Ray Stevens

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Ray Stevens

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Ray Stevens

CAREER SUMMARY

Stevens' recording career began with two singles released on Prep Records, followed by a short stint with Capitol Records. Both these recording contracts were made with the help of Atlanta, Georgia music maven Bill Lowery . Stevens joined Lowery's National Recording Corporation in 1958 , where he also was a member of the NRC staff band, playing numerous instruments, arranging, and doing background vocals. When NRC went into bankruptcy, he signed with Mercury Records , and started a series of hit records in the 1960s that included " Ahab The Arab " and "Jeremiah Peabody's Polyunsaturated Quick-Dissolving, Fast-Acting Pleasant-Tasting Green and Purple Pills".

Stevens became a producer and well-known studio musician on the Nashville scene, and recorded hits for Monument, Barnaby, Warner Brothers , MCA and RCA . Perhaps his most famous hit is "The Streak" (1974), which poked fun at the early-1970s " Streaking " fad of running nude in public.

Stevens' biggest hit was his gospel-inflected single "Everything Is Beautiful" ( of his version of the Jazz Standard " Misty " (1975).

With the popularity of the song "Everything Is Beautiful", Stevens had a variety show on CTV . ''The Ray Stevens Show'' appeared in Canada in 1970 and soon appeared in the United States on NBC and the United Kingdom on the BBC . Although it only has eight episodes, it is mostly known for being the show that launched the career of regular cast member Steve Martin .

Ray Stevens was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall Of Fame in 1980 . Since the 1980s , Stevens has appeared regularly at the country music performing venue of Branson, Missouri . 2005 was his last year for performances in Branson. Currently, there are no scheduled performances anywhere for the year 2006 .

His talents have been showcased in a successful series of videos.

DISCOGRAPHY

1950s :

'' The NRC Years '' 1958-1960

'' 1837 Seconds Of Humor '' — 1962

'' This Is Ray Stevens '' — 1963

'' Ray 'Ahab The Arab' Stevens And Hal Winters '' — 1965

'' The Best Of Ray Stevens '' — 1967

'' Even Stevens '' — 1968

'' Gitarzan '' — 1969

'' Have A Little Talk With Myself '' — 1969

1970s :

'' Unreal '' — 1970

'' Everything Is Beautiful '' — 1970

'' Ray Stevens Rock & Roll Show '' — 1971

'' Ray Stevens Greatest Hits '' — 1971

'' Losin' Streak '' — 1973

'' Nashville '' — 1973

'' Boogity — Boogity '' — 1974

'' Turn Your Radio On '' — 1974

'' Misty '' — 1975

'' The Very Best Of Ray Stevens '' — 1975

'' Both Sides Of Ray Stevens '' — 1976

'' Just For The Record '' — 1976

'' Feel The Music '' — 1977

'' The Many Sides Of Ray Stevens '' — 1977

'' The Remarkable Ray Stevens '' — 1977

'' There Is Something On Your Mind '' — 1978

'' Be Your Own Best Friend '' — 1978

'' The Feeling's Not Right Again '' — 1979

'' The Ray Stevens Greatest Hits Collection '' — 1979

'' The Best Of Ray Stevens '' — 1979

1980s :

'' Shriner's Convention '' — 1980

'' Wild And Crazy '' — 1980

'' Oh Lonesome Me '' — 1981

'' One More Last Chance '' — 1981

'' Don't Laugh Now '' — 1982

'' Turn Your Radio On '' — 1982

'' Greatest Hits '' — 1983

'' Me '' — 1983

'' He Thinks He's Ray Stevens '' — 1984

'' Ray Stevens Collection '' — 1984

'' Ray Stevens Greatest Hits '' — 1984

'' I Have Returned '' — 1985

'' Ray Stevens Collector's Series '' — 1985

'' Surely You Joust '' — 1986

'' The Very Best Of Ray Stevens/Roger Miller '' — 1986

'' Crackin' Up '' — 1987

'' Get The Best Of Ray Stevens '' — 1987

'' Ray Stevens Greatest Hits Volume 1 '' — 1987

'' Ray Stevens Greatest Hits Volume 2 '' — 1987

'' I Never Made A Record I Didn't Like '' — 1988

'' Beside Myself '' — 1989

'' Funny Man '' — 1989

'' Ray Stevens — At His Best '' — 1989

1990s :

