RAYS The Rays (LP)

The Rays - Walter Ford, Harry James, Davey Jones (ex-member of the 4 Fellows), and featuring the lead voice of Harold Miller came onto the music scene in 1955. Their first recording for CHESS Records <,<,TIPPITY TOP» received limited air play and soon they were without a label. Two years later they were signed to the XYZ label, owned by the writing team of Frank Slay and Bob Crewe. Crewe would soon become famous with his association with Frank Valli and the Four Seasons.

The Rays’ first release showed promise with its smooth sound different from the CHESS period but was not successful. Their second release <,<,SILHOUETTES» became a monster record reaching the number 3 spot nationally and remaining on the charts for 17 weeks. The record was leased to CAMEO PARKWAY for better distribution and was immediatly covered by the DIAMONDS on MERCURY who themselves remained on the charts for 8 weeks, taking their version to the number 8 spot nationally. Also at this time ABC RECORDS released an unsuccessful version by Steve Gibson and the Red Caps. The record was recorded by several other artists throughout the years including THE FOUR SEASONS and FRANKIE LYMON.

The British invasion saw Herman’s Hermits take the song to the number 5 spot on the national charts in 1965. The popularity of THE RAYS caused CHESS Records to dust off 2 unreleased sides from its vaults and also release an EP which is today a very rare and valuable item with a beautiful Picture cover.

The group was never to have a major hit again, although over 1O more records were released. Songs like <,<,TRIANGLE», <,<,SOUVENIERS OF SUMMER», and <,<,MAGIC MOON» all written by Crewe and Slay had that same great sound but could not capture enough DJ’s attention to become big hits.

Soon the CAMEO and XYZ releases came to an end as did the original RAYS. In 1961 Hal Miller continuing his association with Bob Crewe was put together with an up coming group soon to change the sound of <,<,todays>,>, music. This group the FOUR SEASONS backed up Hal on his TOPIX, PERRI and in 1964 AMY releases. <,<,AN ANGELCRIED» was eventually rewritten by BOB GUADIO and released by CHUCK JACKSON as <,<,KING OF THE MOUNTAIN».

With these records also fading it was time for HAL to close a chapter of over 10 years of singing. Most of the songs THE RAYS recorded during this span have been made available for you on this album. As one of their releases states <,<,RAGS TO RICHES», unfortunately for HAL MILLER and THE RAYS they went from RAGS TO RICHES back to RAGS in an industry that more times then not is very unrewarding.

Shawn <,<,HOOT>,>, Zimmermann.

THE RAYS

Members :

Harold <,<,Hal» Miller-—lead—born : January 17, 1931

Walter Ford—tenor—September 5, 1931

Davey Jones—sec0nd tenor—1931

Harry James—baritone—1932

Hometown : New York, New York

ln 1955, Hal and Davey sang with a group called the Four Fellows (<,<,Soldier Boy» on

Glory records) and then decided to leave the group. They got togheter with Walter and

Harry and formed a new group, calling themselves the Rays on the recommendation of

their vocal arranger, Jimmy Dugga

They went with Chess records and recorded <,<,Tippity Top», which was mildly popular. At

this same time they met songwriters Bob Crewe and Frank Slay, Jr., who signed them to

their label, XYZ records. In may 1957, while Bob was riding a train through Pensylvania, it stopped at a town where