| UPDATED: 1-28-2008 |
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If you've never seen rockabilly pioneer Ray Campi slap that bass - even as he climbs on top of it - you're in for a treat. We can't send Ray over the phone lines, but through the use of RealAudio & animated GIFs (from video footage) we'll show you why he's so popular around the world! |
| THE LATEST |
RAY CAMPI SHOWS
Friday - February 29, 2008:
Killer rockabilly show featuring "Rockabilly Rebel" Ray Campi with Kevin Fennell on Guitar! Also on the Bill "The Rockabilly Rasputin" Johnny Legend and his band! This will be a wild show with these original 1970's Rollin' Rock Records artists!
Spike's Bar
7813 Garvey
Rosemead, California 91770Saturday - April 26, 2008:
Ray Campi headlines Good Rockin' Tonight #6 in France!
BLUE MONDAY
16 rue Centrale
01150 LAGNIEU France
Phone: 06.87.01.33.24
International phone: 0033.687.01.33.24
More info: www.bluemonday01.com
PHOTOS OF BARN DANCE 20th ANNIVERSARY SHOW
Ray Campi helped celebrate the 20th anniversary of Ronnie Mack's Barn Dance on January 15, 2008. Other performers included Dave Alvin and Chris Gaffney, Rosie Flores (with Cindy Cashdollar on steel guitar), James Intveld, Russell Scott and His Red Hots, George Highfill, Rick Shea, Patty Booker, Mike Stinson, Kathy Robertson, Groovy Rednecks, Cheatin' Kind, Jeffrey Michaels and the Traveling Salvation Show, Chad Watson, Jimmy Angel, Carlos Guitarlos, Doris and Laura Paxton, and Dan Chute.
PHOTOS: http://www.myspace.com/ElectricEarl (click on the "Pics" link)
MORE SONGS ADDED TO RAY CAMPI MySpace PAGE
Ray's MySpace page (myspace.com/raycampi) now includes some 40 songs available for download! (For all the students at Washington Irving Middle School, the song "Hotdog" is included!
Ray is also featured on the MySpace page for Rollin' Rock Records:
www.myspace.com/rollinrockrecords
U.K. 2007 PHOTOS
Ray Campi played at the Americana International music festival on July 7th, 2007. The band included Ray's longtime lead guitarist Kevin Fennell (seen here on the left). CLICK TO SEE FULL-SIZE PHOTOS:
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DISCOGRAPHY REVISED (again)
Ray Campi's COMPLETE DISCOGRAPHY has been updated. Recent releases have been added, and some corrections were made in the previous entries.
This is the fourth draft.
RAY CAMPI IS NOT DEAD!
Ray Campi wants everyone to know that "all rumors about my being dead are lies!" Ray would like to thank his friends for worrying about him.
RAY CAMPI TRACK ON "ALAN CLARK'S ROCK & ROLL SHOW" CD
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ALAN CLARK'S ROCK & ROLL SHOW
Includes the Ray Campi song "Can't Bare To Be Without You" |
NEW CD: RAY CAMPI & THE BELLHOPS
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RAY CAMPI & THE BELLHOPS
Recorded recently in Europe! Featuring 13 great songs. (Click CD for track listing.) Available from www.raucousrecords.com |
NEW DVD: REBEL BEAT: THE HISTORY OF L.A. ROCKABILLY
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REBEL BEAT: THE HISTORY OF L.A. ROCKABILLY
Available from RebelBeat.com or Betty Vision |
NEW RAY CAMPI COMPILATION CD "CULTURAL WARRIOR"
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RAY CAMPI: CULTURAL WARRIOR
A compilation of songs from 1966-2006. Ray sings about the evils of the music industry and the joys of rockabilly. (Click CD for track listing.) |
NEW RAY CAMPI CD "WITH FRIENDS ALONG THE WAY: AUSTIN TO L.A."
