Donnie Ray was born in Texarkana, Texas on July 4, 1959 and began performing with his father's band, the Aldredge Brothers Band, when fifteen. He not only mastered lead and bass guitars, the keyboard, and drums, Donnie Ray branched out and began writing lyrics for recording studios. Inspired by the Motown Sound artists and such musical legends as Bobby "Blue" Bland, Tyrone Davis, and B. B. King, Donnie Ray has worked with such artists as Millie Jackson, Marvin Sease, and numerous others.

Donnie Ray's first CD, "Let's Go Dancing" on the Susie Q label, spawned a Chittlin' Circuit hit called  "Letter To My Baby". After a less successful followup, "Are You Ready For Me", Ray signed with Ecko Records and has bbeen releasing a steady stream of cds since.

Album Discography

"Let's Go Dancing" (Susie Q 2000)

"Are You Ready For Me" (Susie Q 2003)

"I'll Be Good To You" (Ecko 2005)

*** Ray's new one already has a Top 10 hit on the Southern Soul Chart with the title track, an upbeat head-bobber. Ray produced most of this disc himself and he does a fine job but if you're expecting that indomitable Ecko Records sound you will only hear it on "It's Just A Party Thing" & "Bottoms Up Again", both produced by Ecko's John Ward. (Irritatingly, this is the third artist in as many years to cover "Bottoms Up". The first hit version by Quinn Golden was enough). Ray writes most of his own material like the midtempo stepper "I Never Dreamed", which also includes his best vocal, and the slowies "I Belong To You" & "I'd Rather Have You Than Memories".

"Don't Stop My Party" (Ecko 2006)

**** 1/2 Donnie Ray has arrived. He's had some hits in the past ("Let's Go Dancing", "I'll Be Good To You") but his albums were only flirting with greatness. On "Don't Stop My Party" he pops the question. 11 cuts of pure cream. Right from the drum intro of track 1 ("Is It Your Place Or Is It Mine?") all the way through the closer the quality is relentless! Ray, a decent record producer on his own, wisely gives the job to hit man John Ward who again provides that "big" sound Ecko is known for. Ray & his fellow songwriters must've had their Wheaties n' whiskey when composing these tunes. There's more hooks in here than Bill Dance's tackle box. "Is It Your Place", "Something 'Bout The Music", "Don't Stop My Party", "Back Up And Try It Again" (Curtis Steele, Daryl Wilson) & "Sexified" (Raymond Moore, Ward) may cause a booty-shakin' pandemic. Sometimes things just click in the studio. These tracks create excitement, incessantly tickling the ears into submission. On the slow tip "Sweeter To Me" is the best Tyrone Davis-inspired cut I've heard in a decade (even from Tyrone!). Make sure you play the song with a soft carpet 'cuz the ladies will be swooning. "Seven Long Years" is simply gorgeous (and should been sitting atop the singles chart before the year's end). Ray has a deliciously yearning voice and you just feel he's at his peak on this album. Props must again be given to Morris J. Williams whose rhythm tracks, sequencing and Yamaha provide a kinetic pulse. Yes, the disc is part "live" and part "programming" but the bottom line: This is one of the better "Southern Soul" or "Party Blues" discs you'll find.Get your party on.

"Smooth Operator" (Ecko 2007) LISTEN

*** Ecko Records has now been in operation for a dozen years and still uses that same radio n' club-friendly production sound- a mix of live and synthesized instruments that irks the purists but is embraced by fans of the unfairly-maligned "Southern Soul" genre. Donnie Ray had perhaps the best release in 2006 for the label ("Don't Stop My Party"), which had an off year overall in terms of quality. It's 2007 and "Smooth Operator" is a good start- a satisfyin' set of Ray originals and new material from the Ecko writing squad (John Ward, Morris J, John Cummings, etc). Two of Ray's early hits ("Hip Slide" & "Letter To My Baby")  appear in so-called "Part 2" incarnations- perhaps superfluous for fans who have the originals...but these new takes are superior and you still get ten more more tracks (twelve tracks is rare for the label). The likely first single is the bumpin' title track, a duet with O.B. Buchana. Not an outstanding track but catchy enough to chart. Other notables include "Booty Hunt", "Too Many Irons In The Fire" (very similar to a Clay Hammond song of the same name) and the sweet ballad "Play It Off".

"You've Got Me" (Ecko 2008)