Ray Scott
Ray Scott (born March 26, 1929 in Bicknell , Indiana , as Harold Raymond Scott , † 1999 ) was an American rockabilly musician. Scott was among other things the composer of the rockabilly classic Flyin 'Saucers Rock'n'Roll .
Life
Childhood and youth
Ray Scott was born in Indiana and grew up in a German - Dutch community. In his childhood and youth, unlike many other contemporary musicians, he was not particularly interested in music. He graduated from high school in 1946 and then volunteered in the US Navy to avoid college. After eight years of military service, he eventually went to college.
Career
In 1955, Scott moved to Memphis , Tennessee , where he took a job as a tool maker. There Scott soon got into the growing rockabilly scene and he decided to learn the guitar . After six months of practice, he began performing in bars and clubs and writing his first songs. In addition to a piece for Lattie Moore , Scott also wrote Flyin 'Saucers Rock'n'Roll , which became a classic of the genre. The first and best known version comes from Billy Lee Riley , who heard the song more or less by chance during a session in the Sun Studio in late 1956. In the search for songs, Riley's guitarist Roland Janes discovered a demo band in Scott's studio with Flyin 'Saucers Rock'n'Roll and shortly afterwards the version of Billy Lee Riley and his band emerged.
Scott's own career as a musician began in 1957. He met label owner Marshall Ellis , who arranged a session at the Fernwood Studio in August 1957. On this session, which produced the record Boppin 'Wigwam Willie / My Life's Desire , Scott from Billy Lee Riley's band, consisting of Roland Janes (guitar), Marvin Pepper ( bass ), Jimmy Wilson ( piano ) and Jimmy Van Eaton ( drums ), accompanied under the name The Four Recorders . The single was released in August 1957 on Ellis' label Erwin Records .
Scott took on other singles in the following years and was active in the Memphis music scene. As a songwriter he was also successful with You're the One That Done It , which was recorded by Thomas Wayne . This was followed by records with Satellite, Eddie Bond's label Stomper Time Records , Erwin, Scott's own label RCT Records , Bictor, Goldband Records , Ran-Dee and Decca Records , but the national breakthrough was denied him.
In 1971 Scott turned his back on music and moved to Indianapolis , where he worked for General Motors . A few years later he moved back to his hometown of Bicknell, where he ran a taxi company and again made local appearances with his sixth wife. In the mid-1980s, Scott suffered a serious heart attack .
Ray Scott died in 1999 at the age of 70.
Discography
Singles
Discography is not exhaustive.
| year | title | Label # | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1957 | Boppin 'Wigwam Willie / My Life's Desire | Erwin 700 | |||
| 1958-1959 | You Drive Me Crazy / Say Anything But Not Goodbye | Satellite S-104 | |||
| 1959 | Boy Meets Girl / Tonite Will Be the Last Night | Stomper Time S-1161 | |||
| 1960 | The Train's Done Gone / Just Behind Your Smile | Erwin E-688 | |||
| I'll Never Be a Dreamer / Forever More | RCT 503 | ||||
| Unpublished titles | |||||
|
Live recording | ||||
| 1963 |
|
RCT | |||
|
Sun | ||||
Albums
1986: The Real Memphis Sound - Mr. Drive Me Crazy (White Label, Netherlands)
Web links
| personal data | |
|---|---|
| SURNAME | Scott, Ray |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | Scott, Harold Raymond (full name) |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American rockabilly musician |
| DATE OF BIRTH | March 26, 1929 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Bicknell , Indiana |
| DATE OF DEATH | 1999 |