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 Internet, but through the use of audio clips & animated GIFs (from video footage) we'll show you why he's so popular around the world!

Remembering Ray Campi on his birthday!

WE ARE SORRY TO ANNOUNCE THAT RAY CAMPI HAS DIED. HE WAS FOUND THIS MORNING, IN HIS OWN BED. - March 11, 2021

RAY'S FINAL PHOTO

Ray Campi, enjoying a Margarita at Mijares Mexican Restaurant in Pasadena, California.
Photographed by his friend Wendy Fellows three days before he died.

MEMORIAL GATHERING - APRIL 24, 2021

On April 24th, some of Ray Campi's friends and collaborators gathered at
one of Ray's favorite places, Mijares Mexican Restaurant in Pasadena.
Click the photo montage above to view Facebook photo album.

RAY CAMPI IN FINLAND AND SWEDEN 1981

See RAY CAMPI IN FINLAND AND SWEDEN 1981 to view some vintage 1981 photos that were given to me after Ray died. Apparently these were meant to be the companion photos for his series of "Finlandia Is Grandia" stories on the Rockabilly Hall of Fame site.

NEW SONG: "DONALD DONALD"

Ray Campi's new song "Donald Donald," written and recorded with Rip Masters, is a humorous tribute to 2016 US presidential candidate Donald Trump. Click the video window below to listen.

SHOWS

On October 24, 2015, Ray Campi will play at RHYTHM AND RODS #2, an all-day car show and music festival in Riverside, California. See the poster for more details (click to enlarge).
[According to Kevin Fennell, this was Ray's final full-fledged concert.]

NEW CD!

Ray Campi has just released his new CD Still Rippin' It Up! Ray says that the music is "in the Rollin' Rock tradition." Comprised of 23 songs written by Rip Masters - including one co-written by Rip and Ray - the album was a mutual effort between Ray and Rip.

Although the front cover says that the CD contains 22 songs, there is also a bonus track, making for 23 songs in all. With nearly 73 minutes of music, in the days of vinyl this would have been released as a double album. See Ray Campi's revised DISCOGRAPHY for track listing and musician credits.

CLICK IMAGES TO ENLARGE:

 

RARE RAY CAMPI RECORDING FOR DISNEYLAND

Ray has recently discovered that one of his rarest recordings can be found on YouTube. Ray was part of the musical soundtrack for a Disneyland attraction called AMERICA SINGS. The soundtrack is primarily a long medley containing short snippets of well-known American songs. Ray Campi is among the singers, calling themselves The Swamp Boys, who perform the old folk song "Polly Wolly Doodle," which appears around 3 minutes into Side 1. The song is about 25 seconds long.

Here are the links to hear the album on YouTube:     Side 1 (11:35)       Side 2 (10:02)

YouTube also has numerous home movies of the attraction as it used to appear in the theme park. The camera work is shaky, but you can get an idea of what it looked like.

See the Wikipedia article for more about the Disneyland attraction and the soundtrack music.

RAY'S 80th BIRTHDAY SHOW

Ray Campi's 80th birthday concert (April 12, 2014) at Cody's Cantina in Burbank, CA, was a big success. Ray played an hour-long set featuring all of his most famous songs. A full house was on hand to watch Ray, as well as guests Rip Masters, Buzz Campbell, Glen Glenn, Jimmy Lee Maslon, and Johnnie Mae. Several people were filming parts of the show, so you might be able to find clips on YouTube and elsewhere.

* PHOTOS ON FACEBOOK

* Click to see full-size flyer:

RAY CAMPI DISCOGRAPHY UPDATED AGAIN

Ray Campi's DISCOGRAPHY was updated again on July 7, 2013, to include the new Ray Campi CD The Rollin' Rock Recordings: Vol. 1 and two tracks on a local Los Angeles compilation CD called LA Americana Nightlife: So-Cal Sounds 2013 (which was actually released in December 2012).

 

RAY CAMPI WRITES ABOUT SLIM WILLET

Click to read I LET THE STARS GET IN MY EYES (Remembering Slim Willet) by Ray Campi.

MORE VINTAGE PHOTOS FROM RAY'S SCRAPBOOK

CLICK EACH IMAGE TO SEE FULL-SIZE PHOTO

MORE VINTAGE CARS

Two of Ray Campi's vintage cars, a Lincoln Continental and an AMC Concord, photographed by Andrew Martinez:

CLICK EACH IMAGE TO SEE FULL-SIZE PHOTO

MOVIE AND TV MUSIC

Ray Campi music is available for film/television! Film and television soundtrack producers might be interested in examining Ray's extensive recording discography, from 1949 to the present. Many styles of honest quality music are represented in this collection, such as film and theatre, (Dim Cafés), Standards, Blues, and his favorite genres, traditional Country and Rockabilly Music. Hundreds of songs are featured on over 75 releases and may be heard on scores of the world's popular downloading services on the World Wide Web. CLICK TO READ 3/30/2012 AUSTIN CHRONICLE COVER STORY ABOUT RAY CAMPI <-Click to see larger image.

