Ray Griff was born on April 22 in Vancouver, British Columbia,
Canada, the younger of two sons by Katherine and George Griff.
Due to a breakup of the marriage and financial hard ships,
Katherine left with her two sons and moved to Winfield, Alberta
where she found employment as a bookkeeper.
Her sheer determination and years of sacrificing is what molded Ray!

With a stuttering problem, although it was very difficult for Ray,
he was determined to do something special with his life.
Having a great love for music, at the age of eight, Ray along
with his brother Ken and three other local kids, formed a band
calling themselves "The Winfield Amateurs", a title that later
became one of Rays most popular songs. Ray sang and played
drums in the band!

Saving his pennies, Ray purchased through a mail order
catalogue, a Palm Beach guitar that he taught himself to play.
It was about this time that Ray started writing songs!
A milestone however was when Katherine scraped together
enough funds to buy an old upright piano. Since there was
no money for lessons, Ray taught himself to play the piano
as well. When Ray turned twelve the family decided to move
to Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Coming into adulthood Ray
worked at a grocery store after school and on weekends to
help with the family bills.

Ray loved sports and although there was little time to
participate, Ray received a special invitation from the
Canadian Olympic team, after he had set a record in the
long jump at a city school track meet. In his continued
quest for a career in music Ray felt best to decline! Ray
fronted his own group in the late 50's called The Blue Echo's,
and began to earn a name for himself in and around Calgary,
performing at high school hops and at local community affairs.
It was during one of these performances that he attracted
the attention of local radio personality and promoter D'Arcy
Scott, who asked Ray to be the opening act for the great
Johnny Horton on a tour of Western Canada.

Ray was sixteen and his dreams were beginning to come true!
During the tour Ray played a song he had written for Johnny
called "Mister Moonlight", which Johnny included in his classic
album "The Battle Of New Orleans". Ray decided to quit school
and took a day job to make enough money to get to Nashville
to pitch his songs. He also entertained at a local nightclub,
being the first live entertainment to perform in Calgary when
the Liquor Bill was passed.

Ray made his first trip to Nashville in 1961 leaving countless
tapes of his songs with music publishers and record labels,
at the same time doing his first session as an artist, recording
"The Racing King", that got a lot of play on pop radio across Canada.
For the next two years Ray fine-tuned his talents as a songwriter
and performer. It was after a Jim Reeves concert in Calgary that
Ray presented Jim with his song "Where Do I Go From Here". Jim
not only recorded the song on his next album, he invited Ray to
move to Nashville. After completing a Canadian nightclub tour,
Ray made the long anticipated move to Music City in 1964, with
forty dollars in his pocket and a million dreams. Shortly after
Ray's arrival, his friend and mentor Jim Reeves was killed!
Ray spent the first few weeks sleeping in his car.

Though devastated and alone, he was determined to make it
in the world of country music! Ray got a job repairing pianos
from seven in the morning until three in the afternoon, when
he would pitch his songs to record labels until closing time.
He would then work from six until midnight at a record pressing
plant to help make ends meet. Even with his heavy timetable
Ray managed to write songs as well as getting his high school
diploma through a correspondence course.
Bob Ferguson, a record producer in town was so impressed with
this young man that he hired Ray to pitch songs for his publishing
company. Ray's fee was thirty dollars a week and a place to
sleep in the back of the office.
It wasn't long before Ray was in the studio, self-producing and
recording "Don't Lead Me On" and "That Weepin' Willow Tree".
The session was presented to Chet Atkins at RCA and Ray was
signed to its subsidiary label, Groove Records. Ray remained
with the label until artistic differences led him to be let out
of his contract.
Shortly thereafter Ray played a song for renowned producer
Owen Bradley. The song was "Baby". Owen recorded the
song with Wilma Burgess, a new artist on Decca and Ray's
career as a songwriter and music publisher was under way.

For the next twenty plus years Ray Griff would remain one of
the hottest songwriters and music publishers in Country music.
His successes have brought him forty eight singles in the top 100,
as well as being the recipient of eighty seven ASCAP and BMI
citations as a song writer, artist, producer and publisher, taking
home an unprecedented sixteen ASCAP awards two years running
in 1975 and 1976.
Ray has written over two thousand songs with more than seven
hundred of his songs recorded by such renowned artists as:
Eddy Arnold, Lavern Baker, Johnny Duncan, Tennessee Ernie Ford,
Crystal Gayle, George Hamilton IV, Johnny Horton, Ferlin Husky,
Stonewall Jackson, George Jones, Jerry Lee Lewis, Hank Locklin,
Bob Luman, Loretta Lynn, Wayne Newton, Dolly Parton, Ray Price,
Charlie Pride, Jim Reeves, Marty Robbins, Carl Smith, Hank Snow,
Mel Tillis, Conway Twitty, Porter Wagoner, Gene Watson, Roger
Whittaker, Slim Whitman, Faron Young.