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RAY CAMPI WITH FRIENDS ALONG THE WAY: AUSTIN TO L.A. Coming soon on SCANNA AB, this is an expanded version of Ray Campi's classic 1988 release "With Friends In Texas." Guests include: Bonnie Raitt, Merle Travis, Lou Ann Barton, Chris O'Connell, Mae West, Johnny Legend, Ronnie Mack, Del Shannon, Harvey Campi, Rosie Flores Rip Masters, Tony Conn, Harold Layman, Hank Snow, Kevin Fennell, Orville Nash, Rose Maddox, Pep Torres, Vivian Worden. (Click CD for track listing.) |
RAY CAMPI TRACKS ON "ROLLIN' ROCK GREATEST HITS, VOL. 1" CD
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ROLLIN' ROCK GREATEST HITS, VOL. 1
This new Swedish compilation includes "Rockabilly Man" and "Rockin' & Rollin' Towards Tennessee" by Ray Campi. (Click CD for track listing.) |
RAY CAMPI TRACK ON "VIVA LAS VEGAS ROCKABILLY WEEKEND #9" CD
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VIVA LAS VEGAS ROCKABILLY WEEKEND #9
This new compilation CD contains Ray Campi's "What Have I Done," featuring Pat Reyford. The 30-song collection also includes tracks by Jimmy Sutton's Four Charms, Dustin Chance & the All Nighters, The Stargazers, The Go Getters, The Hi-Q's, Cari Lee & The Saddle-ites, Lew Williams, Amber Fox, Rip Carson, Cordwood Draggers, Two Timin' Three, Crazy Joe & His Mad River Combo, The Stardust Ramblers, Art Adams, Santos, The Stumbleweeds, Jimmy Sutton's Four Charms, Arsen Roulette & The Drugstore Romeos, Hi Strung Ramblers, The Hellzaboppers, Sonny Burgess, and Omar & The Stringpoppers. |
RAY CAMPI TRACK ON "ROCKABILLY LIVES" CD
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ROCKABILLY LIVES
This new compilation CD contains Ray Campi's "Rockabilly Music." Also featuring tracks by Big Sandy, Kim Lenz, Deke Dickerson, The Blasters, Dave Alvin, Phil Alvin, Rosie Flores, Sonny Burgess, Charlie Feathers, Mac Curtis, Johnny Carroll, Billy Lee Riley, and Gene Vincent. |
RAY'S NEW "JESSE JAMES" CD!
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RAY CAMPI The Memory Lingers On Remembering Jesse James And All The Boys CD with 24-page booklet Now available from Bear Family Records This and other Ray Campi's CD's are also available from Port Halcyon |
BEAR FAMILY 30th ANNIVERSARY CD
The Bear Family 30th anniversary compilation CD is now available. Ray Campi recorded "Life's A-Bearin' Down On Me" for this set, and played on other tracks.
RAY CAMPI APPEARS ON NEW KEVIN FENNELL CD
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KEVIN FENNELL Rock-A-Billy Boom Bam! This solo release from Ray Campi's longtime lead guitar player features Ray on five songs . Other guest musicians include DJ Bonebrake, James Wilinski, and Joel Gossman. * MySpace.com/kevinfennell * REVIEW: rockabilly.nl * REVIEW: rockabillyeurope.com * HOW TO ORDER |
RAY CAMPI'S JOB HISTORY
Ray writes...
