trumpet
Years active1957–present
Labels
Spouse
Penny Jackson
​
​
(m. 1961; died 2021)​

Harold Ray Ragsdale (born January 24, 1939),[1] known professionally as Ray Stevens, is an American country[2] and pop singer-songwriter and comedian.[3][4] He is best known for his Grammy-winning recordings "Everything Is Beautiful" and "Misty", as well as novelty hits including "Gitarzan" and "The Streak". Stevens has earned gold albums and has worked as a producer, music arranger, and television host. He was also inducted into 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

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Harold Ray Ragsdale was born on January 24, 1939, in Clarkdale, Georgia.[1] He is the elder of two sons born to Willis Harold Ragsdale (1915–2001) and Frances Stephens Ragsdale (1916–1997).[5] His younger brother, John, who died in 2020 at the age of 75, became an actor and writer.[6] While attending high school, he formed his first band, a rhythm and blues group named The Barons. He began studying business administration at Georgia State College in Atlanta, but very quickly switched to become a music major. He left after completing three of the four years required to obtain a degree, which he felt that he did not need.[7][8]

Career

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Early career

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At the age of 18, Ray Stevens signed to Capitol Records' Prep Records division in 1957[8] and produced the single "Silver Bracelet", with a cover of "Rang Tang Ding Dong" as the B-side. The B-side was originally recorded by doo-wop group The Cellos in 1956.[9] The single was met with a positive review from Billboard.[10] According to the Country Music Hall of Fame, "In between the record’s 1957 recording and its release, his name changed to 'Ray Stevens' at the insistence of country A&R chief Ken Nelson of Capitol Records, who said the name 'Ray Ragsdale' didn’t 'pop.'”[11]

1960s

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Stevens signed with Mercury Records in 1961.[12] His first hit came that year, with the novelty song “Jeremiah Peabody's Polyunsaturated Quick-Dissolving Fast-Acting Pleasant-Tasting Green and Purple Pills,” which hit #35 on the pop chart.[13] This began the long string of novelty songs for which Stevens is best known, including “Ahab the Arab” (#5, 1962), “Harry the Hairy Ape” (#17, 1963) and “Gitarzan” (#8, 1969). [13]

Based in Nashville since 1962, Stevens also worked as a multi-instrumental session musician and songwriter. According to the Country Music Hall of Fame, “Stevens became a favorite of maestro Chet Atkins. He sang with the Jordanaires; played trumpet for an Elvis Presley session; wrote songs for Brook Benton, Skeeter Davis, and Dolly Parton; and contributed to Waylon Jennings’s classic 'Only Daddy That’ll Walk the Line.'" [11]

While Stevens was best known for comedy, he occasionally recorded straightforward pop songs as well. The most successful of these in the 1960s was “Mr. Businessman,” which went to #28 on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1968. [13]

1970s

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In 1970, Stevens signed to Barnaby Records, owned by singer Andy Williams. He then hosted an NBC comedy-variety series, Andy Williams Presents Ray Stevens, as a summer replacement for Williams' regular series.[14] This led to Stevens' biggest hit in the U.S., his gospel-inflected single "Everything Is Beautiful" (1970), which he wrote and performed as the theme song for his TV show. It won a Grammy Award, was 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 earning a gold record.[15]

Stevens had a transatlantic chart-topping hit in 1974 with "The Streak", a novelty song about streaking which reached number one on the American and British singles charts.[16][17] The following year, he scored another hit with a unique arrangement of Erroll Garner's jazz-pop standard "Misty," which went to #3 on the country chart and #14 on the Hot 100.[11][13]

Through the late 1970s and early 1980s, with some exceptions (such as "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.[18] However, in 1977 he released a cover version of Glenn Miller's big-band standard "In the Mood" in which the vocals sounded like chickens clucking, credited to The Henhouse Five Plus Too.[19] Stevens also had an adult contemporary crossover hit in 1979 with "I Need Your Help Barry Manilow", a cut from Stevens' Barry Manilow tribute/parody album The Feeling's Not Right Again.[20]

