Susan Raye
Susan Raye (born October 8, 1944 in Eugene , Oregon , USA ) is an American country singer.
Music career
Raye began her career in the late 1960s, singing at local Oregon events and appearing regularly on the Portland country music television program Hoedown. During an event, she was discovered by country superstar Buck Owens , who signed her in 1969 so that she became part of his road show and could also appear on national television programs. Raye then moved to California to be closer to Buck Owens Enterprises and also played in the country variety show series Hee Haw on CBS at his side. However, when the series moved to Nashville in 1971 , Raye left the show.
Raye's success has been astonishing; she was consistently in the top ten as a solo artist with Willy Jones in 1970 and her duets with Owens, including The Great White Horse (1970), Looking Back to See (1972) and Love is Strange (1975), were also very successful. Her song LA International Airport (1971) became an international pop hit while she almost stormed the country charts with the two subsequent songs Pitty Pitty Patter (1971) and I've Got a Happy Heart (1971). By late 1971, Raye was well established as one of the most successful country music singers, selling even more than the better known Dolly Parton and Connie Smith . Raye continued her success with hits like My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own (1972), Cheating Game (1973) and Stop the World and Let Me Off (1974), and was nominated for best singer three times by the Academy of Country Music . During this time she also married Owens drummer Jerry Wiggins.
However, the Owens-Raye team broke up when band member and right-hand man Owens Don Rich died in 1975 . Raye signed with United Artists in 1976 , but due to her moderate success, she decided in 1978 to quit music and focus on her family instead. In 1985 she attempted a comeback, recording two albums and several nationally successful singles. However, by the time she had returned to college for a degree in psychology, she preferred to pursue her studies rather than build on her chart success. Raye made one of her rare public appearances in 2004 when she was Guest of Honor at LAX's 75th Anniversary singing her classic LA International Airport .
Discography
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Studio albums
- 1970: One Night Stand
- 1971: Willy Jones
- 1971: Pitty, Pitty, Patter
- 1972: I've Got a Happy Heart
- 1972: My Heart Has a Mind of Its Own
- 1972: Wheel of Fortune
- 1973: Love Sure Feels Good in My Heart
- 1973: Cheating Game
- 1973: Plastic Trains, Paper Planes
- 1973: Hymns by Susan Raye
- 1974: Singing Susan Raye
- 1975: Whatcha Gonna Do with a Dog Like That
- 1976: Honey Toast and Sunshine
- 1978: Susan Raye
- 1977: There and Back
Compilations
- 1974: The Best of Susan Raye
- 1974: LA International Airport
- 1984: Then and Now
- 1993: LA International Airport
- 1999: 16 greatest hits
Collaboration albums with Buck Owens
- 1970: We're Gonna Get Together
- 1970: The Great White Horse
- 1971: Merry Christmas from Buck Owens and Susan Raye
- 1972: The Best of Buck and Susan
- 1973: The Good 'Ol Days (Are Here Again)
- 2011: Very Best of Buck Owens and Susan Raye
Web links
- Susan Raye at Allmusic (English)
- Susan Raye in the Internet Movie Database (English)
Individual evidence
| personal data | |
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| SURNAME | Raye, Susan |
| BRIEF DESCRIPTION | American country singer |
| DATE OF BIRTH | October 8, 1944 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Eugene , Oregon , USA |