As a recording artist Ray has scored with such hits as:
'You Ring My Bell', 'Patches', 'Darling', 'If I Let Her Come In',
'Your Lily White Hands', and 'The Morning After Baby Let Me Down'.

Ray also hosted his own Network TV show in Canada as well as
appearing as a guest on such major television shows as "Dean
Martin Show","Rollin' On The River", "Tommy Hunter Show", "Porter
Wagoner Show", "Alan Hamil Show" and "Ian Tyson Show".

Rays on stage performances have earned him the name "The Entertainer"!

As a record producer Ray has produced such artist's as:
Sheila Ann, Gary Buck, Dick Damron, Glory Anne Carrier,
Jack Bailey, Susan Jacks, Eddy Eastman, Terry Carrise,
Gale Gavin, Mica, Jack Holland, Sharon Lowness, Jason McCoy,
Ronnie Prophet, Kenny Roberts, Gene Gebo, Laura Creegan,
Gary Fairburn, Gilles Godard, Johnny Harlow and Carole Ann King.

In 1989 Ray was inducted into the Canadian Country Music Hall Of
Fame and in 1998 was inducted into the Canadian Country Music
Hall Of Honor.

RAY GRIFF ALBUM DISCOGRAPHY

RAY GRIFF RECORDINGS (Songs Written by Ray)
All Songs Published by Blue Echo Music "except where noted"