1980s

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Stevens signed with RCA Records in 1980, releasing three albums over the next two years. He briefly returned to Mercury Records for one album in 1983. Convinced that novelty songs were becoming popular again, he authorized the rush release of "Mississippi Squirrel Revival" for MCA Records in 1984, which reached the country top 20.[18] In 1985, Stevens performed at the Lanierland Music Park in Cumming, Georgia with Pinkard & Bowden.[21]

21st century

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In February 2002 after 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 number 48 on the Hot Country Songs chart in 2001. The album reached number 29 on the Top Country Albums chart. In April 2010, he released We the People, a CD/DVD of political songs. It was in the top five on the Billboard Comedy Album chart.[22][23]

RAY-ality TV ended its digital TV run in January 2014. In March, a webisode series, also titled Rayality TV was launched. Later in 2014, Stevens co-starred in the movie Campin' Buddies.[24] He published an autobiographical memoir Ray Stevens' Nashville in 2014.[25][26]

In 2015, Stevens began producing and hosting Ray Stevens Nashville, a 30-minute weekly music variety show on cable TV. The show was rebranded as Ray Stevens CabaRay Nashville and is filmed on stage at his own CabaRay Showroom, which opened to the public in early 2018. The album Here We Go Again came out on March 24, 2015. It includes the Taylor Swift spoof single "Taylor Swift is Stalking Me"[27] and "Come to the USA".[28]

Personal life

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Stevens and Penny Jackson Ragsdale were married 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 and Timi, and four grandchildren.[29]

Stevens was hospitalized after complaining of chest pains on July 4, 2025. He was eventually determined to have suffered a "mild" heart attack, and he was placed in intensive care.[30] He successfully underwent heart surgery on July 7 and left intensive care on July 9.[31]

Discography

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Main article: Ray Stevens discography

Accolades

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Grammy awards

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Year Category Nominated work Result Ref.
1970 Best Contemporary Male Vocalist "Gitarzan" Nominated [32]
1971 "Everything Is Beautiful" Won [33]
1971 Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) "Everything Is Beautiful" Nominated [34]
1971 Contemporary Song "Everything Is Beautiful" Nominated [34]
1971 Record of the Year "Everything Is Beautiful" Nominated [34]
1971 Song of the Year "Everything Is Beautiful" Nominated [34]
1971 Best Inspirational Performance "Love Lifted Me" Nominated [34]
1976 Best Arrangement Accompanying Vocalist(s) "Misty" Won [33]
1976 Best Country Vocal Performance – Male "Misty" Nominated [35]
1980 Best Comedy Recording "I Need Your Help, Barry Manilow" Nominated [36]
1988 "Would Jesus Wear a Rolex" Nominated [37]

