After years of performing as a Drummer / Singer / Songwriter, Don Ray is laying down his sticks and stepping to the front of the stage for his first ever solo project. Solo? Not exactly. Don will always be a musician first and features some of the hottest rockin' blues tracks he could produce for his CD "On Top Of The Heap". "I wanted my vocal to blend like another instrument on this project" Don explains. "I respect these musician's creativity and performances so much that they are what has my so pumped about this album." "Curt Ryle's guitar playing is absolutely blazing on every track." Laying down his sticks? Not quite. Don has plenty of opportunity to play percussion. He says, "I've always loved the power of the double drummer bands and I still play percussion instruments and some drums".
So, aiming at a target where Country Soul, Austin Blues and Muscle Shoals Southern Rock meet, Don Ray Band hit the bulls eye with the album "On Top Of The Heap".
Tracklist
1.The High Road 3:05
2.I Might Just Say Goodbye 4:16
3.I Can't Find My Angel 4:05
4.So Wicked 3:57
5.Boom Chika Wah Wah 3:42
6.Good Bad Boy 4:00
7.Barbecue and Beans 3:39
8.Wrapped Around A Finger 3:30
9.Perfect Ten 3:20
10.How Much of This Is Love 3:30
11.On Top of the Heap 3:13
Music became a dominate part of Don's life at the age of 10 when he started playing drums in his Dad's Country band in Sioux City, IA. His Dad was the pioneer steel guitar player Donnie Blassl from the early Ferlin Husky days. From that age forward, Don performed nearly every weekend throughout his school days with his Dad as well as other bands in the area. He even acquired a permit from the local Chief of Police that allowed him in clubs as a minor without a parent present IF he was performing with the band. While making money playing Country music, Don couldn't keep the likes of Eric Clapton, Bad Company, Tommy Bolin, Led
Zeppelin, Lynyrd Skynyrd, The Allman Brothers and most all other soulful Rock and Southern Rockers off his turntable at home. That's not to mention his older Sisters' love for the Elvis, Motown, Stax and European sounds that were quickly absorbing into his soul.
At the age of 16, Don began playing regionally in the Midwest with a Pop/Rock band called Freeride. He developing his first true and loyal following as a part of that band and was still know as Don Blassl at that time.
At the age of 18, He left the Midwest for Austin, TX. Don says "I was really diggin' the kick ass Blues coming out of that area and I wanted to get closer to the Western Swing that was born and raised in the heart of Texas." He continues, "I learned quickly that Austin was the perfect place to work on creating a sound that would fuse Country, Swing, Rock and the Blues into my own style." While in Austin, Don played drums, sang and wrote songs for some of the most popular local bands in the area. That's when he dropped his last name and became known by his stage name, Don Ray. "I immediately started playing at and hanging around clubs that were featuring acts like Albert Collins, Johnny Copeland, Omar and the Howlers, Bonnie Raitt, The Fabulous Thunderbirds and Lou Ann Barton." Don Says, "I remember Tex Thomas telling me," 'Raise the keys of your songs and sing higher son.' 'You got the range, use it.' "I will never forget that advise." As much as Don dug the Blues though, now and then, out of the blue, he would take off and travel with a Country or a Swing band for a tour or two. Don loved everything about Texas music. It was while working there with the bands Silver Creek and Borderline that he got the chance to develop a second and much larger regional following. He even played a stint with Aggressive Cajun fiddler, Frenchie Burke and says about that time, "Now that's a whole other groove that I really dig."
At the age of 26, while still having strong Country roots pulling at him as well as his deep love for the Blues, he decided to move to Nashville, TN. to focus on writing songs. Don Ray landed a songwriting deal with Square One Publishing and was writing Country music for a living but he wasn't hitting on all cylinders. So, he started the first Don Ray Band in the early 90s and here came the Blues rushing back again. Looking back, Don says, "I was never happy with the constraints of a single style of music." "I was always wanting improvisation and groove to go with my stories and that may have hurt me in Country music but I think it creates the Blues/Rock and Soul sound that some people are saying that I have today." His lyrics still lean toward telling a Country story, true enough, but the music has a Blues feel if not a hard Southern Rock jolt at times.