  <-Click to see larger image.

1949 LYRICS

Ray Campi recently came across these original 1949 lyrics manuscripts (click to enlarge):

NEW "TEXAS TORNADOS" CD

This new 2-CD set is a great representation of early Texas Rockabilly. Included is Ray's 1956 recording of "Catapillar."

IAN WHITCOMB

Ray's pal Ian Whitcomb is featured on the cover of the 7/26/2012 issue of Pasadena Weekly (click to read article). <-Click to see larger image.

NEW INTERVIEW

Click to read Jonny Whiteside's RAY CAMPI INTERVIEW from the April 15, 2012, edition of the Glendale/Burbank News-Press & Leader.

NEW "KING" RECORDINGS

Ray Campi's latest CD is Ramblin' Ray's Favorite King Country Stars. It's a tribute to the male recording artists who were on the King Records label. This 24-song collection clocks in at more than 66 minutes. In the old days of vinyl, this would have been released as a double album. Here are four songs that you can hear on YouTube:

Click the thumbnail images below to see full-size cover art and song listing from the rear cover.

PHOTOS OF RAY CAMPI AT RONNIE MACK'S BARN DANCE: 2011-2012

Click to see photos!

• January 2, 2012 (24th anniversary show)
• September 5, 2011 (tribute to Hank Williams)
• May 2, 2011 (tribute to Rick Nelson)
• January 3, 2011 (23rd anniversary show)

NEW INTERVIEW

See michaelcorcoran.net for an extensive new interview Ramblin’ Ray Remembers: Austin music in the 1950s, posted September 7, 2011.

"D" SINGLE REMAKE

Ray Campi has just recorded note-for-note remakes of the two songs from his "D" label single - "Ballad of Donna and Peggy Sue" and "The Man I Met" - and the record is now being prepared for release. The new recordings are of much higher fidelity than the original sessions, which Ray says were done with inferior microphones, and the new tracks are in stereo.

RAY CAMPI AT GENE VINCENT TRIBUTE SHOW

Ray Campi was one of the performers at a recent tribute to Gene Vincent at Joe's Great American Bar and Grill in Burbank on October 12, 2011, which was the 40th anniversary of the late singer's death. Ray reports that the show was a big success, with fans coming from all parts. Two of Gene Vincent's relatives were in attendance. Rip Masters and Ronnie Mack were among the many other performers on the bill.

NEW PHOTOS: RAY CAMPI AT MOTORAMA!

CLICK HERE for photos of Ray Campi performing at the Motorama vintage car show in Long Beach on October 1, 2011.

NEW RAY CAMPI VIDEO CLIPS ON YouTube

CLICK HERE for links to nine high quality YouTube clips of Ray Campi live at the Motorcycle Gang Jamboree in Bologna, Italy, August 2011.

CHRISTMAS SONGS ON iTUNES AND YouTube

See Ray Campi & The Sidekicks on iTunes to download these seasonal songs:

• Somebody Took My Teeth On Christmas Evening
• Christmas Cheer
• Rockabilly Christmas
• White Christmas
• Let the New Year In Your Heart

There are also videos on YouTube for two of these songs:

• Somebody Took My Teeth On Christmas Evening
• Christmas Cheer

RAY CAMPI RECORDS AT CANTERBURY RECORDS

Ray has put quite a few records on consignment at Canterbury Records in Pasadena, California:

805 East Colorado Boulevard
Pasadena, CA 91101-2192
626-792-7184

RAY CAMPI RECORDING WOODY GUTHRIE TRIBUTE

Ray Campi's next release will be a tribute to Woody Guthrie. See DISCOGRAPHY for track listing and musician credits. Here are photos from a June 23, 2010, recording session in which Ray brought in Lisa Finnie to add backing vocals on several songs: Lisa Finnie in studio with Ray Campi 6/23/2010

NEW JIMMIE SKINNER TRIBUTE CD

This new release includes 25 favorites plus a spoken message from Jimmie. See DISCOGRAPHY for track listing and musician credits.

RAY CAMPI VOCAL ON NEW ANDY LEE LANG CD

Andy Lee Lang's new CD "Rockin' with My Friends" (available from Vertrieb Hoanzl) includes a vocal duet with Ray Campi on the song "Drunk Up Again." Click the CD cover for complete track listing.

NEW RAY CAMPI INTERVIEW

There is a new Ray Campi interview at artofslapbass.com. Ray answered questions submitted by e-mail from Djordje Stijepovic.

NEW PHOTOS

Photos of Ray Campi performing at the Ronnie Mack's Barn Dance 22nd anniversary show on January 4, 2010, have been posted on MySpace and Facebook (take your pick). Other performers included Russell Scott, Rick Shea, Big Manny, the Vaquetones, Lisa Finnie, David Serby, Maureena, Rip Masters, 50˘ Haircut, the Groovy Rednecks, and Jeffrey Michaels.

