COLLIN RAYE

Born: DeQueen, Arkansas, 22 August 1959

Genre: Country

Best-selling album since 1990: I Think about You (1995)

Hit songs since 1990: "Little Rock," "In This Life," "Love, Me"

Collin Raye's appealing tenor voice, which in its grittiness recalls Don Henley of the 1970s rock band the Eagles, graced a long string of country hits during the 1990s. Softer than Alan Jackson yet falling short of John Michael Montgomery's sticky sentimentality, Raye used his songs to tackle difficult social issues such as alcoholism and child abuse. Over the course of his career Raye has proven his versatility with performances that range from pure country to sophisticated pop balladry.

Growing up in Arkansas, Raye and his brother Scott frequently performed with their mother, a well-known local country singer who opened for stars such as Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash when they came to town. In the late 1970s the siblings formed the Wray Brothers Band, enjoying a minor country hit with the single "Reason to Believe" (1983). After the group disbanded, Raye was signed to Epic Records as a solo performer. His first album, All That I Can Be (1990), was a solid effort highlighted by "Love, Me," which hit number one on the country charts in 1992. The sentimental song, in which the narrator describes the death of his grandmother, became a favorite at funerals—its lyrics have often been carved in tombstones. On the hit "In This Life" (1993), in which a man ruminates upon his imminent wedding, Raye again displayed his ability to craft heartfelt, convincing songs marking life's passages. Not surprisingly, the song was soon a popular choice for wedding receptions.

In 1994 Raye moved in a more challenging direction with "Little Rock," an unsparing portrait of an alcoholic struggling to get his life on track. With lines such as "I haven't had a drink in 19 days," "Little Rock" brought a new level of realism to country music, putting a human face on a misunderstood disease. Given that alcohol has historically been represented in country lyrics as a palliative for depression, Raye deserves credit for his honesty and courage in tackling this subject. By the mid-1990s Raye had become known for addressing at least one social issue per album. The Walls Came Down (1998), for instance, features "The Eleventh Commandment," a harrowing account of child physical and sexual abuse: "she's so ashamed she's Daddy's secret love." At the same time, Raye became a spokesperson for Childhelp USA, an outreach organization for abused children. Although Raye's 2000 album, Tracks, sports a mainstream country-rock production in keeping with the hit sound of late 1990s artists such as Shania Twain, his next release, Can't Back Down (2001), is a more versatile set that combines a varied array of musical impulses. On "I Can Let Go Now," a heavily orchestrated pop ballad, Raye delivers one of his subtlest performances, his voice displaying softness, range, and flexibility.

Although Raye performs all types of material with conviction, he was best known in the 1990s for daring songs that set a new standard for lyrical maturity in country music. His earnest, pleading voice informs his songs of life, love, and death with an unwavering layer of sincerity.

SELECTIVE DISCOGRAPHY:

All That I Can Be (Epic, 1990); In This Life (Epic, 1992); Extremes (Epic, 1994); I Think about You (Epic, 1995); The Walls Came Down (Epic, 1998); Tracks (Epic, 2000); Can't Back Down (Epic, 2001).

david freeland