Recently I looked back and reviewed the various jobs I'd been engaged in over the years. I was surprised by the results:
1942 - on-street auto security provider
1944 - Christmas tree cutter and seller
1945 - shoe shine boy
1946 - restaurant counter man
1947 - pin boy in bowling alley
1948 - theater usher
1948 - theater candy stand operator
1948 - motion picture projectionist
1948 - carnival ride operator
1949 - gas station discount coupon salesman
1949 - football program salesman
1949 - floor covering mechanic
1951 - country music band leader
1951 - country music radio entertainer
1952 - telephone equipment installer
1953 - parking lot attendant
1955 - shirt shop salesman
1957 - songwriter for music publisher
1957 - power plant instrument technician
1959 - music publishing executive
1959 - theater assistant manager
1960 - theater janitor
1961 - restaurant waiter
1963 - western film set entertainer
1963 - record company owner and manager
1963 - department store clothing salesman
1964 - motion picture food caterer
1965 - commercial truck driver
1965 - auto spray painter
1967 - secondary school teacher
1982 - boutique owner and operator
1999 - substitute school teacher
2004 - auto parts delivererIf I'm lucky, one of these days I'll find the time to pursue my music career.
---Ray Campi
NEW SONG WITH COUNT SMOKULA
Count Smokula (http://www.countsmokula.com) has written and recorded a new song with Ray Campi. Click the link below to hear the RealAudio clip:
MORE PHOTOS
| Recently found at an L.A. area garage sale, this vintage 1975 P.R. print from the Rollin' Rock record label shows Ray performing at Gil's Club in 1951. Left to right: Doug Burton, Ray Campi, Leon Hankins, and Bert Rivera. |
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Ray Campi, photographed in Austin, 1985, by Niles J. Fuller. |
| Dan Summers from San Jose writes: "I was looking over your Ray Campi web site, and I'd like to share my personal story. My mom's friend Pam Guite was married to him around 1970/71, and he visited our house on June 25 1971. Here's a picture my parents took [I'm the baby]." |
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| Doo-Dah Parade in Pasadena, California. (November 23, 2003) |
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| Ray Campi making friends in Barcelona. (June 2003) |
ANOTHER RECENT CD
CLICK TO SEE FULL-SIZE COVER ART
To order, send $15 check or Money Order ($20 international) to:
Real Music, P.O. Box 250425, Glendale, CA 91225-0425, USA
RAY'S PREVIOUS CD
The new Ray Campi/Tony Conn CD, High School Hellcats Reunion, is now available! The CD contains 15 great songs. It can be ordered directly from Ray. Send $20 check or Money Order (post paid worldwide) to: Real Music, P.O. Box 250425, Glendale, CA 91225-0425, USA.
| CLICK TO SEE: | * Booklet front/back (page 1/4) * Booklet inside (page 2/3) * Back of CD (song list) |
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Ray also appears as a guest on Andy Lee Lang's "Together" CD. The CD features Ray's song "Lucky To Be In Love," plus 21 other tracks.
CLICK FOR RAY'S REVIEW AND HOW TO ORDER |
BUY RAY CAMPI'S 1958 CHRYSLER!
For sale from Ray's car collection: 1958 Chrysler Imperial 4-door hard top. Offers now being considered worldwide. Call 323-255-7868, leave name and phone number.
CLICK TO SEE PHOTOS
MORE PHOTOS
CLICK TO SEE FULL-SIZE PHOTO
| May 25, 2001: at Fuel club in San Jose, California | ||
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| Darrin Stout (guitar), Ray Campi (bass), Philippe Aubuchon (drums), Kevin Fennell (guitar) | ||
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| New Year's Eve 12/31/2000 a The Derby: Kevin Fennell, Pep Torres, Ray |
At The Derby on July 2, 2000: Pep Torres (left), Ray, D.J. Bonebrake (drums), Kevin Fennell |
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| Here's Ray with Lefty Frizzell at the filming of a Town Hall Party television show (Compton, California) in 1961. | Pep Torres and Ray Campi at The Derby 4/16/2000. |
Kevin Fennell, Ray's guitarist on tour and on record during the 1970s and early 80s, joins Ray (and Rip Masters) again for their show at The Derby 4/16/2000. |
Flyers from Ray Campi's tour of Japan in summer 2001: FLYER #1 FLYER #2
FOR MORE PHOTOS SEE:
THE RAY CAMPI PHOTO ARCHIVE
DOES PAT BOONE BELONG IN THE R+R HALL OF FAME?
