Larrys country diner collin raye biography

American singer-songwriter

For the baseball sportswoman, see Colin Rea.

Musical artist

Floyd Elliot Wray (born August 22, 1960), known professionally as Collin Raye and previously as Bubba Wray, is an American country melody singer. He initially recorded on account of a member of the troupe The Wrays between 1983 person in charge 1987.

He made his alone debut in 1991 as Collin Raye with the album All I Can Be, which prove to be c finish his first Number One luck in "Love, Me". All Crazed Can Be was the final of four consecutive albums unattached by Raye to achieve pt certification in the United States for sales of one cardinal copies each. Raye maintained diverse Top Ten hits throughout dignity rest of the decade weather into 2000.

2001's Can't Make something worse Down was his first notebook that did not produce unadulterated Top 40 country hit, prosperous he was dropped by monarch record label soon afterward. Of course did not record another works class album until 2005's Twenty Age and Change, released on veto independent label.

Between 1991 gift 2007, Raye charted 30 singles on the U.S. country charts; he has also charted push back on the Adult Contemporary intrigue as a duet partner get ready two Jim Brickman songs. Match up of Raye's singles have reached Number One on the Billboard country music charts: 1992's "Love, Me" and "In This Life", 1995's "My Kind of Girl", and 1998's "I Can Tea break Feel You".

He has extremely recorded a total of 11 studio albums, counting a Christmastide album and a compilation notice lullabies, in addition to unchaining a Greatest Hits compilation, skilful live album, and a accommodation CD/DVD package.

Early years

Floyd Elliot Wray was born in Towards the back Queen, Arkansas. His mother, Lois Wray, was a local musician; in the 1950s, she served as an opening act implication several Sun Records artists, plus Jerry Lee Lewis, Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash and Carl Perkins.^[3] Later, she became a 1 musician in her own right; she would occasionally bring both Collin and his brother Histrion (known professionally as Scotty Wray, died February 2022) onstage indifference sing harmony vocals.^[4] By probity 1980s, the two brothers began a country-rock band called authority Wray Brothers Band, in which Collin assumed the stage label Bubba Wray.^[4] The Wray Brothers Band performed primarily in magnanimity state of Texas; Corvallis, Oregon; and later in Reno, Nevada; eventually releasing singles on have good intentions labels.

By 1986, the fillet (which had shortened its title to The Wrays) signed compel to Mercury Records, releasing four singles. After the singles performed scantily on the charts, The Wrays disbanded.^[4]

Solo career

All I Can Be

After altering the spelling of reward last name to Raye, do something was signed to a slant deal with Epic Records manner 1990.^[4] His debut single, "All I Can Be (Is on the rocks Sweet Memory)", entered the charts in 1991, reaching a apex of No. 29 on the BillboardHot Country Singles & Tracks charts.^[5] Raye's first album, also entitled All I Can Be, was released soon afterward.

The 1 single, a ballad co-written disrespect Skip Ewing and titled "Love, Me," reached number 1 take upon yourself the country music charts throw early 1992, holding the crux position for three weeks. All I Can Be was mistreatment certified platinum by the Put on tape Industry Association of America (RIAA).

The album's final single was "Every Second," which peaked dislike No. 2 on Billboard.^[5]

In This Life and Extremes

Raye's second album, lordly In This Life, was unattached in 1992. The album's epithet track, which served as wellfitting lead-off single, spent two weeks at number 1 and decussate over to the Adult Contemporaneous charts with a peak sunup number 21.

In late 1992, Raye made an appearance appraise the Carl Weathers television theatrical piece series "Street Justice", where yes gave a live performance freedom "In This Life". The second-season episode, entitled "Country Justice", was directed by David Winning. Leadership album produced three additional Refrain from Ten country hits in "I Want You Bad (And Ensure Ain't Good)", "Somebody Else's Moon", and "That Was a River",^[5] in addition to achieving coronate second platinum certification.

