Eddie Ray

Columbus, 1969-75

Eddie Ray certainly had a voice that should have brought him a lot more success that he realized. According to online sources, he was born and raised in the south, and performed in Miami with soul legends Sam and Dave, jsu before they hit it big. How he ended up in Columbus, no idea.

He released two 45s for the Prix label, recorded by the Harmonic Sounds operation. The first 45 got some local airplay and sold a decent amount of copies. There are two different mix versions of this, one pressed at Rite (without the label address) and the other at Musicol (with the label address), It is claimed that the no address label was intended for markets outside of the region. The record is well made and performed. 

A second 45 was released on Prix in 1971, and it's much different. It was recorded live (a spliced in MC introduction at the beginning says live at the L Room in Columbus). The song is a gut wrenching take on the Jerry  Butler classic "I Stand Accused" with Eddie singing his heart out - Sam and Dave would no doubt have approved! The song is extended across both sides with more clumsly editing. Eddie seems to take writer credit! 

After the end of Prix/HSI, Eddie apparently took recording matters on himself. He recorded a 45 at Appalachia Sound around 1972, where he's credited as writer, arranger, and producer, released on the one-off Hot Sox label. "Don't Take Your Love" is another deep soul winner.

In 1975 Eddie seemed to change his style. He recorded a 45 at Kingsmill and had it released on the house Blue Ash label. The sound has a contemporary dance/funk feel. The record is credited to Eddie Ray and Funkshun.

We can't find any more records after that, nor specifics about his life. In 2007 the Prix 45 sides, along with a previously unreleased song "Wait A Minute", were issued on a comp of Harmonic Sounds productions.

Discography:
Glad I Found You / You Got Me  - Prix 7001, 1970 (two diiferent pressings, one by Musicol, one by Rite)
I Stand Accused  (Part i) / I Stand Accused (Part II) - Prix 7101, 1971
I Want Your Love / Don't Take Your Love - Hot Sox 1002, c. 1972
I Can't Give You Up / Say It Again - Blue Ash 103, 1976