A look at the life and career of Ray Stevens.
Birth name: Harold Ray Ragsdale
Age: 78.
Discography: 45 studio albums, 2 live albums, 60+ music videos, 93 singles, 2 No.1 singles.
Other ventures over the years include real estate holdings, an entertainment theater in Branson, Missouri, movies, books, his own record label, multiple music publishing companies, Ray Stevens CabaRay Nashville television show (2015) and the Ray Stevens CabaRay Showroom (2017)
Grammy Awards: 11 nominations, 2 wins
- Male Vocalist of the Year, 1970, “Everything Is Beautiful”
- Best Arrangement, 1975, “Misty”
- Top 10 hits (U.S. country or pop charts):
- “Ahab The Arab” (1962) No. 5
- “Gitarzan” (1968) No. 8
- “Everything Is Beautiful (1970) No. 1
- “The Streak” (1974) No. 1)
- “Misty” (1975) No. 3
- “Shriner’s Convention” (1980) No. 7
Honors:
- 1980 Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame induction
- 1980: Georgia Music Hall of Fame induction
- 1986-94: Music City News Awards for Comedian of the Year
- 1992: Billboard No. 1 Home Video Plaque – Comedy Video Classics
- 1992: Ten Times Platinum Home Video – Comedy Video Classics
- 1993: Billboard Home Video of the Year
- 1993: Platinum Home Video – Ray Stevens Live!
- 1995: Platinum Home Video – Get Serious!
- 1995: Country Weekly Golden Pick Award for Best Comedian
- 2001: Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame induction
- 2009: Christian Music Hall of Fame induction
- 2014: ‘Nashville Cats’ Songwriter Session honoree, Country Music Hall of Fame
Sources: raystevens.com, Wikipedia, Country Music Hall of Fame