Robert Cray 5:6:24 2.57 PM

Intro by: Gail Nobles
Photo: Wikipedia CC BY 2.5

Hello I'm Gail Nobles, and you're listening to Current Blues Alive: A show about modern blues artists and bands alive and well on the modern blue scene. They are keeping the blues alive.

 Today I'm going to talk about Robert Cray. He's a blues guitarist and singer who has led his own band and 15 Grammy awards. Robert Cray was born on August 1, 1953, in Columbus, Georgia. By the age of 20, Cray had seen his heroes Albert Collins, Freddie King and Muddy Waters in concert and decided to form his own band; they began playing college towns on the West Coast.

 Pray release some albums in the 1980s he was signed to mercury records and in 1986 release his fourth album, Strong Persuader produced by Dennis Walker, which received a Grammy Award, while the crossover single "Smoking Gun" gave him wider appeal and name recognition.

 Craig had the opportunity to play alongside John Lee Hooker in the 90s. The entire Robert Cray band backed hooker on the title track of his 1992 album Mr. Lucky where Cray plays lead guitar, sings, and banters with Hooker throughout the song. The band also appears on two songs of BB King 1993 duet album Blues Summit.

In August 1990, Cray played with Eric Clapton, Buddy Guy, Jimmie Vaughan, and Stevie Ray Vaughan at the Alpine Valley Music Theatre in East Troy, Wisconsin, performing "Sweet Home Chicago". 

In 2005, Cray was inducted into Hollywood's RockWalk at Guitar Center.
Cray continues to record and tour. 

 So there you have it - Robert Cray.  I'm Gail Nobles, and you're listening to Current Blues Alive.

Episode Transcript

(00:01):
Robert Pray The Blues of Robert Praythe bus. Hello, I'm Gail Nobles
and you're listening to Current Blues Alive, a show about Martin blues artists and
bands alive and well on the modernblues scene. They are keeping the blues

(00:27):
alive. Today, I'm going totalk about Robert Cray. He's a blues
guitarist and singer who has led hisown band and won five Grammy Awards.
Robert Cray was born on August first, nineteen fifty three, in Columbius,

(00:49):
Georgia. By the age of twenty, Cray had seen his heroes Albert Collins,
Freddie King, and Muddy Waters inconcert and decided to form his own
band. They began playing college townson the West Coast. Cray released some

(01:10):
albums in the nineteen eighties. Hewas signed to Mercury Records, and in
nineteen eighty six released his fourth album, Strong Persuader, produced by Dennis Walker,
which received a Grammy Award, whilethe crossover single Smoking Gun gave him

(01:34):
wider appeal and name recognition. Crayhad the opportunity to play alongside John Lee
Hooker in the nineties. The entireRobert Cray band backs Hooker on the title
track of his nineteen ninety two albumMister Lucky, where Cray plays lead guitar,

(01:59):
sings and banters with Hooker throughout thesong. The band also appears on
two songs off bb kings nineteen ninetythree duet album Blues Summit. In August
nineteen ninety, Cray played with EricClapton, Buddy Guy, Jimmy Vaughn,

(02:23):
and Steve Ray Vaughn at the AlpineValley Music Theater in East Troy, Wisconsin,
performing Sweet Home Chicago. In twothousand and five, Cray was inducted
into Hollywood's Rock Walk at Guitar Center. Cray continues to record and tour.

(02:49):
So there you have it, RobertCray, I'm Gail Nobles, and you're
listening to Current Fluess, A lotive Current Blues, A live