Little Ray Explained

Little Ray
Background:solo_singer
Birth Date:Ramon Jimenez
Genre:Soul, R&B
Occupation:Singer
Label:Doré, Impact, Donna, Warner Bros., Atco, Faro, Columbia
Associated Acts:The Progressions, The Premiers, God's Children, Thee Midniters

Little Ray also known as Ray Jimenez, is an American Chicano rock and brown-eyed soul musician, prominent in the 1960s. Jimenez was born and raised in Delano, California, and later moved to East Los Angeles.

Jimenez briefly sang with Thee Midniters, another East Los Angeles band. He then performed with Little Ray & the Progressions, which became the Little Ray Revue.

Background

Personal life

He was born in Delano, California and grew up in the area. His brothers worked at a fast food stand, and behind the stand was a jukebox. As a boy, he would sing along with it. He would memorize songs heard on the jukebox by artists such as Elvis Presley, Little Richard, and Fats Domino.[1] Later he moved to Los Angeles. He was schooled at Salesian and Garfield High Schools.

Music career

He started singing professionally in the late 1950s. His first single, "There Is Something On Your Mind," was released on Dore Records in or around 1960.[2] In 1962, with backing band The Premiers, he recorded a live single, "Shake, Shout And Soul," which was recorded at the Santa Monica Civic Auditorium. The single was backed with "Soul & Stomp," and released on Tony Hilder's Impact Records label.

Thee MidnightersAnother single he recorded for Hilder's Impact label was "Loretta," backed with "My Girl." This one was released under the name of Lil' Ray & Thee Midniters.[3] For a brief period of time, he was the lead singer for Thee Midnighters. In 1964, Jimenez left the group, (and was replaced as lead singer by Willie Garcia, a.k.a. "Little Willie G.").[4] [5]
  • Post 1964In 1965, he recorded a single for the Donna label. The A side was "I Who Have Nothing," a cover of a Ben E. King song, and the B side, "I Been Trying," was written by Arthur Lee, who went on to form the group Love. Lee was also the producer.[6] [7] "I Who Have Nothing" also appears on the 1997 compilation, Black Beauty & Rarities, which is a compilation of early recordings by Arthur Lee, Ronnie & The Pomona Casuals, and other related artists, (including Little Ray).[8] For a brief period, he and Thee Midnighters singer Willie Garcia formed a group called God's Children. They would record the theme song for the short lived TV series Matt Lincoln, "Hey, Who Really Cares" (aka "Hey, Does Somebody Care"), written by Oliver Nelson and Linda Perhacs.
  • 2000sIn 2012, he was fronting the group Starfire, which included Carlos Santana's son Salvador Santana.[9] [10]

    • Discography

    External links

    Notes and References

    1. Mark Guerrero Website Little Ray: East L.A. Superstar of the 60s
    2. White Doo-Wop Collector Tuesday, May 18, 2010 Lil' Ray & The Midnighters Loretta
    3. You Found That Eastside Sound Saturday, May 5, 2012 Eastside Legends - Little Ray Jimenez
    4. University of California, Riverside Today April 9, 2012 Little Joe & La Familia to Headline 16th Annual Radio Aztlan Music Festival on April 14 by Ross French
    5. On the Record October 18, 2013 Thee Midnighters - Everybody Needs Somebody
    6. AlbumLinerNotes.com The Dore Story, Volume 1
    7. The R.N. Shrout Website Songs written or co-written by Arthur Lee
    8. Discogs Love – Black Beauty & Rarities
    9. University of California, Riverside Today April 9, 2012 Little Joe & La Familia to Headline 16th Annual Radio Aztlan Music Festival on April 14 by Ross French
    10. On the Record October 18, 2013 Thee Midnighters - Everybody Needs Somebody
    11. You Found That Eastside Sound Saturday, May 5, 2012 Eastside Legends - Little Ray Jimenez

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