'' Everything Is Beautiful And Other Hits '' — 1990

'' His All Time Greatest Comic Hits '' — 1990

'' Lend Me Your Ears '' — 1990

'' #1 With A Bullet '' — 1991

'' Ray Stevens Greatest Hits Volume 3 '' — 1991

'' Ray Stevens Greatest Hits Volume 4 '' — 1991

'' Ahab The Arab '' — 1992

'' Everything Is Beautiful '' — 1992

'' Mississippi Squirrel Revival '' (Actually a repackaging of 1984's ''He Thinks He's Ray Stevens'' with new title and cover art) — 1992

'' Ray Stevens/Jim Stafford '' — 1992

'' The Gospel Side Of Ray Stevens '' — 1992

'' A Brighter Day '' — 1993

'' Classic Ray Stevens '' — 1993

'' The Legendary Ray Stevens And Jim Stafford '' — 1993

'' Get Serious! The Original Movie Soundtrack '' — 1994

'' Ray Stevens — 20 Comedy Hits '' — 1995

'' Ray Stevens Live! '' — 1995

'' 3 CD Or Cassette Set '' — 1995

'' 3 CD Set '' — 1995

'' Ray Stevens — Everything Is Beautiful '' — 1996

'' Great Gospel Songs '' — 1996

'' Ray Stevens — All-Time Hits '' — 1996

'' Even Stevens '' — 1996

'' Gitarzan '' — 1996

'' Hum It '' — 1997

'' Ray Stevens — The Streak '' — 1997

'' The Best Of Ray Stevens '' — 1997

'' Ray Stevens — Christmas Through A Different Window '' — 1997

'' Ray Stevens — Golden Classics/Collector's Edition '' — 1997

'' Ray Stevens — The Country Hits Collection '' — 1998

'''' — 1999

2000s :

'' Ear Candy '' — 2000

'' Thank You ''

'' Funniest Characters '' — 2000

'' Ray Stevens All-Time Greatest Hits '' — 2001

'' Osama-Yo' Mama, The Album '' — 2002

'' Box Set '' — 2006

AWARDS

1969: GOLD Single — "Gitarzan" {over 1,000,000 copies sold}

1970: GOLD Single — "Everything Is Beautiful" {nearly 3,000,000 copies sold}

1970: GRAMMY — "Everything Is Beautiful" {Best Male Pop Vocal Performance}

1974: GOLD Single — "The Streak" {nearly 5,000,000 copies sold}

1975: GRAMMY — "Misty" {Best Arrangement of the Year}

1980: Songwriters Hall of Fame Induction

1984: GOLD Album — "He Think He's Ray Stevens" {over 500,000 sold}

1985: GOLD Album — "I Have Returned" {over 500,000 sold}

1986: Music City News Comedian of the Year

1986: #1 Country Album Plaque from Billboard — "I Have Returned" {week ending March 15, 1986}

1987: Music City News Comedian of the Year

1987: PLATINUM Album — "Greatest Hits" {MCA; over 1,000,000 copies sold}

1987: GOLD Album — "Greatest Hits, Volume Two" {MCA; over 500,000 copies sold}

1988: Music City News Comedian of the Year

1989: Music City News Comedian of the Year

1990: Music City News Comedian of the Year

1990: GOLD Album — "All-Time Greatest Comic Hits" {CURB; over 500,000 copies sold}

1991: Music City News Comedian of the Year

1992: Music City News Comedian of the Year

1992: #1 Home Video Plaque from Billboard — "Comedy Video Classics"

1992: TEN TIMES-PLATINUM Home Video — "Comedy Video Classics" {over 1,000,000 copies sold}

1993: Billboard Home Video of the Year

1993: Music City News Comedian of the Year

1993: PLATINUM Home Video — "Ray Stevens Live!" {over 100,000 copies sold}

1994: Music City News Comedian of the Year

1995: PLATINUM Home Video — "Get Serious!" {over 100,000 copies sold}

1995: Country Weekly Golden Pick Award "Best Comedian"

1996: Georgia Music Hall of Fame Induction

2002: GOLD Single — "Osama Yo' Mama" {over 500,000 copies sold}

EXTERNAL LINK

Discography Index