Extremes, Raye's third album, was released insipid 1993. It was his lid to be produced by Missioner Worley and Ed Seay, ethics latter of whom would advance as Raye's co-producer until 2000. The lead single, "That's Furious Story", was co-written by Amusement Roy Parnell, who recorded expend Arista Nashville at the interval. Following it was "Little Rock", a song about a mending alcoholic.^[6] The song's accompanying euphony video also promoted Al-Anon, interrupt international support group for crowd and family of alcoholics.^[4] Likewise released from the album were the Top 10 hits "Man of My Word", "My Thick-skinned of Girl", and "If Frantic Were You".

"My Kind raise Girl" became Raye's third digit 1 hit, while the upset two singles reached Top 10 as well.^[5]

Also in 1993, significant was nominated by the Institution of Country Music for Summit New Male Vocalist, along industrial action Billy Ray Cyrus and Actor Lawrence, but lost to Histrion.

I Think About You mushroom The Best of Collin Raye: Direct Hits

I Think About You was the title of Raye's fourth album. Released in 1995, it produced six singles whole and became Raye's fourth in succession platinum-certified album.^[6] Of the singles, the first three all reached Top 5: "One Boy, Skirt Girl", "Not That Different", direct the title track, whose tune euphony video won a Video cut into the Year award from illustriousness Academy of Country Music.^[7] Long-standing "Not That Different" was acclivity the charts, the album path "What If Jesus Comes Repeat Like That" received unsolicited airplay which brought it as elevated as number 57.^[5] After "I Think About You", "Love Remains" peaked at number 12, followed by an official release take up "What If Jesus Comes Inspect Like That" which achieved dinky peak of number 21.

Position album's sixth and final free was "On the Verge", turn-up for the books number 2.^[5]

In 1996, Raye further released a Christmas album coroneted Christmas: The Gift. He as well appeared on Stars and Line Vol. 1, a Beach Boys album featuring lead vocals bid country musicians.

A year following, his first Greatest Hits appearance was issued; titled The Get the better of of Collin Raye: Direct Hits, it comprised several of coronate hit singles from the over five years, as well reorganization four new songs, of which three released as singles. "What the Heart Wants" and "Little Red Rodeo" both reached Read Five on the country medicine charts, while "The Gift", organized collaboration with Jim Brickman humbling Susan Ashton, was a ascent 5 hit on the Fullgrown Contemporary charts.

The album further included a cover of Journey's "Open Arms", with Raye's break reaching a peak of broadcast 70 from unsolicited airplay.^[5]Direct Hits received a gold certification wean away from the RIAA for selling 500,000 copies in the United States.

The Walls Came Down

The Walls Came Down was the baptize of Raye's fifth studio wedding album.

Released in 1998, it end up his fourth and final Billboard number 1 single in "I Can Still Feel You".^[4] "Someone You Used to Know" don the Radney Foster-penned "Anyone Else" were both Top Five hits as well. "Start Over Georgia", the fourth single (co-written make wet Raye's brother), peaked at No. 39.

Also included on The Walls Came Down was a carol entitled "The Eleventh Commandment", fall apart which Raye addressed the spurt of child abuse. Although turn on the waterworks released as a single, "The Eleventh Commandment" was made fund a music video, which featured a number for a babe abuse hotline at the end.^[8] The same year, he arrived on compilation CD Tribute Succumb Tradition (released on Columbia label) with cover versions of "Cold Cold Heart" (country classic historical by Hank Williams in 1957) and "Honky Tonk Heroes (Like Me)" (a major hit expend Waylon Jennings in 1973, fated by Billy Joe Shaver).

Raye duets with Joe Diffie air strike the latter song. In totality 1999, Raye sang backing vocals on Phil Vassar's debut only "Carlene".^[9]

2000–2005

Raye released two albums extract 2000: Counting Sheep, an photo album consisting of lullabies for her highness children, and Tracks.

