Danny Ray (born 3 September 1951) is a

Jamaica Jamaica (; ) is an island country situated in the Caribbean Sea. Spanning in area, it is the third-largest island of the Greater Antilles and the Caribbean (after Cuba and Hispaniola). Jamaica lies about south of Cuba, and west of His ...

n-born

reggae Reggae () is a music genre that originated in Jamaica in the late 1960s. The term also denotes the modern popular music of Jamaica and its diaspora. A 1968 single by Toots and the Maytals, " Do the Reggay" was the first popular song to use ...

singer and record producer who has been based in the United Kingdom since the late 1960s. He recorded for

MCA Records MCA Records was an American record label owned by MCA Inc., which later became part of Universal Music Group. Pre-history MCA Inc., a powerful talent agency and a television production company, entered the recorded music business in 1962 wit ...

and

Trojan Records Trojan Records is a British record label founded in 1968. It specialises in ska, rocksteady, reggae and dub music. The label currently operates under the Sanctuary Records Group. The name ''Trojan'' comes from the Croydon-built Trojan truck t ...

in the early 1970s and later set up his own Black Jack label.

Biography

Born in Kingston, Ray began his career in Jamaican talent shows in the early 1960s, Jackie Edwards being an early influence.Larkin, Colin (1998) ''The Virgin Encyclopedia of Reggae'', Virgin Books, , p. 242Gray, Marcus (2011) ''Route 19 Revisited: The Clash and London Calling'', Vintage, , p. 350 He relocated to the UK in 1965 and joined the

Royal Air Force The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal Flying Corps (RFC) and ...

. While posted in

Germany Germany,, officially the Federal Republic of Germany, is a country in Central Europe. It is the second most populous country in Europe after Russia, and the most populous member state of the European Union. Germany is situated betwe ...

he formed the Danny Ray and the Vibrations, the band appearing on television and radio in Europe. After leaving the Air Force and a spell in Jamaica, he returned to the UK and formed Danny Ray and the Falcons, the group recording the single "The Scorpion" for MCA Records.Moskowitz, David V. (2006) ''Caribbean Popular Music: an Encyclopedia of Reggae, Mento, Ska, Rock Steady, and Dancehall'', Greenwood Press, , pp. 251–2 He moved on to Trojan Records who released several successful singles including "Don't Stop", "Sister Big Stuff", "Playboy", and "Your Eyes are Dreaming", with his debut album, ''The Same One'', released in 1973.de Koning, Michael & Cane-Honeysett, Laurence (2003) ''Young Gifted and Black: the Story of Trojan Records'', Sanctuary Publishing Limited, , p. 293 In 1974 he starred in the

BFI The British Film Institute (BFI) is a film and television charitable organisation which promotes and preserves film-making and television in the United Kingdom. The BFI uses funds provided by the National Lottery (United Kingdom), National Lot ...

-financed film ''Moon Over the Alley'' along with

Sharon Forrester Sharon Forrester (born 1956) is a Jamaican reggae singer who had success in the 1970s and 1990s. Biography Born in Kingston, Jamaica in 1956, Forrester was born into a musical family and began singing at an early age, singing in church choirs ...

. In 1976 he set up the

Harlesden Harlesden is a district in the London Borough of Brent, North West London. Located north of the Grand Union Canal and Wormwood Scrubs, the Harrow Road flows through the centre of the area which goes eastwards to Central London and west towards ...

-based Golden Age label with

Sydney Crooks Sydney Crooks, also known as Luddy Pioneer, Norris Cole, Luddy Crooks, Frankie Diamond and Brother Cole, is a founder and original member of the classic Jamaican vocal trio The Pioneers. Biography Sydney Crooks, born 24 February 1945 in Westmor ...

of The Pioneers, label subsidiaries including Pioneer and Doctor, the latter from Ray's initials. Ray had further success with singles such as "Dip and Fall Back", " Revolution Rock", and

cover versions In popular music, a cover version, cover song, remake, revival, or simply cover, is a new performance or recording by a musician other than the original performer or composer of the song. Originally, it referred to a version of a song release ...

Bob Marley Robert Nesta Marley (6 February 1945 – 11 May 1981; baptised in 1980 as Berhane Selassie) was a Jamaican singer, musician, and songwriter. Considered one of the pioneers of reggae, his musical career was marked by fusing elements o ...

's "

Waiting in Vain "Waiting in Vain" is a song written by reggae musician Bob Marley and recorded by Bob Marley & The Wailers, for his 1977 album '' Exodus''. Released as a single, it hit number twenty-seven in the UK Singles Chart. The single was one of only ...

" and "Rastaman Live Up". Ray set up his own Black Jack label in the late 1970s, producing and releasing his own recordings as well as records by Christine Joy White, Album Pure Love,

Dave Barker Dave Barker (born David John Crooks, 10 October 1947, Franklyn Town, Kingston, Jamaica) is a reggae and rocksteady singer who has made a string of solo albums along with recordings as a member of The Techniques and as half of the duo Dave and An ...

