Ray Vernon – All Wrays Lead To Rock: The Link Wray Connection

Ray Vernon - Bear Family dedicates a complete CD album to Link Wray's big brother for the first time! -Really everyone who is interested in rock guitarists knows Link Wray - see Bear Family BCD17600. -Ray Vernon was a talented singer and producer, his career closely linked to that of his guitar-playing brother. -In the 1960s, he produced numerous recordings on the U.S. East Coast by his brother Link and by rockabilly star Marvin Rainwater, The Dial Tones, The British Walkers, The Moon Men, The Wray Brothers and Ray Men. -Carefully researched liner notes by Bill Dahl in the illustrated booklet and sensitively restored recordings. Serious talent ran in the Wray family. We all know the mighty Link Wray, king of the power chord and as bone-crushing a rock guitarist as ever came down the pike. But we all owe a debt of gratitude to his big brother, who went by the handle of Ray Vernon. Not only was Ray a talented vocalist who briefly tried to gain traction as a '50s teen idol on Philly's Cameo label, he guided Link's career during the '60s and produced classic 45s on his sibling as well as the considerably less familiar artists featured on Bear Family's 'All Wrays Lead To Rock,' a 34-song extravaganza spotlighting Vernon's prodigious studio skills. Working out of Washington, D.C. and then a basement studio in Accokeek, Maryland, Ray helmed gems by The Dial Tones, The British Walkers, The Moon Men, The Wray Brothers and Ray Men (naturally), even rockabilly hero Marvin Rainwater. Perhaps Ray's crowning achievement (other than producing some of Link's greatest instrumentals) were the six crunching sides he cut on R&B vocalist Bunker Hill (actually lapsed gospel singer David Walker), including the thundering two-part 1962 hit Hide & Go Seek--and they're all aboard this collection (as are some of Ray's own fine vocal efforts). Nail down your furniture--The Wray brothers are here to shake the foundations of your domicile!

Track Listing:
Ray Vernon & The Raymen: 1. Hold It - 2:15   Lucky Wray with Link and Doug Wray: 2. Teenage Cutie - 1:54   Ray Vernon: 3. My Sugar Plum - 2:10   4. Vendetta - 2:43 Link Wray feat. Ray Vernon: 5. I'll Be So Good To You - 1:56   Ray Vernon: 6. Danger One Way Love - 2:20   Link Wray feat. Ray Vernon: 7. Window Shopping - 2:28   Ray Vernon: 8. Evil Angel - 2:18   The Ray Men: 9. Baby What'cha Want Me - 2:16   Ray Vernon & The Ray Men: 10. Big City After Dark - 2:52   Ray Vernon: 11. Pretty Blue Eyes - 2:31   Link Wray feat. Ray Vernon: 12. The Freeze - 2:24   Ray Vernon: 13. I'll Be So Good To You - 1:46   14. Roughshod - 2:09   15. I'll Take Tomorrow Today - 2:32   16. I'm Countin' On You - 2:09   The Wraymen: 17. Flirty Baby - 2:00   Bunker Hill: 18. The Girl Can’t Dance - 1:53   The Ray Men: 19. Walkin' Down The Street Called Love - 2:10   The British Walkers: 20. Bad Lightin' - 2:32   Marvin Rainwater: 21. Boo Hoo - 2:43   Bunker Hill: 22. Hide And Go Seek - Parts I & II - 4:24   The Moon Men: 23. The Other Side Of The Moon - 2:08   The Wray Brothers: 24. You're Sweeter Than Sugar - 1:56   Bunker Hill: 25. Red Ridin' Hood And The Wolf - 2:11   Marvin Rainwater: 26. I Can’t Forget - 1:58   The Dial Tones: 27. Chicago Bird - 1:46   The Moon Men: 28. Some Kind Of Nut - 2:19   The British Walkers: 29. Watch Yourself - 2:30   Bunker Hill: 30. You Can't Make Me Doubt My Baby - 2:12   Marvin Rainwater: 31. Tough Top Cat - 2:56   The Dial Tones: 32. So Young - 1:49   The American Teens: 33. A Brand New Love - 2:18   Bunker Hill: 34. Nobody Knows - 2:21