Dave "Snaker" Ray
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Dave "Snaker" Ray (August 17, 1943 – November 28, 2002) was an American blues singer and guitarist from St. Paul, Minnesota who was most notably associated with Spider John Koerner and Tony "Little Sun" Glover in the early Sixties Folk Revival. Together, the three released albums under the name "Koerner, Ray & Glover". The group gained notoriety with Blues Rags and Hollers originally released by Audiophile in 1963 and then re-released by Elektra Records.
[edit] History
Born James David Ray, Dave was the eldest child of James and Nellie Ray. Dave's exposure to music started early. In this teens, inspired by a Segovia concert, Dave's parents gave him a gut string guitar. He and his brother, Tom, took classical guitar lessons for about a year. Music was an "all in the family" theme: Dave's youngest brother Max started on the clarinet and then moved on to the saxophone; his sister Karen dabbled with the piano; his mother Nellie played the organ well into her eighties. Tom and Max Ray are respected musicians in their own right. On occasion Tom would play piano and Max sax in various iterations of Dave's local bands. Max went on to have a successful musical career with The Wallets and Gondwana.
In 1967, Ray got into a motorcycle accident and broke his wrist. While in a cast, Dave re-learned how to play the guitar with a flat pick. The years from 1963 to 1971 were prolific for Koerner, Ray, and Glover. Either solo or in some combination of the trio, they released at least one album a year.[1] The group never rehearsed together or did much at all together. As Dave liked to call the group, "Koerner and/or Ray and/or Glover".
While Ray was most interested in playing music, he was also a known record producer. With funding from his first wife's aunt, Jane Truax, Ray built a recording studio appropriately called "Sweet Jane, Ltd." in Cushing, Minnesota in the early 1970s. Sweet Jane became a meeting spot for well and lesser known blues musicians. Junior Wells and Bonnie Raitt both recorded work here. Minneapolis legends, Willie and the Bees recorded an album with Ray. At this point, Ray had already released a number of albums both solo and with Korener and Glover. Ray released his own solo album, Kidman, at SJL in 1977.
In the late 1970s, playing and recording music became a less viable option for Ray. As a stop-gap measure, he bought into his father's insurance business, James Ray Associates. Determined to continue playing music, Dave lined up steady gigs at local bars and restaurants for after hours. Tony Glover joined Dave on many of these jobs. For almost a decade, Dave led this double life of insurance agent and blues musician. He released a few live recordings and studio albums during this time.
In the late '80s, with no regret, Dave sold the insurance business to a large underwriter. He could now get back to the business of music. Dave played regular gigs and festivals around the country. Many would argue that Dave's skill as a guitarist took off during this period. Willie Murphy said after Dave's death, "It's too bad he had to die when he did, he was kind of getting the hang of it." [2] Dave devoted many hours to diligent practice, running through the paces of guitar greats like Charlie Christian and Freddie Green.
In 1998, Ray and Glover joined with Camile Baudoin and Reggie Scanlan of The Radiators to form a short-lived band, The Back Porch Rockers, which released the album By The Water in 2000.[3]
Ray was diagnosed with lung cancer in May of 2002. He died on Thanksgiving day, November 28, at his home in Minneapolis, Minnesota.[4]. Dave chose not to take any aggressive treatment for his cancer. He continued playing until shortly before his death, most notably a blues folk conference at Princeton, New Jersey.
[edit] References
- ^ Stefan Wirz Discography
- ^ Collins, Cy; West Bank Boogie; Triangle Park Creative, 2006
- ^ Cajun Market listing for Back Porch Rockers
- ^ http://www.chartattack.com/damn/2002/12/0209.cfm