References

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  1. ^ a b "Ray Stevens just thinks funny". Ray Stevens. January 8, 2016. Retrieved February 3, 2018.
  2. ^ Friskics-Warren, Bill (October 10, 2009). "Shelby Singleton, Nashville Producer, Dies at 77". The New York Times. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  3. ^ "Ray Stevens Comes Streaking Back With Immigration Song". The New York Times. June 2, 2010. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  4. ^ Roy, Don (1998). "Ray Stevens". In Kingsbury, Paul (ed.). The Encyclopedia of Country Music. New York: Oxford University Press. p. 507. ISBN 978-0195116717 – via Internet Archive.
  5. ^ "Ray Stevens | Artist Bio". Country Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
  6. ^ Pernicano, Jennifer (April 2, 2020). "Ray Stevens' Younger Brother Has 'Unexpectedly' Died At Age 75". Classic Country Music. Retrieved February 12, 2022.
  7. ^ Hieronymus, Clara (December 1970). "Ray Stevens". BMI: The Many Worlds of Music. New York: Broadcast Music, Inc. p. 19.
  8. ^ a b Woodstra, Chris; Erlewine, Steven Thomas; Bogdanov, Vladamir; Erlewine, Michael (1997). All Music Guide to Country: The Experts' Guide to the Best Country Recordings. Backbeat Books. p. 448. ISBN 978-0-8793-0475-1.
  9. ^ Warner, Jay (2006). American Singing Groups: A History, From 1940 to Today. Hal Leonard. p. 100. ISBN 978-0-352-33533-3.
  10. ^ "Reviews and Ratings". Billboard. January 24, 1957. p. 52.
  11. ^ a b c "Ray Stevens". Country Music Hall of Fame. Retrieved October 21, 2025.
  12. ^ Wadhams, Wayne (2001). Inside the Hits: The Seduction of a Rock and Roll Generation (Pop Culture). Berklee Press. pp. 78–82. ISBN 978-0-6340-1430-7.
  13. ^ a b c d Whitburn, Joel (2004). The Billboard Book of Top 40 Hits. Billboard. p. 438. ISBN 9780823074990.
  14. ^ Wadhams, Wayne; Lindsay, Susan Gedutis (2001). Inside the Tits. Berklee Press. p. 81-82. ISBN 9780634014307.
  15. ^ Murrells, Joseph (1978). The Book of Golden Discs (2nd ed.). London: Barrie and Jenkins Ltd. p. 286. ISBN 978-0-2142-0512-5.
  16. ^ Bronson, Fred (2003). The Billboard Book of Number 1 Hits (updated and expanded 5th ed.). Billboard Books. p. 365. ISBN 978-0-8230-7677-2. Retrieved July 8, 2018.
  17. ^ Roberts, David (2006). British Hit Singles & Albums (19th ed.). London: Guinness World Records Limited. p. 301. ISBN 978-1-9049-9410-7.
  18. ^ a b "Stevens Nuts over 'Squirrel'". Billboard. December 8, 1984. pp. 39, 42.
  19. ^ Michael Erlewine, ed. (1997). All Music Guide to Country. Bloomsbury Academic. p. 448. ISBN 9780879304751.
  20. ^ "Adult Contemporary Chart". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 5, 2016.
  21. ^ "Box Score Top Grossing Concerts". Billboard. June 1, 1985. p. 48. ISSN 0006-2510.
  22. ^ "Ray Stevens Bio: Ray Stevens Career". CMT Artists. Archived from the original on February 23, 2013. Retrieved April 12, 2017.
  23. ^ "We The People CD". Ray Stevens. Retrieved April 12, 2017.
  24. ^ "Ray Stevens – Timeline Photos". Facebook. Retrieved August 20, 2014.
  25. ^ Stevens, Ray; Kalb, C. W. Buddy (March 1, 2014). Ray Stevens' Nashville. Harold R.Ragsdale A/K/A Ray Stevens. ISBN 978-0-6159-9308-9. Retrieved October 27, 2017 – via Google Books.
  26. ^ Betts, Stephen L. (June 20, 2014). "Ray Stevens' Nashville Details Comic Performer's Versatile Career: Comedic country legend writes memoir of good old days in Music City". Rolling Stone. Retrieved June 20, 2014.
  27. ^ Billboard, March 24, 2015 – Ray Stevens Returns With 'Taylor Swift Is Stalkin' Me' – By Chuck Dauphin
  28. ^ Dauphin, Chuck (March 24, 2015). "Ray Stevens Has YouTube Hit With Pro-Arizona Song". Billboard. Retrieved October 10, 2022.
  29. ^ Dukes, Billy (January 2022). "Ray Stevens' Wife Penny Has Died". Taste of Country. Retrieved January 1, 2022.
  30. ^ "Legendary Country Singer, 86, Suffers Heart Attack". Parade. July 8, 2025.
  31. ^ "Country Legend Ray Stevens Survives Heart Attack, Out of Surgery Following Canceled Shows". American Songwriter. July 9, 2025.
  32. ^ "Grammy Awards: Best Pop Vocal Performance – Male". Rockonthennet.com. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
  33. ^ a b "Past Winners Search". Grammy Awards. April 30, 2017. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
  34. ^ a b c d e "Grammy Awards 1971". Awardsandshows.com. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
  35. ^ "Grammy Awards 1976". Awardsandshows.com. Retrieved October 27, 2017.
  36. ^ Arar, Yardena (January 9, 1980). "Grammy awards field a definite mixed bag". The Spokesman-Review. Retrieved April 23, 2010.
  37. ^ McShane, Larry (January 15, 1988). "Irish rockers among Grammy nominees". The Telegraph. Nashua, NH. Associated Press. p. 35. Retrieved April 24, 2010.
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