Cray, Robert (1953—)

Robert Cray's fusion of blues, R & B, jazz, pop, and soul music earned him critical acclaim and widespread recognition as a critical figure in the "blues boom" of the 1980s and 1990s. Indeed, his original approach to the genre brought an entirely new audience to what had been considered a dying art form. Though blues purists dismissed him as a "tin-eared yuppie blues wannabe," Cray nonetheless enjoyed success unmatched by any other blues artist.

Born into an army family in 1953, Cray had the opportunity to live in many different regions of the United States before his family settled in Tacoma, Washington, when Cray was fifteen years old. Already a devotee of soul and rock music, Cray became interested in blues after legendary Texas guitarist Albert Collins played at his high school graduation dance. Cray formed his first band in 1974, and this group eventually became Collins's backing band, touring the country with him before striking out on its own.

After a series of moves—to Portland, Seattle, and finally to San Francisco—the Robert Cray Band signed a record deal with Tomato Records and released its first album, Who's Been Talking? (later re-released as Too Many Cooks), in 1980. Though the album featured convincing performances of classic blues songs, it generated little excitement. Cray and his band subsequently toured with Chicago

legend Muddy Waters and were featured on the Kings of the Boogie world tour with John Lee Hooker and Willie Dixon.

In 1983, Cray tried a different approach with the funky, original Bad Influence, released on the HighTone label. His follow-up effort, False Accusations, proved to be the breakthrough. The album made Newsweek's list of top ten LPs and shot up to number one on the Billboard pop music charts. That same year, Alligator Records released the Grammy Award-winning Showdown!, which featured Cray collaborating with now-deceased blues guitarists Collins and Johnny Copeland.

Success earned Cray the support of a major label, Mercury, and his debut effort for the company is widely believed to be the best work of his career. Released in 1986, Strong Persuader was certified platinum (sales of more than one million copies) and put Cray's picture on the cover of Rolling Stone. The success of the album also ensured more high-profile collaborations, such as an appearance in the concert and film tribute to Chuck Berry, "Hail! Hail! Rock 'n' Roll!" produced by Keith Richards. After covering Cray's "Bad Influence" on his August album, Eric Clapton invited Cray to appear on his Journeyman and 24 Nights albums. Cray also appeared in the Tina Turner video "Break Every Rule," becoming a familiar face on the MTV network.

Cray continued to experiment with soul music on 1990's Midnight Stroll, which featured the legendary Memphis Horns, and showed a jazzier side on I Was Warned, released two years later. Albert Collins joined Cray and his band on the 1993 album Shame + a Sin, the most traditional of Cray's later works. Cray continued to be in demand as a guest performer, appearing on three John Lee Hooker albums including the Grammy-winning The Healer, as well as B. B. King's Blues Summit. Cray's 1997 release Sweet Potato Pie featured a return to the Memphis soul that had characterized his sound from the early 1980s. Despite being panned by the "bluenatics," as Cray labelled the blues purists, the album achieved significant sales, confirming Cray's continuing commercial viability.

—Marc R. Sykes

Further Reading:

Davis, Francis. The History of the Blues. New York, Hyperion, 1995.

Russell, Tony, ed. The Blues: From Robert Johnson to Robert Cray. New York, Schirmer, 1997.