Photo: Allan warren / CC BY-SA 3.0 (source: Wikimedia Commons)
Johnnie Ray was born on January 10, 1927 in Dallas, Oregon, United States and was credited as a singer, songwriter and composer. Johnnie Ray died on February 24, 1990 at the age of 63. Schooling on record includes Franklin High School. Awards on record include star on Hollywood Walk of Fame.
My Take
Johnnie Ray fascinates me as the emotional spark that lit the fuse before rock and roll properly arrived. In the 1950s he sang with his whole nervous system, weeping on stage, pulling jazz and blues into pop and sending audiences into a frenzy. Critics rightly call him a precursor to rock, but I think the deeper point is that he led with raw feeling before the genre had rules. Coming out of small-town Oregon and performing while partially deaf only sharpens my admiration. His star on the Walk of Fame is earned; he made vulnerability a stage power.
1. Profile
- Name (English)
- Johnnie Ray
- Name (Japanese)
- ジョニー・レイ
- Reading
- じょにー・れい
- Born
- January 10, 1927 – February 24, 1990
- Zodiac / Chinese zodiac
- Capricorn / Rabbit
- Origin
- Dallas, Oregon, United States
- Occupation
- singer / songwriter / composer / television actor / film actor
2. Background
- High school
- Franklin High School
Awards & achievements
- star on Hollywood Walk of Fame
3. Links
- Wikipedia (English)https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Johnnie%20Ray
- Wikidatahttps://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1198056
4. About this entry
Tags
- Last updated
- 2026-06-20
Facts are limited to publicly available information up to 2024; non-public or unconfirmed items are omitted. English text is machine-assisted (facts translated by Sonnet, "My Take" written by Opus 4.8). The Japanese page is the source of record.
Frequently asked questions
When was Johnnie Ray born?
Born January 10, 1927.
When did Johnnie Ray die?
Died February 24, 1990, aged 63.
Where was Johnnie Ray from?
Johnnie Ray was from Dallas, Oregon, United States.
What did Johnnie Ray do?
Johnnie Ray worked as singer, songwriter, composer, television actor, film actor.
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