Cray, Robert

Cray, Robert , revitalized and popularized guitar-based blues music in the 1980s, along with George Thorogood and the Vaughan brothers Stevie Ray and Jimmie (Fabulous Thunderbirds); b. Columbus, Ga., Aug. 1, 1953. With his rich tenor voice, economical yet fluid guitar style, and original material, Cray broke through into mass popularity with 1986’s Strong Persuader album, the best-selling blues album since the blues revival of the late 1960s and perhaps the best-selling blues recording in history.

Robert Cray moved often with his Army family, eventually settling in Tacoma, Wash. He studied classical piano as a child, and took up guitar at age 12. In 1969 he met bassist Richard Cousins and formed his first group, One Way Street, performing locally. Around 1974 the two moved to Eugene, Ore., and formed the Robert Cray Band. Playing local honky-tonks through 1976 and then touring tirelessly up and down the West Coast, the band gained its first recognition at the San Francisco Blues Festival in 1977. Between 1976 and 1978 Cray and Cousins toured in support of Cray’ guitar idol, Albert Collins. Signed to Tomato Records, the group recorded their debut album, Who’s Been Talkin’ (reissued as Too Many Cooks) in 1978, but Tomato soon went out of business and the album wasn’t released until 1980.

Playing 250 engagements a year, the Robert Cray Band recorded Bad Influence for the small, independent Bay Area label Hightone in 1983. The album, recorded with saxophonists Mike Vannice and Warren Rand, revealed the group’s penchant for the sound of Memphis’s Stax/Volt Records. It was hailed as the first major stylistic advance for the blues in years and brought the group’s first recognition. By 1985’s False Accusations Vannice and Rand had left the band and keyboardist Peter Boe had been added. The album included “Last Time (I Get Burned Like This)” and “Playin’ in the Dirt.” Cray’ first national recognition came with Showdown!, recorded with blues guitarists Albert Collins and Johnny Copeland and released on the small Chicago-based Alligator label in 1986.

A new contract with Polygram (Mercury) Records gave Hightone complete control over the production of Strong Persuader, the Robert Cray Band’ breakthrough album. The album yielded a major hit with “Smoking Gun” and a minor hit with “Right Next Door (Because of Me),” and became the best-selling blues album sinceB. B. King’s Completely Well—and perhaps the bestselling blues recording of all time. In 1986 Eric Clapton recorded Cray’s “Bad Influence” for his August album, and the Robert Cray Band toured in support of Clapton in 1987. Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark was recorded with saxophonist David Sanborn, and in 1989 Cray assisted in the recording of John Lee Hooker’ comeback album The Healer along with Bonnie Raitt, George Thorogood, and Carlos Santana, among others.

Cray subsequently regrouped his band, retaining Richard Cousins and bringing in guitarist Tim Kaihatsu, keyboardist Jimmy Pugh, and drummer Kevin Hayes for Midnight Stroll, which featured the Memphis Horns, Wayne Jackson (trumpet) and Andrew Love (saxophone). The Robert Cray Band cut their touring schedule to about a hundred dates in 1992, recording I Was Warned with new bassist Karl Sevareid under producer Dennis Walker, who cowrote seven of the album’s ten songs. Tim Kaihatsu was dismissed before the band’ next album, Shame + a Sin. Some Rainy Morning followed in 1995.

Discography

THE ROBER T CRAY BAND: Too Many Cooks (1980); Bad Influence (1983); False Accusations (1985); Strong Persuader (1986); Don’t Be Afraid of the Dark (1988); Midnight Stroll (1990); I Was Warned (1992); Shame + a Sin (1993); Some Rainy Morning (1995). ROBERT CRAY, ALBERT COLLINS , AND JOHNN Y COPELAND : Showdown (1986).

—Brock Helander