The Glow of Love ''The Glow of Love'' is the debut studio album by Italian/American ensemble Change, released in April 1980. It includes the singles " A Lover's Holiday", "Searching" and "The Glow of Love"; all three singles simultaneously topped the US dance cha ...

") and Winston Francis ("

California Dreaming "California Dreamin'" is a song written by John Phillips and Michelle Phillips and first recorded by Barry McGuire. The best-known version is by the Mamas & the Papas, who sang backup on the original version and released it as a single in 196 ...

").Gooden, Lou (2003) ''Reggae Heritage: Jamaica's Music History, Culture & Politic'', AuthorHouse, , p. 235 The B-side of his 1979 single "Rastaman Live Up", "Revolution Rock", was covered by

The Clash The Clash were an English rock band formed in London in 1976 who were key players in the original wave of British punk rock. Billed as "The Only Band That Matters", they also contributed to the and new wave movements that emerged in the wa ...

on their ''

London Calling ''London Calling'' is the third studio album by English rock band the Clash. It was originally released as a double album in the United Kingdom on 14 December 1979 by CBS Records, and in the United States in January 1980 by Epic Records. The C ...

'' album.Salewicz, Chris (2007) ''Redemption Song: The Ballad of Joe Strummer'', Faber & Faber, , pp. 250–251 His duet with Shirley James, "Why Don't You Spend the Night", was sufficiently successful that

Arista Records Arista Records () is an American record label owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America, the North American division of the Japanese conglomerate Sony. The label was previously handled by BMG Entertainmen ...

offered him a record deal, reissuing the single and its follow-up, "Right Time of the Night". An album followed featuring both singles. Ray was one of the artists who contributed to the British Reggae Artists Famine Appeal charity single "Let's Make Africa Green Again" in the mid-1980s. His third album, ''All the Best'', was released in 1989. He has continued to work as a producer, working with the Jet Star label and artists such as

J.C. Lodge J.C. Lodge, (born June Carol Lodge, 1 December 1958, London, England), is a British-Jamaican reggae singer, actress, fine artist and teacher. Her breakthrough hit "Someone Loves You Honey, Someone Loves You, Honey" became the best-selling singl ...

and Luciano.

Discography

Albums

*''The Same One'' (1973),

Trojan Trojan or Trojans may refer to: * Of or from the ancient city of Troy * Trojan language, the language of the historical Trojans Arts and entertainment Music * ''Les Troyens'' ('The Trojans'), an opera by Berlioz, premiered part 1863, part 1890 ...

*''All the Best'' (198?), Black Jack *''Why Don't You Spend the Night'' (1981), Black Jack – Danny Ray featuring Shirley James *''Playboy'' (198?), Black Jack *''Classic Lovers'' (2005), Black Jack – Danny Ray and Friends

Singles

*"Feel so Bad" (1972),

Horse The horse (''Equus ferus caballus'') is a domesticated, one-toed, hoofed mammal. It belongs to the taxonomic family Equidae and is one of two extant subspecies of ''Equus ferus''. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million y ...

*"White And Wonderful, Black And Beautiful" (1972), Horse *"I'm Gonna Get Married" (1973), Trojan *"White And Wonderful, Black And Beautiful" (1973), Horse *"Ain't It A Beautiful Morning" (1974), Trojan *"Morning Side of the Mountain" (1974), Trojan *"Jane Ann" (1975), Talent *"Easy Loving" (1975), Doctor – with Pat Dillon *"I Can't Get Used To Losing You" (1976), Trojan *"Fire Redder Than Red" (1976), Love *"Waiting in Vain" (1977), Golden Age *"Playboy" (1977), Trojan *"World Festivity" (1977), Doctor *"Just Like a River" (1978), Horse *"Back in My Arms" (1978), Black Jack *"Rastaman Live Up"/"Revolution Rock" (1979), Black Jack/Philips *"If You Wanna Be Happy" (1980), Jackal *"Playboy (Rapping)" (1980), Black Jack *"Let Me Love You" (1981), Black Jack *"Why Don't You Spend The Night" (1981), Black Jack – with Shirley James *"

Right Time of the Night "Right Time of the Night" is the title of a composition by Peter McCann, which became a top-ten hit single in 1977 via a recording by Jennifer Warnes. Composition Peter McCann would recall his inspiration for writing "Right Time of the Night": "I ...

" (1981), Black Jack – with Shirley James *"Hey! Paula" (1982), Black Jack – with Shirley James *"Spring Again" (1982), Black Jack *"Play Boy" (1985), Black Jack *"Hard Knock Life" (198?), Black Jack *"Jamaica I Hear You Calling" (198?), Black Jack *"He'll Break Your Heart", Boomerang – with Balance *"Kingston Town", Black Jack *"No Love Today", Black Jack *"Working Couple", Black Jack *"If You Wanna Be Happy", Jet Star *"Enjoy Yourself" (It's Later Than You Think)(2011), Black Jack

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ray, Danny 1951 births Living people Musicians from Kingston, Jamaica Jamaican male singers Jamaican reggae singers Trojan Records artists