Ray Simpson
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Ray Simpson (born January 15, 1954) has been the lead singer and "Cop" of noted musical group the Village People since 1980. His most memorable recordings with the group are from the days of the Village People film, Can't Stop the Music, a film which hastened the end of the group's heyday. His voice is not originally heard on any of the Village People hits, though his voice was later dubbed on several of the group's biggest hits which consistently require die-hard Village People fans to read the label carefully before purchasing any of the group's reissued CDs to assure they are obtaining the original Victor Willis/Village People version.
Born and raised in the Bronx, he labels himself a "Native New Yorker". He is a graduate of City College of New York, majoring in English and minoring in Music.
Ray comes from a successful solo career and many years performing with his sister and brother-in-law, Nick Ashford and Valerie Simpson. Prior to Village People, Mr. Simpson released a solo recording album entitled Tiger Love.
He started doing some backup singing for Village People in its first years; soon after he was recruited (on very short notice) to join the group when Victor Willis left.
Mr. Simpson is a real sports fan. His other hobbies include backgammon, bicycling, writing music and driving fancy cars. He is also a proud husband and father. Ray, his wife Leslie, and daughter Alayna now reside in Teaneck, New Jersey.[1]
Ray is a member of the Board of Directors of Sixuvus Ltd. (the Village People corporation).
[edit] References
- ^ Leichman, Abigail. "Ashford and Simpson sing of wedded bliss", The Record (Bergen County), September 7, 2007. Accessed August 9, 2007. "'People tried to talk us out of songwriting, but we just kept doing it, and eventually we made it through,' said Simpson, whose brother, Village People lead singer Raymond Simpson, is a longtime Teaneck resident."
