Ray Campi
Encyclopedia
Ray Campi is a distinguished musician often called The King of Rockabilly
. Campi's trademark is his white double bass
, which he often jumps on top of and "rides" while playing.
After his family moved to Austin, Texas
in 1944, Campi began a lifetime of performing and recording music in numerous American genres, including folk
, country
, and rock and roll
as well as rockabilly. Early on he recorded on Domino Records He rarely concentrated on his musical career exclusively, working a wide variety of jobs, notably twenty-five years spent as a high-school teacher
in Van Nuys, California. His career never really took off until the early 1970s when he was rediscovered by Ronnie Weiser
, the owner of Rollin' Rock Records
. Campi began touring Great Britain and Europe and has regularly played festivals there ever since. Though now in his seventies, he remains a dynamic performer. He has also recorded with German, Finnish, British and Dutch rockabilly bands over the past two decades, and has produced his own albums with artists such as Rosie Flores
, Bobby 'Fats' Mizell and Ian Whitcomb
.
Ray continues to gig and record with his longtime Rockabilly Rebels band consisting of Kevin Fennell (his lead Guitarist since 1977), Rip Masters on piano for 30 years, Pep Torres on rhythm guitar and DJ Bonebrake on drums.
In the 1950s Ray Campi recorded for several labels, including Dot Records, and recorded the first tribute record to the 1959 Buddy Holly
plane crash, 'The Ballad of Donna and Peggy Sue', backed by the Big Bopper's band. He also worked with many of the most prominent pioneers of rock and roll music, including Bill Haley
, Buddy Holly
, Elvis Presley
, and Gene Vincent
. He has fiercely criticized the mainstream music industry, in particular its connections with drug culture.
Ray Campi is a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame
.
Rockabilly
Rockabilly is one of the earliest styles of rock and roll music, dating to the early 1950s.The term rockabilly is a portmanteau of rock and hillbilly, the latter a reference to the country music that contributed strongly to the style's development...
. Campi's trademark is his white double bass
Double bass
The double bass, also called the string bass, upright bass, standup bass or contrabass, is the largest and lowest-pitched bowed string instrument in the modern symphony orchestra, with strings usually tuned to E1, A1, D2 and G2...
, which he often jumps on top of and "rides" while playing.
After his family moved to Austin, Texas
Austin, Texas
Austin is the capital city of the U.S. state of :Texas and the seat of Travis County. Located in Central Texas on the eastern edge of the American Southwest, it is the fourth-largest city in Texas and the 14th most populous city in the United States. It was the third-fastest-growing large city in...
in 1944, Campi began a lifetime of performing and recording music in numerous American genres, including folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
, country
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
, and rock and roll
Rock and roll
Rock and roll is a genre of popular music that originated and evolved in the United States during the late 1940s and early 1950s, primarily from a combination of African American blues, country, jazz, and gospel music...
as well as rockabilly. Early on he recorded on Domino Records He rarely concentrated on his musical career exclusively, working a wide variety of jobs, notably twenty-five years spent as a high-school teacher
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
in Van Nuys, California. His career never really took off until the early 1970s when he was rediscovered by Ronnie Weiser
Ronnie Weiser
Ronnie Weiser , also known as Rockin' Ronnie Weiser, is an American record producer and founder of rockabilly record label Rollin' Rock Records....
, the owner of Rollin' Rock Records
Rollin' Rock Records
Rollin' Rock Records is an American rockabilly record label founded by producer Ronnie Weiser. Initially created as music magazine Rollin' Rock in 1969, the magazine became a full-fledged record label in 1970...
. Campi began touring Great Britain and Europe and has regularly played festivals there ever since. Though now in his seventies, he remains a dynamic performer. He has also recorded with German, Finnish, British and Dutch rockabilly bands over the past two decades, and has produced his own albums with artists such as Rosie Flores
Rosie Flores
Rosie Flores is a rockabilly and country music artist of Mexican American heritage. Her music blends rockabilly, honky tonk, jazz, and Western swing along with traditional influences from her Tex-Mex heritage...
, Bobby 'Fats' Mizell and Ian Whitcomb
Ian Whitcomb
Ian Whitcomb is an entertainer, singer, songwriter, author, record producer, and actor...
.
Ray continues to gig and record with his longtime Rockabilly Rebels band consisting of Kevin Fennell (his lead Guitarist since 1977), Rip Masters on piano for 30 years, Pep Torres on rhythm guitar and DJ Bonebrake on drums.
In the 1950s Ray Campi recorded for several labels, including Dot Records, and recorded the first tribute record to the 1959 Buddy Holly
Buddy Holly
Charles Hardin Holley , known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll...
plane crash, 'The Ballad of Donna and Peggy Sue', backed by the Big Bopper's band. He also worked with many of the most prominent pioneers of rock and roll music, including Bill Haley
Bill Haley
Bill Haley was one of the first American rock and roll musicians. He is credited by many with first popularizing this form of music in the early 1950s with his group Bill Haley & His Comets and their hit song "Rock Around the Clock".-Early life and career:...
, Buddy Holly
Buddy Holly
Charles Hardin Holley , known professionally as Buddy Holly, was an American singer-songwriter and a pioneer of rock and roll...
, Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, and Gene Vincent
Gene Vincent
Vincent Eugene Craddock , known as Gene Vincent, was an American musician who pioneered the styles of rock and roll and rockabilly. His 1956 top ten hit with his Blue Caps, "Be-Bop-A-Lula", is considered a significant early example of rockabilly...
. He has fiercely criticized the mainstream music industry, in particular its connections with drug culture.
Ray Campi is a member of the Rockabilly Hall of Fame
Rockabilly Hall of Fame
The Rockabilly Hall of Fame was established on the internet on March 21, 1997, to present early rock and roll history and information relative to the artists and personalities involved in this pioneering American music genre....
.
Early Discography
Many of Ray Campi's earliest 1950s recordings weren't issued until the 1980s and 1990s, mostly on European albums. But the following were issued on 45-rpm and, in some cases, 78-rpm. "Caterpillar" was considered his most popular record until his revival in the 1970s.- TNT 145 "Caterpillar"/"Play It Cool" 1956
- Dot 15617 "It Ain't Me"/"Give That Love to Me" 1957
- Domino 700 "My Screamin' Screamin' Mimi"/"Uh Huh Huh" 1958
- Domino 701 "You Gambled"/"No Time" 1958
- D-104 "Ballad of Donna and Peggy Sue"/"The Man I Met (Tribute to the Big Bopper)" 1959
- Verve 10208 "Our Man in Havana"/"Reprieve of Love" 1960
- Colpix 166 "Cry For Happy"/"Hear What I Wanna Hear" 1960
External links
- Official site
- http://www.rockabillyhall.com/RayCampi1.html
- http://www.geocities.com/shakin_stacks/raycampi.txt
- http://els51.law.emory.edu/rcs/artists/c/camp7400.htm
- http://www.raycampi.com