CLICK to see Ray Campi's reponse from Original Cool magazine (June/July 2000).
HANDBILL FROM AUGUST 2000 SHOW IN LONDON
CLICK
to see
full-size
handbill
COUNTERFEIT 45
CLICK
to see
full-size
recordRay says that this is a pretty good imitation
of his 1950s "Caterpiller" single.
| DOWNLOAD RAY'S ANTI-RAP SINGLE! |
HELP RID THE WORLD OF NOISE POLLUTION!
CLICK HERE NOW!
NOW AVAILABLE IN BOTH MP3 AND RealAudio FORMAT!
| RealAudioTM CLIPS |
These are complete songs, not excerpts!
UNTIL YOU'RE MINE
(Thanks to Dee Lannon for permission to use her song!)
ROCKABILLY MAN LUCKY TO BE IN LOVE
| SEPARATE WAYS (duet with Rosie Flores) |
FRANCE (unreleased demo) (with co-writer Diz Disley on guitar) |
Also, check out some of Ray's Christmas music:
ROCKABILLY CHRISTMAS
SOMEBODY TOOK MY TEETH (On Christmas Evening)
CHRISTMAS CHEER
LET THE NEW YEAR IN YOUR HEART
Don't have the RealAudio player? Click on the RA icon to download it for free.
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| RAY CAMPI CD'S & VIDEO |
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These are just few of the Ray Campi recordings that are in print. Click anywhere on this graphic to see a complete summary of what's available.
| OFFICIAL RAY CAMPI BIO |
For over 40 years, Austin, Texas, native Ray Campi has persisted in performing and recording his Texas roots music and is respected worldwide where many know of him as the King of Rockabilly, although his repertoire includes blues, Western swing, hillbilly, rock and roll, and classic ballads of theater and film. ->continued->
| PIONEERS OF ROCK by RAY CAMPI |
Ray Campi has met or worked with nearly all the early pioneers of what came to be known as rock 'n' roll. Here are some articles he has written about some of them:
- REMEMBERING BUDDY HOLLY
- JACKIE LEE COCHRAN
- ELVIS IN KILLEEN
- ELVIS AT PARAMOUNT (part 1) / (part 2)
- GENE VINCENT REMEMBERED
- MERLE TRAVIS REMEMBERED (part 1) / (part 2) / (part 3)
- RAY CAMPI'S REFLECTIONS ON THE GRAMMY AWARDS
Ray also conducted an interview with one of his own influences, pre-rock country legend Jimmy Heap, who first popularized "Wild Side of Life" and "Release Me," and has paid tribute to the music of Jimmy Heap with his CD "Taylor, Texas."
-- JIMMY HEAP INTERVIEW
See Ramblin' With Ray at the Rockabilly Hall of Fame site for more stories by Ray Campi!
| THE MASQUERS CLUB |
Besides music, Ray Campi also has a longtime interest in classic movies. He actually knew and worked with Mae West, and has recorded interviews with numerous other showbiz luminaries over the years.
In the early days of cinema, there was a Hollywood social club known as the Masquers Club. All the major stars, directors and producers were members and participated in private shows put on at the Masquers clubhouse. The organization still exists, although not on the scale it once did. And Ray Campi is a member.
Ray has a separate page for the Masquers Club. It contains info about the club and nearly two dozen photos of some of the biggest stars of Hollywood's golden age, including Jimmy Stewart, Bing Crosby, Edward G. Robinson, Buster Keaton, Frank Capra, Mack Sennett, Jack Benny, George Burns, Cesar Romero and James Cagney.