Photos from Ray Campi's September 5, 2009, show at The Airliner were also posted on MySpace and Facebook (take your pick). Here's a sample from that show:

NEW KEVIN FENNELL CD's

Kevin Fennell, lead guitarist in Ray Campi's band since the 1970s, has just released two new CDs:

Ray Campi plays upright bass on Kevin Fennell's new CD Boppin' Sparky and the Sparkle-Billies. Other musicians include DJ Bonebrake, Joel Powerharp Gossman and Luther Boom Boom Jackson. REVIEWS:   * Blue Suede News   * BlackCat Rockabilly Europe

Kevin Fennell's new CD HARD ROCKIN' HEAD KNOCKIN' features the same band (Bonebrake, Gossman and Jackson). Ray Campi does not play on this one, but the cover photo shows Kevin playing a guitar solo during Ray's show at the Airliner in September 2009. REVIEW AND ORDER INFO:   * BlackCat Rockabilly Europe

KEVIN FENNELL RECORDINGS AVAILABLE FOR DOWNLOAD

Ray Campi writes:

To all my friends worldwide,

I am very happy to have a role in bringing the music of Kevin Fennell to the world through computer downloading.

Kevin, an amazing guitarist, and in recent years a songwriter, music producer and vocalist, entered my life when he joined my Rockabilly Rebel band in 1977. Two tours of England followed shortly, and our close friendship has advanced since that time as we still perform live and record together.

If you enjoy Rockabilly, Blues Guitar, Country Music and Good Ol' Rock & Roll, give a listen to the amazing nine CD's of Kevin Fennell.

You can order his songs or whole albums from Amazon, Rhapsody, Napster, i-Tunes or e-Music.

ENJOY!!

"Rockabilly Rebel" Ray Campi

NEW TRACKS WITH JUNGLE TIGERS

     

The Jungle Tigers have a new 15-track CD Goo-Goo Muck (On Stage Records/Greece, OSR 017) which includes Ray Campi singing lead on "Tennessee Rock & Roll." In addition, there is a 4-song vinyl EP "Apeman Boogie" (Sleazy Records/Spain, SR-11), which includes that song as well as Ray singing lead on "My Heart Is Achin' For You" (the James Inveld song). A third song that Ray recorded with the Jungle Tigers, "You're A Heartbreaker," will be included on Worldwide Rockers Vol.2, an international rockabilly compilation to be released later this year by the German label Rebel Music.

VINTAGE CAMPI PICS IN 'NOW DIG THIS' MAGAZINE

The March 2009 issue of Now Dig This magazine features Ray Campi on the cover, and includes previously unseen photos from the second UK Rollin' Rock tour of 1979. Click the magazine cover for details how to order.

U.K. 2008 PHOTOS

(CLICK TO SEE ORIGINAL UNCROPPED PHOTOS)

Ray Campi played at the Americana International music festival on July 13th, 2008. The band included Ray's longtime lead guitarist Kevin Fennell (seen here on the left).

Here, Ray and Kevin pose with their British bandmates. Left to right: Mark Spreckley (drums), Dave Brown (piano), Ray, Kevin, Paul Paterson (rhythm guitar).

U.K. 2007 PHOTOS

NEW "WEEKEND LOVE" CD (2008)

See the Discography for song listing.

RAY CAMPI TRACK ON "ALAN CLARK'S ROCK & ROLL SHOW" CD

NEW CD:   RAY CAMPI & THE BELLHOPS

NEW DVD:   REBEL BEAT: THE HISTORY OF L.A. ROCKABILLY

NEW RAY CAMPI COMPILATION CD "CULTURAL WARRIOR"

NEW RAY CAMPI CD "WITH FRIENDS ALONG THE WAY: AUSTIN TO L.A."

RAY CAMPI TRACKS ON "ROLLIN' ROCK GREATEST HITS, VOL. 1" CD

RAY CAMPI TRACK ON "VIVA LAS VEGAS ROCKABILLY WEEKEND #9" CD

RAY CAMPI TRACK ON "ROCKABILLY LIVES" CD

RAY'S NEW "JESSE JAMES" CD!

RAY CAMPI APPEARS ON NEW KEVIN FENNELL CD

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 - bulldozer operator
1967 - secondary school teacher
1982 - boutique owner and operator
1999 - substitute school teacher
2004 - auto parts deliverer

If 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

ANOTHER RECENT CD

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.

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

MORE PHOTOS

DOES PAT BOONE BELONG IN THE R+R HALL OF FAME?

CLICK to see Ray Campi's response 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 record

Ray says that this is a pretty good imitation of his 1950s "Catapillar" single.

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.

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->

GIF of Ray's official bio

PIONEERS OF ROCK by RAY CAMPI

THE MASQUERS CLUB

RAY'S LINKS

MORE LINKS ARE ON THE RAY CAMPI: CD'S AND VIDEO PAGE