Ray Stevens: CabaRay Nashville on YouTube E-9, S-2

In this episode of Ray Stevens CabaRay Nashville the special guest happens to be Bill Anderson. This is one of the episodes featuring a contemporary of Ray...usually the guests are from a generation or two below Ray...but in Bill Anderson we have a performer with as much longevity in the music business as Ray Stevens. Ray opens the show singing "I'll Be Walking the Dog", one of the most upbeat songs detailing a failed relationship that you're probably likely to ever hear. It's from his 2015 comedy album, Here We Go Again!. Ray plays the part of a spouse on the other end of an argument but rather than waste time bickering he simply says he'll be out walking the dog. 

Ray introduces Bill Anderson and they speak about their upbringing in Georgia. Ray was born in Clarkdale, Georgia and his family eventually moved to Albany, Georgia. Bill happened to have been born in Columbia, South Carolina but was raised in Georgia...and throughout his life he's identified Georgia as his adopted home state...and he's known as a performer from Georgia in spite of his birth being elsewhere. Ray and Bill are both members of the Georgia Music Hall of Fame. The two are also members of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame as well as the Country Music Hall of Fame. Like Ray, Bill was also on local radio prior to his success in the music industry. Bill was born November 1, 1937 whereas Ray was born January 24, 1939. Bill's nickname is Whispering Bill due to his soft-spoken voice and the abundance of narration in a lot of his songs...delivered his hushed, whispered tones. Bill brings up Ray's 1957 love ballad, "Silver Bracelet", and how it was a monster hit...but Ray quickly interjects that it was only a hit in Atlanta and nowhere else. Bill teases Ray about the clamoring of excited screaming girls at each concert stop exclaiming "woooo-weee... Ray Stevens!! Ray Stevens!!". 

Bill mentions that he's read Ray's memoir and it took him 3 days to read it. Ray remarks that Bill must be a slow reader...a reference to the fact that Ray's memoir has universally been referred to by fans in online book reviews as a fast read. Ray's memoir is titled Ray Stevens' Nashville. 

Not mentioned in the episode is Bill's telegenic presence, something of which Ray also possesses, a natural talent that enables a person to look like they're a natural for television. Throughout the early and into the middle part of his career Bill was a fixture on television. He hosted his own syndicated television series, The Bill Anderson Show, for 9 years (1966-1975) and in the next decade he hosted the cable television game show, Fandango, on The Nashville Network for 6 years (1983-1989). In between those two programs was a game show called "The Better Sex" which aired on ABC from July 1977 until January 1978. Bill was a co-host with Sarah Purcell. In this time period he also made appearances as a panelist on other nationally aired game shows. Bill was also a fixture on the various Grand Ole Opry backstage episodes as a rotating host. Bill sings one of his signature songs, "Still". Bill joined the Grand Ole Opry in 1961 and he remains one of the most popular Opry members to this day...regularly appearing as a performer/emcee of various half hour segments.  

Bill's second song of the episode is "Old Army Hat". Bill discusses with Ray how a Grammer guitar of his (designed by singer/guitarist, Billy Grammer) had been lost for 50 years until one day it was discovered in a pawn shop and returned to him. In 2018 Bill was inducted into the National Songwriters Hall of Fame. That particular Hall isn't genre-specific...songwriters from all types of music have been recognized/honored by that organization.  

Ray closes the show singing "The Higher Education of Ole Blue", a song from his 1993 comedy album, Classic Ray Stevens.  

Ray Stevens audio clip: "City Lights"...