Don still resides in the Nashville area. He's currently President of the Indie
record label, Margdon Records Inc., Co-Owner of Margdon Music Publishing and he has produced and now performs his first album as a recording artist. The album is entitled Don Ray Band, "On Top Of The
Heap" and was released in the Blues/Rock genre on September 8th, 2009 on the Margdon Records label.
Curt Ryle - Electric Guitar
As a songwriter, Curt has had songs cut by Billy Ray Cyrus "Storm In The Heartland", George Jones "The Real McCoy", Clinton Gregory and many, many others as well as his own solo project. As a Producer, He has produced Three gold records for Mel Tillis and has producer credits on some of Nashville's best talent. As a musician, Curt's playing can be found on albums by Taylor Swift, Brooks and Dunn, Trisha Yearwood and so many other that they can not be counted. He has toured with several top Country recording artists. Curt has been co-writing with, recording with and playing live with Don Ray since they first met in 1991. Curt co-wrote Boom Chika Wah Wah, Wrapped Around A Finger and the title track, On Top Of The Heap, with Don Ray on the new album.
John Garr - Sax, Electric Guitar, Vocals
John is a lifelong musician, artist and band leader, and has played with such great artists as: Patty Labelle, Roy Buchanan, Bruce Channel, Styx, The J. Geils Band, Chet Atkins, Kix Brooks, Ricky Nelson, Jim Horn and Wayne Jackson of the Memphis Horns, Joe Stampley, James Burton and Danny Gatton. John was nominated for a regional “Emmy” for writing the theme song “Jammin” on, WSMV's hit TV show, “The Saturday Morning Show” in Nashville Tn. John Garr and Don Ray have written numerous songs together.
Jonathan Armstrong - Piano, Keyboard, Trumpet, Vocals
Jonathan has been the longtime keyboard player for Earl Thomas Conley and has performed the duties of Road Manager and Band Leader for ETC. Jonathan is an accomplished Nashville Songwriter as well and is currently writing with Don Ray and creating exciting new music for the next album project.
Ray Martin - Bass, Vocals
At the age of 10, Ray started playing snare drum with his father, the smooth singin’ bluegrass legend, Jimmy Martin. Ray first appeared on the Grand Ole Opry at the age of 12. He then started touring on shows with major acts playing Mandolin and Bass. At the age of 16, Ray recorded (Vol.1) of “Will The Circle Be Unbroken”, with the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band then toured with (Vol. 2) and recorded (Vol. 3). He has performed with acts such as: Joe Ambrosia and Lighthouse, James Brown, Little Richard, The Platters, The Diamonds, Wolfman Jack ,The Benny Hill Show, and Mel
Torme just to name a few. Ray also had the privilege of singing backup beside the late, great John Lennon, and toured with a version of the Sgt. Pepper Show.
John Sturdivant Jr. - Drums
John Sturdivant Jr. is the grandson of country music legends, Kitty Wells and Johnnie Wright. Johnny, or 'Junior' as he is known to associates, started early in the music business. From 1981 through 1993, John toured and recorded as drummer with several bands including: Verlon Thompson, Marty Stuart, William Lee Golden & The Goldens, The Girls Next Door, Keith Stegall, and Kitty Wells & Johnny Wright. He also performed with such artists as Roy Acuff, Hank Thompson, Emmy Lou Harris, Pam Tillis, Buck Owens, Travis Tritt & Vince Gill. Television appearances include: "Nashville Now," "On Stage," "Wimbley Festival," "Grand Ole Opry," "Farm Aid," "Cheyenne Frontier Days," "Nashville Alive," "TNN Gospel Show," "Much Music Canada," "New Country," "This Country's Rockin'," "No Hats" - pay-per view, CBS's "A Day in the Life of Country Music," and "The Tommy Hunter Show."