The page also includes a full-length RealAudio clip of Mae West singing "Frankie and Johnny" at a Masquers show.
| RAY'S LINKS |
MORE RAY CAMPI PAGES:
- Ray Campi - Rockabilly Hall of Fame page
- Ramblin' With Ray - more stories by Ray Campi
- NPR: My Fellow Americans - RAY CAMPI (December 25, 2003) - hear a radio profile of Ray Campi
- Wikipedia: Ray Campi
- MusicMatch Guide: Ray Campi
- Rockin' Country Style - Ray Campi artist discography
- Ray Campi, Grand Marshal of Rockabilly - tribute site based in the Netherlands
- Google News Groups Search Results: Ray Campi - links to recent posts that mention Ray Campi
- ElectricEarl.com pages with photos of Ray Campi:
- Ronnie Mack (pictured with Ray Campi and Rosie Flores)
- Rosie Flores 2-13-97
- Tony Conn's birthday salute 6-1-97
- Ronnie Mack's Barn Dance 7-22-97
FRIENDS & HEROES:
- Dave Alvin
- Big Sandy and his Fly-Rite Boys
- Blasters
- Mike Buck
- Sonny Burgess
- Johnny Burnette
- Rocky Burnette
- The Celebrity Snack Bar - includes "Rockin' Ronny Weiser's 1958 High Vitamin Fruit Salad," "Rockin' Ronny's Cowboy Cola" and "Rockin' Ronny's and Laurie's Rollin' Rock Chicken"
- Jackie Lee "Waukeen" Cochran
- Ronnie Dawson
- ¡Esperanza! (Ray Campi plays on her album)
- Kevin Fennell [Rockabilly Hall of Fame page]
- Rosie Flores:
- Rosie Flores - ElectricEarl.com photo archive and more
- The Rosie Flores Connection (her official homepage)
- Rosie Flores (Rounder Records)
- Screamin' Sirens (Trouser Press article)
- E! Online - Fact Sheet - The Running Kind (1989) (movie starring the Screamin' Sirens)
- Glen Glenn
- Skip Heller's Souvenir Corner
- Buddy Holly:
- Johnny Horton
- Wanda Jackson:
- Wanda Jackson [official site]
- Wanda Jackson: Queen of Rockabilly - in Polish but includes nice photos, discography
- Celebrities, Psychos, Sympaticos - more Wanda Jackson photos
- Andy Lee Lang
- Dee Lannon [official site]
- Jerry Lee Lewis:
- jerryleelewis.net [official site]
- Jerry Lee Lewis [Elektra site]
- Jerry Lee Lewis Fan Club / Merchandise
- Linda Gail Lewis [official site]
- The Maddox Brothers & Rose (Cowgirl's Dream site)
- Masquers Club
- Rip Masters [official site]
- Miss Wolff's Jiving School - in Montreal, Canada
- Roy Orbison
- Painted Sound - production company involved with Ray's recent recording projects
- Carl Perkins Tour - presented by Sun Studio
- Elvis Presley:
- Elvis - Presley.com The Official Site
- Elvis Presley's Graceland [official site]
- Elvis Presley [Yahoo! list of Presley sites]
- The Nixon-Presley Meeting - includes the photo, Elvis's handwritten letter, related Nixon staff memos, etc.
- Elvis Presley's will (Court TV)
- 699 Songs of Elvis Presley - lyrics all on one big 592KB page
- Songs About Elvis, Songs About Nixon
- Kimmie Rhodes
- Rock Island Line
- Rockabilly Hall of Fame
- The Rockabilly Homepage
- Roots66
- Swindon Rock n Roll Club
- Merle Travis Tabs (guitar tablatures based on his recordings)
- Ritchie Valens
- Gene Vincent - the Black Leather Rebel
- Mae West:
- Mae West Home Page
- Mae West Biography [Tombtown site]
- Yahoo! list of rockabilly sites
MORE LINKS ARE ON THE RAY CAMPI: CD'S AND VIDEO PAGE
| WRITE TO RAY CAMPI |
RAY CAMPI - REAL MUSIC
P.O. BOX 250425
GLENDALE, CA 91225-0425
© 1997-2008 Earl P. Reinhalter. All Rights Reserved.
Webmaster's site: ElectricEarl.com