Hello all fans of Ray Stevens!! The current album from Ray, Great Country Ballads, is just the first of four upcoming digital downloads. The second new album will hit in a couple of weeks. I'm sure most of you, if not all of you, have made your way over to YouTube and listened to the songs on Ray's current album. Curb Records uploaded all of the songs for your listening pleasure on YouTube. I also purchased the album through an on-line store. In this blog entry I decided to include the audio of "City Lights" which had been a huge country music hit for Ray Price from the pen of Bill Anderson. The single had also become a big hit for Mickey Gilley. In interviews Bill spoke about some of the inspiration behind the song...he was looking outside a window and seen a street of lights that lined the city blocks and they seemed to go on and on for miles but yet no such lights existed outside city limits. He created a story of how bright and pretty those lights were and how they can be seductive to certain kinds of people and how some fall prey to the allure of those lights (honky-tonking/drinking). Anyway, I had heard both of their versions of "City Lights" but I hadn't heard the renditions by other recording artists. The Ray Stevens version of "City Lights" is unlike the familiar performances by Ray Price and later, Mickey Gilley. "City Lights" is one of twelve songs found in the current Ray Stevens release...

Ray Stevens and Bill Anderson...

A couple of days ago Ray Stevens uploaded a video clip from his CabaRay Nashville television series. The clip featured an interview and performance from Bill Anderson...one of country music's legendary songwriters/performers and an early participant in syndicated television. It happened to be Bill's birthday (November 1st) and so to celebrate this footage of Bill's appearance on Ray's television series was uploaded.

Ray and Bill have some things in common: they're both well established songwriters, they each have a history of television and video endeavors, they embrace the power of on-line marketing, they're businessmen and each have had successful careers in the music business world, they're both in the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame as well as the Country Music Hall of Fame, and both are tied to the state of Georgia...Ray was born there whereas Bill was raised there (officially he was born in Columbia, South Carolina). The two also have membership in the Georgia Music Hall of Fame as well as the Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame. Also, the two share experiences in the hospitality business. One of Bill's hit songs, "Po' Folks", became the name of a restaurant chain throughout the South...and from 1975 until 1988 Bill was it's spokesman. The television series Bill hosted on The Nashville Network during the 1980s, Fandango, featured commercials for Po' Folks. Ray, on the other hand, owned, operated, and performed at a theater in Branson, Missouri (1991-1993, 2005-2006) and since January 2018 he's owned, operated, and performed in Nashville, Tennessee at the CabaRay.

Nashville Songwriter's Hall of Fame: Bill Anderson (1974 induction), Ray Stevens (1980 induction).

Georgia Music Hall of Fame: Ray Stevens (1980 induction), Bill Anderson (1985 induction).

Atlanta Country Music Hall of Fame: Bill Anderson (1987 induction), Ray Stevens (2001 induction).

Country Music Hall of Fame: Bill Anderson (2001 induction), Ray Stevens (2019 induction).

When Ray's CabaRay showroom had it's grand opening in January of 2018 there were several media outlets there and one of the television stations captured an interview of Bill Anderson during his visit to the CabaRay and it serves as a testimonial in a lot of ways to Ray's creative genius and work ethic...



The two obviously have their professional/career differences, as well...Bill is a member of the National Songwriter's Hall of Fame whereas, as of this writing, Ray Stevens isn't. Bill has also been a member of the Grand Ole Opry since 1961 whereas Ray is not a member but sporadically makes guest appearances. The two looked back, comically, on their early years in the music business; Bill brings up Ray's "Silver Bracelet" single in 1957 and remarks on the impact it had in the Atlanta, Georgia area in the interview. Bill brings up Ray's memoir, Ray Stevens' Nashville, and said he spent three weeks reading it...to which Ray comically asked why it took him that long...and the two of them discuss music publisher Bill Lowery...anyway, here's the clip of the two legends...

Ray Stevens CabaRay Nashville...Bill Anderson

Hello all...I just finished watching the remaining episodes of the Season Two DVD of Ray Stevens CabaRay Nashville. Bill Anderson happened to be the guest star of episode 9. Ray opened the show singing "Walking the Dog" from his 2015 album, Here We Go Again!.



Ray welcomes to the show that night's guest star, Bill Anderson. Ray makes mention of Warren Roberts and how instrumental he happened to be in their early lives. Ray mentions that Warren happened to be a faculty member at his high school...and Bill mentions that Warren was responsible for him landing a job on a Georgia radio station in a Saturday time slot "when nobody was probably listening" but quickly adds that everyone has to start somewhere. Ray mentions that his association with Bill Lowery came as a result of knowing Warren.

