Donnie Ray
Donnie Ray
       
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Donnie Ray Donnie Ray was born
in Texarkana, Texas on July 4, 1959 and began performing with his
father's band, the Aldredge Brothers Band, when fifteen. He not only
mastered lead and bass guitars, the keyboard, and drums, Donnie Ray
branched out and began writing lyrics for recording studios.
Inspired by the Motown Sound artists and such musical legends as
Bobby "Blue" Bland, Tyrone Davis, and B. B. King, Donnie Ray has
worked with such artists as Millie Jackson, Marvin Sease, and
numerous others. Album Discography
1. Let's Go Dancing
1. Never Meant to Be
Alone
*** Ray's
new one already has a Top 10 hit on the Southern Soul Chart with the
title track, an upbeat head-bobber. Ray produced most of this disc
himself and he does a fine job but if you're expecting that
indomitable Ecko Records sound you will only hear it on "It's Just A
Party Thing" & "Bottoms Up Again", both produced by Ecko's John
Ward. (Irritatingly, this is the third artist in as many years to
cover "Bottoms Up". The first hit version by Quinn Golden was
enough). Ray writes most of his own material like the midtempo
stepper "I Never Dreamed", which also includes his best vocal, and
the slowies "I Belong To You" & "I'd Rather Have You Than Memories".
1. Is It Your
Place Or Mine
****1/2 Donnie
Ray has arrived. He's had some hits in the past ("Let's Go Dancing",
"I'll Be Good To You") but his albums were only flirting with
greatness. On "Don't Stop My Party" he pops the question. 11
cuts of pure cream. Right from the drum intro of track 1 ("Is It
Your Place Or Is It Mine?") all the way through the closer the
quality is relentless! Ray, a decent record producer on his own,
wisely gives the job to hit man John Ward who again provides that
"big" sound Ecko is known for. Ray & his fellow songwriters must've
had their Wheaties n' whiskey when composing these tunes. There's
more hooks in here than Bill Dance's tackle box. "Is It Your Place",
"Something 'Bout The Music", "Don't Stop My Party", "Back Up And Try
It Again" (Curtis Steele, Daryl Wilson) & "Sexified" (Raymond Moore,
Ward) may cause a booty-shakin' pandemic. Sometimes things just
click in the studio. These tracks create excitement, incessantly
tickling the ears into submission. On the slow tip "Sweeter To Me"
is the best Tyrone Davis-inspired cut I've heard in a decade (even
from Tyrone!). Make sure you play the song with a soft carpet 'cuz
the ladies will be swooning. "Seven Long Years" is simply gorgeous
(and should been sitting atop the singles chart before the year's
end). Ray has a deliciously yearning voice and you just feel he's at
his peak on this album. Props must again be given to Morris J.
Williams whose rhythm tracks, sequencing and Yamaha provide a
kinetic pulse. Yes, the disc is part "live" and part "programming"
but the bottom line: This is one of the better "Southern Soul" or
"Party Blues" discs you'll find.Get your party on.
1. Smooth Operator
*** Ecko
Records has now been in operation for a dozen years and still uses
that same radio n' club-friendly production sound- a mix of live and
synthesized instruments that irks the purists but is embraced by
fans of the unfairly-maligned "Southern Soul" genre. Donnie Ray had
perhaps the best release in 2006 for the label ("Don't Stop My
Party"), which had an off year overall in terms of quality. It's
2007 and "Smooth Operator" is a good start- a satisfyin' set
of Ray originals and new material from the Ecko writing squad (John
Ward, Morris J, John Cummings, etc). Two of Ray's early hits ("Hip
Slide" & "Letter To My Baby") appear in so-called "Part 2"
incarnations- perhaps superfluous for fans who have the
originals...but these new takes are superior and you still get ten
more more tracks (twelve tracks is rare for the label). The likely
first single is the bumpin' title track, a duet with O.B. Buchana.
Not an outstanding track but catchy enough to chart. Other notables
include "Booty Hunt", "Too Many Irons In The Fire" (very similar to
a Clay Hammond song of the same name) and the sweet ballad "Play It
Off".
1. Two Heads Are
Better Than One
*** For
the third January in a row we are graced with a new Donnie Ray album
courtesy of the prodigious Ecko Records. It offers no surprises but
that's a good thing! It's just what you're used to. Above avergae
upbeat Southern Soul dancers, ballads and a lil' Blues. Actually, as
for the latter style, "You're Leaving" is his first stab at Downhome
Blues to my memory. In my opinion his voice is too pretty for Blues
and is perfect for sugary slowies like "You're My Angel" and "I'm
Getting Too Close" or energetic bumpers like "Two Heads Are Better
Than One". Lots of hit
potential. In addition to the aforementioned "Two Heads" & "You're
Angel" , Ecko writers Raymond Moore and John Ward mine more gold
out of that "Booty Scoot"/"Hoochie Dance" formula with "Can You
Hoochie Dance?". As a wildcard I'd pick "She's Got My Vote" since
it's an election year.
1. You Keep Snatchin'
It Back
1. It's Byob
1. A Good Woman
1.I'm Looking For A
Woman
Who's Rockin' You?
1. Real Good Lover
1
Can We Start Our Love All Over?
1 Dog House
1 She's Got That Ooh Wee
1 You Can't Have Your Cake |
"Let's Go Dancing" (Susie Q 2000)
"Are You Ready For Me" (Susie Q 2003)
"I'll Be Good To You" (Ecko 2005)
"Don't Stop My Party" (Ecko 2006)
"Smooth Operator" (Ecko 2007)
"You've Got Me" (Ecko 2008)
"Caught By The Cat" (Ecko 2009)
"It's BYOB" (Ecko 2009) 
"Who's Rockin' You?" (Ecko 2011)
"I'm Goin' Back" (Ecko 2012) 
"The Best Of" (Ecko 2013)
"Drowning In My Own Tears" (Ecko 2014)
"She's My Honey Bee" (Ecko 2015)
"Two Way Love Affair" (CDS 2016)
"My Southern Soul" (CDS 2018)
"I'm Just The Man For You" (Music Access 2022)