Robert Ray Whitley (November 22, 1943 – May 5, 2013) was an American

beach music Beach music, also known as Carolina beach music, and to a lesser extent, Beach pop, is a regional genre of music in the United States which developed from rock/ R&B and pop music of the 1950s and 1960s. Beach music is most closely associate ...

composer and singer-songwriter. He was best known for composing hit songs recorded by

The Tams ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the ...

and Guy Darrell, and he also released 14 of his own singles between 1961 and 1970.

Biography

Whitely was born in

Columbus, Georgia Columbus is a consolidated city-county located on the west-central border of the U.S. state of Georgia. Columbus lies on the Chattahoochee River directly across from Phenix City, Alabama. It is the county seat of Muscogee County, with which it ...

on November 22, 1943 to Robert S. and Willie Bell Whitley. Whitley was 14 when he formed his first band in his hometown. Producer

Felton Jarvis Charles Felton Jarvis (November 15, 1934 – January 3, 1981) was an American record producer and singer. Career As an RCA Victor record producer, Jarvis was responsible for most recordings of Elvis Presley in the years 1966–1977. He also rele ...

soon discovered him in an Atlanta High School. Jarvis introduced Whitley to

Atlanta Atlanta ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the U.S. state of Georgia. It is the seat of Fulton County, the most populous county in Georgia, but its territory falls in both Fulton and DeKalb counties. With a population of 498,715 ...

music producer Bill Lowery, who saw Whitley's potential and signed him to a contract. Whitley's songwriting credits include " What Kind of Fool (Do You Think I Am)" (which reached #9 on the Billboard charts), "

I've Been Hurt "I've Been Hurt" is a popular single by the Tams, Guy Darrell, and Bill Deal and the Rhondels. Written by Ray Whitley, it was originally released in 1965. The Tams version "I've Been Hurt" appeared in the Hit Bulletin section of ''Cash Box'' ...

", " Hey Girl, Don't Bother Me", "You Lied to Your Daddy", and " Be Young, Be Foolish, Be Happy" (co-written with J.R. Cobb of the Atlanta Rhythm Section) for

. His compositions were also recorded by

Billy Joe Royal Billy Joe Royal (April 3, 1942 – October 6, 2015) was an American country soul singer. His most successful record was " Down in the Boondocks" in 1965. Life and career Born in Valdosta, Georgia, to Clarence and Mary Sue Smith Royal, and rai ...

Tommy Roe Thomas David "Tommy" Roe (born May 9, 1942) is a retired American rock and pop singer-songwriter. Best-remembered for his hits "Sheila" (1962) and " Dizzy" (1969), Roe was "widely perceived as one of the archetypal bubblegum artists of the late ...

, Guy Darrell, The Swinging Medallions,

Bill Deal and the Rhondels Bill Deal & the Rhondels were an American pop band, formed in 1959
retrieved October 29, 2013. in Portsmouth, Virginia, crossing ...

Mylon LeFevre Mylon R. LeFevre (born October 6, 1944) is an American Christian rock singer best known for his work with his band Mylon and Broken Heart. He is a member of the Gospel Music Hall of Fame. He travels around the United States, ministering, teach ...

and Sonia Evans. Whitley toured nationally as a singer and performer, in addition to his work as a songwriter. He was inducted into the

Georgia Music Hall of Fame The Georgia Music Hall of Fame was a hall of fame to recognize music performers and music industry professionals from or connected to the state of Georgia. It began with efforts of the state's lieutenant governor Zell Miller to attract the music ...

in 1991. Later in his life, Whitley struggled with alcoholism and homelessness; as of 2011, he was living in a shelter in Gainesville, Georgia. Whitley died on May 5, 2013, after several months of illness. Ray had one child, Christopher.

Discography as a recording artist

*1961 - I Wasn't Sure / There Goes A Teardrop - Vee Jay USA VJ 414 *1962 - Yessiree-Yessiree / A Love We Can Have And Hold - Vee Jay USA VJ 433 *1962 - It Hurts / Deeper In Love - Vee Jay USA VJ 448 *1963 - Teenage Crush / Young Heartaches - Vee Jay USA VJ 521 *1964 - Walking Back To You / Weep Little Girl Weep - Vee Jay USA VJ 591 *1965 - I've Been Hurt / There Is One Boy - Dunhill USA D-201 *1965 - Runaway / I'll Tell The Robin - Apt USA 45-25086 *1966 - The End Of My World / Just A Boy In Love - Columbia USA 4-43607 *1967 - Take Back Your Mind / Here Today, Gone Tomorrow - Columbia USA 4-43980 *1968 - 1983 / Gotta Go There - TRX USA 45-T-5007 *1969 - Don't Throw Your Love To The Wind / Underdose Of Faith - 123 USA 1707 *1970 - Hey Girl, Don't Bother Me / Everybody - Attarack USA ATT 103

Selected songs written by Ray Whitley

Biography

Discography as a recording artist

Selected songs written by Ray Whitley

References

Further reading