Bill makes mention of Ray's first commercially released single, "Silver Bracelet", and how it was the biggest thing in Atlanta and it enabled Ray to become known as The Atlanta Heart Throb and for awhile young girls in the area would swoon over every word and in his recollection they'd coo out "woo, it's Ray Stevens!". Bill remarks with high praise the memoir Ray co-authored and said it took him three days to read it. Ray jokingly remarks that Bill must be a slow reader if it took him that long to read it (a reference to how short the memoir is by comparison with others). Bill mentioned that his upcoming memoir, Whisperin' Bill Anderson: An Unprecedented Life in Country Music, was also going to be released as an audio book. The book saw it's release in September 2016 in hardcover as well as paperback and the audio version hit the next month. Bill performs "Still" with Ray's "orchestra". I quote that because Bill referred to the band as an orchestra...and Ray questioned this choice of words. "An orchestra?!?"...implying that the band is far too down to Earth to be confused with the more haughty sounding 'orchestra'.

Bill follows up this performance with "Old Army Hat". Bill is seen playing the guitar on this song and he says that the guitar was given to him by Billy Grammer in the late '50s to take on tour and promote the line of guitars but it came up missing one day and for at least 50 years it was lost. He said that one day he got a call from somebody saying he had found a guitar in a pawn shop and it could very well be the one that's been missing for half a century. This event in Bill's life was part inspiration for a song he wrote with Jamey Johnson called "The Guitar Song"...that song is about what a lonely guitar might be thinking while sitting in a pawn shop awaiting purchase.

Following the performance of "Old Army Hat" the limited animation music video, "Power Tools", aired. Ray closed the show performing "The Higher Education of Ol' Blue". Ray originally recorded that song on his 1993 Curb album, Classic Ray Stevens. The song is based on a story that's been told for decades in the southern portion of the United States and had become the focal point of a Jerry Clower routine titled "Crack, W.L., and Rover". Jerry's story can be found on his Starke Raving! album from 1984. Be on the lookout for my next review...episode 10...guest starring Sylvia!

Ray Stevens CabaRay...VIP Event...

Hello once more! In my previous blog entry I made mention that I'd be blogging at some point this weekend with a recap of Bill Anderson's episode of Ray Stevens CabaRay Nashville but if breaking news happened I'd blog before then. Well, breaking news, sort of, happened last night while I was at work. Ray held a VIP concert at the CabaRay and various local television stations were there to get some of the event on camera. While the actual concert itself wasn't videotaped by the reporters there was footage of the venue prior to the VIP event which aired on the local news in Nashville. There are two video clips on YouTube surrounding the CabaRay event...

In this first video clip Bill Anderson is interviewed and he gives his history with Ray, life growing up in the Atlanta region in Georgia, and his thoughts about the CabaRay...



In the second video clip, which is a bit longer, Ray gives a guided tour and shows a lot of the interior that wasn't spotlighted in a previous video clip...including a special area dedicated to Bill Lowery.



A third video, from WKRN television, posted a video promo of the VIP event and in their video they have commentary from Mandy Barnett and Ray's longtime friend/songwriting partner/video co-star/business associate, Buddy Kalb. You can see that video by clicking HERE. If the link is temperamental be patient as it loads. It's well worth it. The CabaRay opens in just 7 days!!

Ray Stevens CabaRay Nashville: Season Two DVD...

Hello there...I don't often publish/post multiple blog entries in one 24 hour time period but this is the third one I'm creating in less than 6 hours time. Earlier I posted a couple of recap blogs: Felix Cavaliere's guest appearance on Ray's television show and then I posted my recap of the episode guest starring Don McLean. This third blog entry is more or less an advertisement for Ray's brand new DVD release. You can purchase your copy of the Season Two DVD by clicking HERE.

