BACK TO THE BEGINNING

Ray first came under the ‘Music Industry spotlight’, in the mid seventies as Guitarist with FRANKIE MILLER, one of the best Soul/blues singers (and writers), ever to come out of Britain. Ray’s musical roots have always been firmly entrenched in the Blues, and after forming Frankie Millers’Full House with Miller, enjoyed the most successful years of his career with Frankie, playing on classic Miller hits like, Be Good to Yourself, Sail Away, Ain’t Got no Money, Jealous Guy, and A Fool in Love etc. etc. To this day his relationship with Frankie is a strong one, and is something he cherishes.

After the success of Full House, he was invited by John Verity and Bob Henrit to join Russ Ballard, Robert Henrit, John Verity and Jim Rodford in the “Argent” off-shoot, PHOENIX, where a flourishing Song writing partnership with John Verity was developed Ray added what Trident Mgt. and Verity referred to as a raw quality to the band, and his song writing talents were invaluable, writing eight out of ten of the tracks on the “In Full View album.” While recording with Phoenix at Cherokee Studios in Los Angeles, Phil Lynott offered Ray the job of replacing the departing Gary Moore in the ranks of Thin Lizzy. He turned the gig down. ”Minhinnett too busy for Lizzy”, proclaimed the headline in Melody Maker shortly afterwards, Meanwhile, Ray carried on with the job in hand, the recording of, ‘In full view’, Phoenix’s album for Polygram U.S.A. with Henrit, and Verity. When Phoenix split up, Ray returned to his roots and his beloved Blues with a new band featuring a five piece Brass section - The Q-Tips Horns, Andy Pyle on Bass, Graham Walker on Drums, and Don Airey, and Chris Parren on Keys.

Once again his old pal Gary Moore entered his life, this time however, when he left, he took Rays’ band with him, and they became The Midnight Blues Band. Coincidently, at this time he was offered the opportunity to act as Musical Director/Co-Presenter alongside Matthew Lorrenzo on Sky TV’s new flagship show Saturday Night, a two hour live-weekly show that created a formula that has since been much copied in British TV. Every week, Ray was given the opportunity of inviting a special guest onto the show to perform with him and his band. This also allowed his to share centre stage with great artists like Bobby Womack, Sonny Curtis and Courtney Pine, Status Quo, Grace Jones and John Parr, playing to a TV audience counted in millions all over Europe & the UK!

Producer MIKE VERNON asked Ray to submit a track for a new British blues compilation album he was planning. It was to be called, ‘UN/American Blues Activities’ and featured the cream of the British blues scene. The song Ray contributed was an emotive, self-penned slow blues called ‘Never had the blues like this before’.This was to prove to be an excellent choice as that year he was recipient of the Paul Jones Rn’B Radio Shows:

BEST BRITISH BLUES SONGWRITER AWARD.
and nominated by Blueprint Magazine for
“BEST BRITISH BLUES GUITARIST”
alongside
Eric Clapton, Rory Gallagher, and Gary Moore.

Ray won a whole new audience for himself when he opened on ERROL BROWNS’ 72 date sell-out British tour, playing to audiences of between 2 & 3,000 people every night. The tour included The London Palladium, and the response to Rays’ set - which he performed with only a Keyboard player was nothing short of incredible and solicited shouts for encores - as on most nights of the Tour. During the Tour Ray was already planning, writing, and recording new material as well as working on his ‘FLAVOURS of CREAM’ project. This album is not only to tip his hat to his mentors, Eric Clapton and Peter Green, but also to mark what he says, ”Was one of the saddest days of my life when I was a budding Guitarist”, The last Concert by Cream at Londons’ Royal Albert Hall. “This year will be the 35th. Anniversary of that Concert, and I wanted to do something, similiar to Garys’ (Moore) ‘Blues for Greeny’, just to show my gratitude not only to Eric, but to Peter Greene as well really”. “They were my point of reference, my start point, before I’d ever heard of Robert Johnson, Otis Rush, Buddy Guy or Freddie, Albert & BB King”.

His CREAM’D TOUR last year with ex Savoy Brown Bass Player/vocalist Ian Ellis was a huge success and won Ray some great press. He also did the opening set on the tour to promote his own new Album, ‘A Night to Remember’. The date sheet for 2003 is already almost full with Tour & Festival dates coming in thick and fast, Rays’ first return to the road for some time will be to promote his Flavours of Cream’d Album, followed by a new Accoustic Blues Album with Saxaphone Maestro Harry S. Fulcher later in the year.