Robert Cray Biography
1 August 1953, Columbus, Georgia, USA. The popularity of guitar-based blues during the 80s had much to do with the unassuming brilliance of this artist. Cray's music, a mixture of pure blues, soul and rock, and his fluid, clean style owes much to Albert Collins and Peter Green, while on faster numbers a distinct Jimi Hendrix influence is heard.
Athough he formed his first band in 1974, it was not until 1980 that Cray made his recording debut. Who's Been Talkin' failed because the record label folded (it was later reissued by Charly Records). It was not until Bad Influence in 1983 that Cray's name became widely known. During this period the Robert Cray Band featured the stellar rhythm section of Richard Cousins (bass) and Dave Olson (drums). The Grammy Award-winning Strong Persuader (1986) became the most successful blues album for over two decades, generating the classic tracks "Smoking Gun" and "Right Next Door (Because Of Me)". Cray handled his new-found popularity with calm modesty. He attracted the attention of experienced stars such as Eric Clapton, who in addition to recording Cray's "Bad Influence", invited him to record with him and play at his 1989 marathon series of concerts at London's Royal Albert Hall. In 1988 Cray consolidated his reputation with the superb album Don't Be Afraid Of The Dark, which featured some raucous saxophone playing from David Sanborn. The follow-up Midnight Stroll featured a new line-up that gave Cray a tougher-sounding unit and moved him out of mainstream blues towards R&B and soul. Cray's quartet in the mid-90s featured Kevin Hayes (drums), Karl Sevareid (bass) and Jim Pugh (keyboards), but the bland I Was Warned (1992) and the bluesy Shame + A Sin (1993) were lesser albums. The 1995 recording Some Rainy Morning was Cray's vocal album: there were no blinding solos to be found, but rather, a mature and sweet voice that prompted Cray to be viewed as a soul singer rather than a blues guitarist. The follow-up Sweet Potato Pie went all out for soul blues territory, featuring the Memphis Horns on a cover version of Isaac Hayes and David Porter's "Trick Or Treat". Cray moved to Rykodisc Records for 1999's Take Your Shoes Off, a loose-limbed and funky affair that was, to all intents and purposes, a soul record. The 2001 follow-up Shoulda Been Home moved even further away from the blues and was a pure southern soul recording, with Cray putting his guitar aside and concentrating on his singing. Another switch of labels followed, with Cray making his debut for Sanctuary with the 2003 recording Time Will Tell. The album featured the Turtle Island String Quartet on two tracks, and saw Cray venturing into protest material with "Survivor" and "Distant Shore". He maintained this approach on the title track of the 2005 follow-up, Twenty.
Source: The Encyclopedia of Popular Music by Colin Larkin. Licensed from Muze.
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