Earlier this year Ray released Season One of his television show onto DVD. Based on production information each 'season' of his show consists of 13 episodes rather than the standard 26 per season. If you go by Ray's production method the local PBS affiliates are airing episodes taped during his 4th production season. He's been working on a 5th season and those episodes, I assume, are to start airing in the summer of 2018 but that's just my guess. He'll soon move production to his CabaRay venue once it has it's grand opening. On the Season Two DVD you'll get the episodes that I often remark had never aired on the local PBS affiliate in my region. Even though I can see these episodes on his video streaming site I'm going to wait until the DVD arrives in the mail and watch them on DVD. I love the fact that Ray's releasing episodes of the show onto DVD because it gives the show a permanent place to be available. PBS affiliates come and go...and at some point Ray's video streaming site may remove episodes of the show to clear space for other episodes...one never knows what can come of things in cyberspace. However, having a physical item such as a disc containing episodes of his show, you're at least not at the mercy of computer crashes or memory lapses, etc. that could wipe out things you've downloaded.

In other words I prefer having DVD copies of his show for the simple fact that I'm a fan of his and it's the collector in me that calls out to have a DVD of episodes I could easily watch on his video streaming site. I'd like to think a lot of other fans of his prefer to have a DVD in their possession in addition to being a member of his video streaming site. You can become a member on a monthly basis and if you choose this option you'll obviously receive an inquiry to renew your subscription each month; or, you can do as I did and subscribe for a full year and not have to think about renewing for a 12 month time period. Read more about his video streaming site by clicking HERE.



I like the photo on the DVD...interesting that they decided to go with a more somber look...as Ray looks completely focused at playing the piano. On Season One's DVD cover it shown Ray with a familiar smile behind the piano. Some of the guest stars on the Season Two DVD are: Sylvia, The Gatlin Brothers, Williams and Ree, Bill Anderson, T. Graham Brown, and Ray's daughter, Suzi Ragsdale. Once the DVD arrives I'll clear some time to watch it and then write a product review over on Ray's website and then paste it in a future blog entry.

Ray Stevens CabaRay Nashville Documentary...

Hello all...as a follow-up to my previous blog entry I've decided to make mention of a PBS special that has started to air on local PBS stations which carry Ray's program. Several stations aired the special yesterday and a lot more are going to air it next Saturday and this will be followed by sporadic air-dates throughout the month of December. It's officially titled Ray Stevens CabaRay Nashville Special. One of the PBS stations that aired it yesterday, WCNY, I checked their website. They aired it at 5:30pm and from the looks of their on-line program guide it was an hour long documentary. As of this writing the documentary/special isn't going to air on the PBS station that airs his show in my area but time will tell. On Ray's main website he has a list of PBS affiliates that have aired (yesterday) or are going to air the special (throughout the month of December) and there's the Oklahoma PBS affiliates that are scheduled to air the documentary in the month of March (next year) and so it isn't written in stone that the documentary is only meant for November and December airings. If the special is to air on the local PBS station on my cable line-up I'll make mention of it. As of this writing I don't know if it'll become available on Ray's new TV and video website.

You can read about Ray's new TV and video website and you can see the promotional clip of his PBS special by clicking HERE.

There have been 52 episodes produced of Ray's television program and there are to be more on the way from the current recording location. Once those have aired then the taping of the series is going to originate from the CabaRay venue after it makes it's grand opening...at least that's the goal according to commentary I've read on social media sites from Ray. Even though there have been 52 episodes produced of the series it doesn't mean they've all aired on PBS. The earlier episodes aired on RFD television and once Ray's show moved to PBS in January of this year all of the RFD episodes reran on many PBS stations and then by the late summer all new episodes exclusive to PBS began to air. The local PBS affiliate in my area began airing the show in the spring of this year (late March 2017) but they aired 15 of the 26 available RFD episodes before they started airing the PBS exclusives in July. I think had they started airing the show early in January of this year they may have been able to air all of the available RFD episodes and then start airing the all-new episodes in the summer. Anyway...there are only several more episodes left of this current season: Don McClean (December 2nd), Felix Cavaliere (December 9th), Suzy Bogguss (December 16th), Deborah Allen (December 23rd), and The Cast Show (December 30th).