ROBERT CRAY SIGNED AUTOGRAPHED 8x10 PHOTO CELEBRATED BLUES GUITARIST

Description

ROBERT CRAY SIGNED AUTOGRAPHED 8x10 PHOTO CELEBRATED BLUES GUITARIST
Early life
[
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]
Robert Cray was born on August 1, 1953, in
Columbus, Georgia
, while his father was stationed at
Fort Benning
. Cray's musical beginnings go back to when he was a student at
Denbigh High School
in
Newport News, Virginia
. While there, he played in his first band, The One-Way Street. His family eventually settled in the
Tacoma, Washington
, area.There, he attended
Lakes High School
in
Lakewood, Washington
.
Career
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]
By the age of twenty, Cray had seen his heroes
Albert Collins
,
Freddie King
and
Muddy Waters
in concert and decided to form his own band; they began playing college towns on the
West Coast
. In the late 1970s he lived in
Eugene, Oregon
, where he formed the Robert Cray Band and collaborated with
Curtis Salgado
in the Cray-Hawks. In the 1978 film
National Lampoon's Animal House
, Cray was the uncredited bassist in the house party band
Otis Day and the Knights
.
Cray released the album
Who's Been Talkin'
on
Tomato Records
in 1980. Two albums on
HighTone Records
in the mid-1980s,
Bad Influence
and
False Accusations
, were moderately successful in the United States and in Europe, where he was building a reputation as a live artist. In 1985, he released the album
Showdown!
with his hero Albert Collins and
Johnny Copeland
. Cray was signed to
Mercury Records
and in 1986 released his fourth album,
Strong Persuader
, produced by Dennis Walker, which received a
Grammy Award
, while the
crossover
single
"Smokin' Gun" gave him wider appeal and name recognition. Under the pseudonym "Night Train Clemons", he recorded with
Ted Hawkins
in 1986. He was invited by
Keith Richards
to join the backing band for
Chuck Berry
in the 1987 film,
Chuck Berry:
Hail! Hail! Rock 'N' Roll
, directed by
Taylor Hackford
.
By now, Cray was an opening act for such major stars as
Eric Clapton
and sold out larger venues as a solo artistCray has generally played Fender guitars (
Telecasters
and
Stratocasters
) and there are two signature Robert Cray Stratocasters models available from Fender. The Robert Cray Custom Shop Stratocaster is made in the U.S. in the Fender custom shop and is identical to the guitars that Cray currently plays, while the
Robert Cray Standard Stratocaster
is a less-expensive model made in Fender's
Ensenada
,
Mexico
plant.
Cray had the opportunity to play alongside
John Lee Hooker
on his album
Boom Boom
, playing the guitar solo in the song "Same Old Blues Again". He is also featured on the Hooker album,
The Healer
; he plays a guitar solo on the song "Baby Lee". The entire Robert Cray Band backs Hooker on the title track of his 1992 album
Mr. Lucky
, where Cray plays lead guitar, sings, and banters with Hooker throughout the song
]
In August 1990, Cray played with Eric Clapton,
Buddy Guy
,
Jimmie Vaughan
, and
Stevie Ray Vaughan
at the
Alpine Valley Music Theatre
in
East Troy, Wisconsin
, performing "
Sweet Home Chicago
". This was Stevie Ray Vaughan's final performance before
he died in a helicopter accident later that night
.
Cray was invited to play at the "Guitar Legends" concerts in
Seville
, Spain at the 1992
Expo
, where he played a signature track, "Phone Booth".
Albert Collins
was also on the bill on this blues night of the "Legends" gigs.Cray continues to record and tour. He appeared at the
Crossroads Guitar Festival
, and supported Eric Clapton on his 2006-2007 world tour.
In 2011, Cray was inducted to the
Blues Hall of Fame
and received the
Americana Music Lifetime Achievement Award for Performance
in 2017.