1. A COLD DAY IN JULY
2. A COOL ONE (CalNash Music)
3. A FACE IN THE CROWD (CalNash Music)
4. A KISS AWAY (Instrumental) (CalNash Music)
5. A LEAN HORSE
6. A LIGHT IN THE WINDOW
7. A LITTLE PEACE AND HARMONY
8. A PASSING THING
9. A RAY OF SUNSHINE
10. A SOFT TOUCH
11. A SONG FOR EVERYONE
12. ADAMS CHILD (Blue Candle Music)
13. ADIOS (Instrumental) (CalNash Music)
14. AFTER DARK (Instrumental) (CalNash Music)
15. AFTER THE LAUGHTER
16. AIN'T NO WHERE TO GO
17. ALBERTA MY ALBERTA
18. ALL NITE CAFÉ (Instrumental)
19. ALONE
20. ALONE OR WITH SOMEBODY ELSE (CalNash Music)
21. AND THEN YOU CAME ALONG
22. ANOTHER SAD AFFAIR
23. AT SUNSET
24. BABY
25. BABY THAT AIN'T ALL
26. BABY TURN IT OVER (Instrumental)
27. BABY'S GETTIN' AROUND
28. BAR HOPPIN' (Instrumental)
29. BETTER MOVE IT ON HOME
30. BETTY MITCHELL
31. BETWEEN THIS TIME AND THE NEXT TIME
32. BEYOND THE CLOUDS (CalNash Music)
33. BIG DADDY (CalNash Music)
34. BRADY'S BEND (Instrumental)
35. BURY ME WITH MY BOOTS OFF
36. CABBAGE ROLLS (Instrumental) (CalNash Music)
37. CALGARY ALBERTA
38. CALGARY CALGARY
39. CANADA
40. CANADIAN PACIFIC
41. CANDY APPLE WORLD
42. CARBON COPY
43. CAUTION TO THE WIND
44. CHRISTMAS AT MY COUNTRY HOME
45. CHRISTMAS ISN'T CHRISTMAS WITHOUT YOU
46. CHRISTMAS TEARS
47. CLIMBIN' UP THE STAIRS
48. CONFUSED
49. CORA LEE
50. COWBOYS NEED A LITTLE LOVIN' (duet with Gary Buck)
51. CURLEY
52. DAMNED IF I DO (Damned If I Don't)
53. DANCE (CalNash Music)
54. DARLIN'
55. DAYBREAK
56. D-DOGIES
57. DEAR JESUS (Blue Candle Music)
58. DEVILS WORKSHOP
59. DIAMOND IN THE ROUGH
60. DIVIDIN' MY TIME
61. DO YOU SUPPOSE
62. DON'T LEAD ME ON
63. DON'T LOOK AT ME (In That Tone Of Voice)
64. DON'T TAKE ANY WOODEN NICKELS
65. DRAW ME A LINE
66. DRINKIN' OLD MILWAUKEE DRY
67. ELAINE (Instrumental)
68. EVEN
69. FALLING
70. FLAMES
71. FORBIDDEN LOVE (Instrumental) (CalNash Music)
72. FRIENDS AND NEIGHBORS
73. FROM HERE TO ETERNITY (CalNash Music)
74. GARRINGTON
75. GETTIN' BACK TO NORMA
76. GIVIN' IT (Instrumental) (CalNash Music)
77. GO ON
78. GOD MUST THINK A LOT OF ME (Blue Candle Music)
79. GONE
80. GOODBYE BABY
81. GOOD TIME COUNTRY
82. HAVE YOU NO FEELING'S AT ALL (Instrumental)
83. HEAD OVER HEELS
84. HEAVEN
85. HELP ME DOWN FROM HEAVEN
86. HONEST TO GOODNESS AMIGO'S (duet with Ronnie Prophet)
87. HONKY TONK FEVER
88. I CAN TAKE IT
89. I CAN TELL
90. I CAN'T LIVE WITH YOU
91. I CAN'T SEE ME
92. I DID
93. I DON'T CROSS EVERY T
94. I KEEP ON FORGETTING
95. I KNOW YOU KNOW (CalNash Music)
96. I LIED (And That's The Truth) (CalNash Music)
97. I LOVE THE WAY THAT YOU LOVE ME
98. I NEVER SAID (duet with Marie Bottrell)
99. I NEVER SHOULD HAVE CROSSED THE MISSISSIPPI
100. I STILL DREAM
101. I THANK GOD (Blue Candle Music)
102. I WANT TO LISTEN TO YOU BREATHE (CalNash Music)
103. I WOULD IF I COULD
104. IF I LET HER COME IN
105. IF IT HADN'T BEEN FOR MUSIC
106. IF NOT FOR MUSIC
107. IF THAT'S WHAT IT TAKES
108. IF TOMORROW NEVER COMES
109. I'LL LOVE YOU ENOUGH FOR BOTH OF US
110. I'M ALL LOVED OUT
111. I'M GETTIN' BETTER (CalNash Music)
112. I'M NOT THROUGH LOVING YOU YET (CalNash Music)
113. IN THE NAME OF JESUS (Blue Candle Music)
114. IT COULDN'T HAVE BEEN ANY BETTER
115. IT DON'T MAKE A HOUSE A HOME
116. IT RAINS JUST THE SAME IN MISSOURI
117. IT'S AS SIMPLE AS THAT
118. IT'S NOT THE RIGHT TIME
119. IT'S THE FIRST DAY
120. JACKET RIVER
121. JIMMY, LUKE AND ME
122. JONAS MCCLEOD
123. LEAVE IT ON
124. LET ME BE YOU
125. LET'S CROSS ONE BRIDGE AT A TIME (Blue Candle Music)
126. LIGHT AS A FEATHER (duet with Glory-Anne)
127. LONELY
128. LOOK (CalNash Music)
129. LORD SWEET LORD (Blue Candle Music)
