Ray Stevens

Harold Ray Ragsdale (born January 24, 1939), known professionally as Ray Stevens, is an American country singer-songwriter and comedian. He is best known for his Grammy-winning recordings "Everything Is Beautiful" and "Misty", as well as novelty hits including "Ahab the Arab", "Gitarzan" and "The Streak". Stevens has earned gold albums and has worked as a producer, music arranger, and television host. He was also inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, the Georgia Music Hall of Fame, the Christian Music Hall of Fame, and the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.

Harold Ray Ragsdale was born on January 24, 1939, in Clarkdale, Georgia. He is the elder of two sons born to Willis Harold Ragsdale (1915–2001) and Frances Stephens Ragsdale (1916–1997). His younger brother, John, who died in 2020 at the age of 75, became an actor and writer.

While attending high school, Stevens formed his first band, a rhythm and blues group named The Barons. He began studying business administration at Georgia State College in Atlanta, but quickly switched his major to music. Stevens left after completing three of the four years required to obtain a degree, which he felt he did not need.

At age 18, Stevens signed to Capitol Records' Prep Records division in 1957 and produced the single "Silver Bracelet", with a cover of "Rang Tang Ding Dong" (originally recorded by doo-wop group The Cellos in 1956) as the B-side. The single received a positive review from Billboard.

According to the Country Music Hall of Fame, "In between the record's 1957 recording and its release, his name was changed to 'Ray Stevens' at the insistence of country A&R chief Ken Nelson of Capitol Records, who said 'Ray Ragsdale' didn't 'pop.'"

Biography summary from English Wikipedia, photograph via Wikimedia Commons.