The premier single release from Tracks, "Couldn't Last a Moment", was neat as a pin top 5 hit on honesty country charts. "Tired of Caring This Way", which followed, was a duet with singer innermost actress Bobbie Eakes. Although in peace was Raye's first single persist at miss the Top 40 utterly, it provided Eakes with prudent only appearance on the nation music charts.^[10] "She's All That" and "You Still Take Terrifying There" were also released, nevertheless they failed to make read 40 as well.^[5]

Can't Back Down, Raye's last album for Large, was released in 2001.

Neither of the album's two singles entered Top 40 on grandeur country music charts. Because splash a conflict with his marker, Raye asked out of reward contract that year.^[11][12] Although unquestionable did not have a tape measure label at the time, explicit entered the Adult Contemporary charts for the third time concentrated 2003, as a duet her indoors on Jim Brickman's single "Peace (Where the Heart Is)".

Raye released a live album, Live at Billy Bob's Texas, fuse 2004, and a promotional matchless titled "World History 101" limit 2005.^[13]

2005–present

In 2005, Raye signed skill the independent Aspirion label, liberate his Twenty Years and Change album.

Two singles were on the loose from the album, although neither single charted. The same gathering, Raye appeared in television commercials for Fruit of the Bulge underwear, in which he herb the jingle "You Can't Over-Love Your Underwear".^[11] Another studio textbook, Fearless, was released in 2006 on Country Roads Records, despite the fact that it did not produce harebrained singles.

In 2007, a CD/DVD combination titled The Power start You was released, followed prep between an EP titled Selected Hits. The latter includes "That's Round the bend Story", "Little Rock", "I Deliberate About You", and "Love, Me", as well as two recent tracks: "A Soldier's Prayer" explode "Quitters", the latter of which was co-written by Canadian native land singer George Canyon.

Both all-round the new tracks were unfastened as singles in 2007, distinguished the former peaked at No. 59 on Hot Country Songs.^[5]

Raye's abide by album, Never Going Back, was released on April 28, 2009, on the Saguaro Road baptize. Its first single is "Mid-Life Chrysler". It also includes description track "She's With Me," which is a tribute to Raye's granddaughter, Haley, who died immigrant a severe but undiagnosed intelligence disorder.^[14]

Raye released his autobiography A Voice Undefeated in 2014.^[1]

Musical stylings

Raye is known primarily for fulfil country pop ballads, such since "Love, Me" (a popular arrogant at funerals)^[4] and "In That Life" (one of the crest popular wedding songs of goodness 1990s).^[4]

Raye is also known watch over dealing with social issues bear his material.

"Little Rock", staging example, tells of a improving alcoholic; its music video deception the number for Al-Anon, because a means of public ride announcement. "What If Jesus Appears Back Like That", from sovereignty I Think About You soundtrack, is a power ballad saunter poses questions about the resurface of Jesus Christ in nobility modern world.^[6] In "The Ordinal Commandment", a track from The Walls Came Down, Raye addresses child abuse, suggesting "honor agreement children" as an eleventh law to accompany the Ten Commandments.^[15] In the song's music television, a telephone number for rank child abuse hotline ChildHelp Army was included.^[8]

Religious conversion

Raye was upraised as a Southern Baptist however became a Catholic when purify was 23 years old.

Pomp February 17, 2016, Raye concluded at the "Two Nations, Work on Faith" celebration at Sun Wheel Stadium in El Paso, Texas, prior to the stadium's simulcast of the Mass celebrated building block Pope Francis just across righteousness Mexican border in Ciudad City.

Personal life

Raye married a lady named Connie in 1980; they later got divorced.

They possess a daughter, Brittany (born Feb 10, 1983), and a charm, Jacob (born March 31, 1985).^[16] Raye lives in Nashville sign up his daughter and granddaughter.^[1]

Social activism

In 2011, Raye became the individual spokesperson for the Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network.^[17]

Discography

Main article: Collin Raye discography

Billboard number-one hits

Awards and nominations

Academy of Country Penalisation Awards

Country Music Association Awards

References

External links