130. LOST LOVE OF MINE
131. LOVE IS BLIND
132. MAMA MADE CHRISTMAS SHINE FOR ME
133. MAMA THIS ONE'S FOR YOU
134. MAPLE LEAF
135. MARGARET KELLEY
136. MIRACLES DO HAPPEN
137. MISS YOU (Instrumental) (CalNash Music)
138. MOONLIGHT (duet with Terry Carise)
139. MOVE A LITTLE FARTHER ALONG
140. MOVIN' AROUND (duet with Dick Damron)
141. MUSIC IS THE FOOD OF LOVE
142. MY EVER LASTING LOVE
143. MY FIRST DAY IN LONDON (CalNash Music)
144. MY HANDS ARE TIED
145. MY LIFE'S COMPANION
146. MY ROCKY MOUNTAIN HOME
147. MY TEARS CAME DOWN (Instrumental)
148. NASHVILLE
149. OHIO (CalNash Music)
150. OLD FASHIONED CHRISTMAS
151. ON YOUR MARK
152. ONE OF THE CHOSEN FEW
153. ONLY THEN
154. OUR COUNTRY DOCTOR
155. OUR LOVE IS UNDER FIRE
156. OUT OF TUNE WITH THE TIMES (Instrumental)
157. OVER LOOKED AND UNDER LOVED
158. PEBBLE ON THE BEACH
159. PIANO MAN
160. PRETTY IN BLUE (co-write with Jan Deckard) (Blue Melody Music)
161. PUTTING ME BACK TOGETHER
162. RAINBOW
163. RAYMOND'S PLACE
164. RAY'S BAR AND GRILL (Instrumental)
165. REAL LOVE (CalNash Music)
166. REELIN', ROCKIN' ROLLIN'
167. ROCKY MOUNTAIN GIRL (CalNash Music)
168. RUNNIN'
169. RUSTY
170. SALTY TEARS
171. SEE YA, LOVE YA, BYE (CalNash Music)
172. SENORITA
173. SHAME
174. SHINY (duet with Susan Jacks)
175. SILHOUETTES (Instrumental) (CalNash Music)
176. SMOKEY'S TAVERN (Instrumental)
177. SNAP DRAGON (Instrumental)
178. SNOW COVERED MOUNTAINS
179. SO CLOSE
180. SOMEDAY
181. SOMETHING SPECIAL TO ME
182. SOMEWHERE BETWEEN ATLANTA AND MOBILE
183. STEP ASIDE
184. SUNFLOWER (Instrumental)
185. SWEET BIRD OF YOUTH
186. SWEET INSPIRATION
187. SWIFT CURRENT
188. TAKE MY HAND
189. TEARDROPS (Instrumental) (CalNash Music)
190. THANK GOD FOR MY DOG AND MY PIANO (CalNash Music)
191. THAT DOESN'T MEAN I DON'T LOVE MY GOD (Blue Candle Music)
192. THAT OLD MONTANA MOON
193. THAT WEEPIN' WILLOW TREE
194. THAT'S WHAT I GET (For Doin' My Own Thinkin')
195. THE BIGGEST HIGH I GET
196. THE ENTERTAINER'S SONG
197. THE EYES OF GOD (Blue Candle Music)
198. THE HILL
199. THE LAST OF THE WINFIELD AMATEURS
200. THE MIDDLE OF THE AFTERNOON
201. THE MORNING AFTER BABY LET ME DOWN
202. THE RACING KING
203. THE STROKE OF A PEN
204. THE SUGAR FROM MY CANDY
205. THE UPPER CRUST
206. THERE GOES MY WORLD
207. THERE'LL ALWAYS BE CHRISTMAS
208. THESE ARE THE REASONS (Blue Candle Music)
209. THING'S THAT SONG'S ARE MADE OF
210. THIS TIME TOMORROW
211. TIL THE RIGHT ONE COMES ALONG
212. TONGUE TWISTIN' TIME
213. TOO CLOSE TO HOME
214. TROUBLE'S BACK IN TOWN (CalNash Music)
215. TUCSON SUN
216. TURN AROUND (CalNash Music)
217. TURN OFF THE DEVIL (Blue Candle Music)
218. UNDER THE WEATHER
219. WAIT A LITTLE LONGER
220. WANDERIN' THROUGH THE VALLEY'S
221. WASTED YEARS
222. WHAT A DIFFERENCE YOUR LOVE WOULD MAKE
223. WHAT CAN I SAY
224. WHAT GOT TO YOU
225. WHAT MY WOMAN DOES TO ME
226. WHEN GOD CLOSES A DOOR (Blue Candle Music)
227. WHEN I COMES TO YOU
228. WHEN MARCY WAS A BABY (duet with Eddie Eastman)
229. WHEN THERE'S SILVER IN MY HAIR
230. WHERE DO I GO FROM HERE (Sony Music)
231. WHERE LOVE BEGINS
232. WHISTLIN' IN THE DARK (CalNash Music)
233. WHO'S GONNA PLAY THIS OLD PIANO
234. WINE
235. WRAPPED AROUND YOUR FINGER
236. WRESTLIN' WITH SHADOWS (CalNash Music)
237. YOU
238. YOU CAN COUNT ON ME
239. YOU CAN'T MAKE A DANCER (duet with Gilles Godard)
240. YOU CAN'T SAY I HAVEN'T TRIED
241. YOU PUT THE BOUNCE BACK INTO MY STEP
242. YOU RING MY BELL
243. YOU TOOK AWAY THE SUN
244. YOU'VE USED UP ALL MY LOVE FOR YOU
245. YOUR LILY WHITE HANDS
246. YOU'RE NEVER SATISFIED (Instrumental)
247. YOU'RE WEARIN' ME DOWN