The Professional Work of Ray Price

Career Highlights

No. 7 Country Music Artist (1944 - 1993)

Band Name: The Cherokee Cowboys

Barn Dance Affiliate

• Big D Jamboree
• Louisiana Hayride
• Ozark Jubilee 

Film, Night Club, Radio & TV 

• Austin City Limits, 4
• Ernest Tubb’s  Midnight Jamboree, 3
• Gilley’s Club, 2
• Hee Haw, 4
• Nashville Now, 4
• Pop Goes the Country, 4
• The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, 4
• The Johnny Cash Show, 4
• The Porter Wagoner Show, 4
• The Wilburn Brothers Show, 4  

1-Film, 2-Night Club, 3-Radio, 4-TV

Billboard Chart Data

• No. 1 Singles: 8
• Top-10 Singles: 46
• Crossover Singles: 1
• Charted Singles: 109
• Chart Years Active: 1952 - 1989

Awards

Country Music Association

• Country Music Hall of Fame (1996)

  Album of the Year - I Won't Mention It Again(1971)

Academy of Country Music

• Album of the Year- For The Good Times (1970)
• Single of the Year - For The Good Times (1970)

Grammy Award

• Best Male Country Vocal Performance - For The Good Times (1971)

Billboard Top-10 Singles

1. Talk to Your Heart -1952
2. Don't Let the Stars Get in Your Eyes
3. "I'll Be There (If You Ever Want Me) 1954
4. Release Me
5. If You Don't Somebody Else Will
6. Run Boy -1955
7. Crazy Arms*# -1956
8. You Done Me Wrong
9. I've Got a New Heartache
10. Wasted Words
11. My Shoes Keep Walking Back to You* -1957
12. Curtain in the Window -1958
13. City Lights*1
14. Invitation to the Blues
15. That's What it's Like to Be Lonesome -1959
16. Heartaches by the Number
17. The Same Ole Me*
18. Under Your Spell Again
19. One More Time -1960
20. I Wish I Could Fall in Love Today
21. Heart Over Mind -1961
22. Soft Rain
23. Pride -1962
24. Walk Me to the Door -1962
25. Make the World Go Away
26. Burning Memories -1964
27. Please Talk to My Heart
28. The Other Woman (In My Life) -1965
29. A Way to Survive -1966
30. Touch My Heart
31. Danny Boy -1967
32. I'm Still Not Over You
33. Take Me as I Am (Or Let Me Go)
34. She Wears My Ring -1968
35. You Wouldn't Know Love -1970
36. For the Good Times*@
37. I Won't Mention It Again* -1971
38. I'd Rather Be Sorry
39. The Lonesomest Lonesome -1972
40. She's Got To Be a Saint*
41. You're the Best Thing That Ever* -1973
42. Like Old Times Again -1974
43. Roses and Love Songs -1975
44. Faded Love, 2 -1980
45. It Don't Hurt Me Half as Bad -1981
46. Diamonds in the Stars

*-No. 1 Single

#-4th Biggest Song in Country Music, All-Time

1-Spent 13 Weeks At No. 1

2-With Willie Nelson

@-Crossover Single

--------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------------------------------For the Good Times: The Ray Price Story

Ray Price  spent 35 years on the charts, generating 46 top-10 hits, including the 4th biggest song (Crazy Arms) in country music all-time.

Price, who was born on January on 12, 1926 in Perryville, Texas, spent most of his youth in Dallas. It was there where he learned how to play guitar and hone his singing skills. Following his high school graduation, he studied veterinary medicine at North Texas Agricultural College in Abilene before he left school for a stint with the Marines (1944--1946).

Price began singing on KRBC in Abilene, Texas in 1948 and joined the Big D Jamboree in Dallas in 1949. Circa 1949, Price cut his first record for Bullet in Dallas. In 1951, he signed with Columbia Records. Ray Price’s first top-10 hit was Talk to Your Heart. He moved to Nashville in 1951, rooming for a short time with Hank Williams.

When Williams died in 1953, Price took over his band, the Drifting Cowboys. A couple of years later, Price formed his first professional band, the Cherokee Cowboys. During the late 1950s and early 1960s members of his band included Roger Miller, Willie Nelson, Darrell McCall, Johnny Paycheck and Johnny Bush.

Price had a giant hit in 1956 with Crazy Arms, a driving honky-tonk song that soon became a country classic. The blockbuster hit spent an astonishing 20 weeks at No. 1. Crazy Arms surpassed the success of Elvis Presley's Heartbreak Hotel and established Price as a major star. Price remained at or near the top of the charts for the next ten years, racking up 23 top-10 singles between the 1956 and 1966.

During this time, he recorded a remarkable number of classics, including I've Got a New Heartache (No.2, 1956), My Shoes Keep Walking Back to You (No.1, 1957), and City Lights (No.1, 1958) and Make the World Go Away (No. 2, 1963).

Ray Price became one of the originators of 1950s honky-tonk music and developed the famous Ray Price Shuffle, which can be heard on Crazy Arms and many of his recordings from the 1950s. During the 1960s, Price experimented increasingly with the Nashville sound, singing slow ballads and utilizing lush arrangements of strings and backing singers.

Price, who was a dominate force in country music for more than twenty years, managed to surround himself with distinguished session musicians including: Grady Martin (guitar), Harold Bradley (rhythm guitar), Buddy Emmons and Jimmy Day (steel), Tommy Jackson (fiddle), Floyd Cramer (piano), Buddy Harman (drums).

Many of the musicians and singers who worked as members in Ray Price's band through the years, reunited on stage on February 18, 1977, for a reunion of  the Cherokee Cowboys show. The event was held at the Tarrant County Convention Center in Fort Worth, Texas. Performing for ABC/Dot Records were Willie Nelson, Johnny Bush, Johnny Paycheck, Darrell McCall, Charlie Harris, Bob Collins and Buddy Emmons. An album of the music was released by ABC/Dot later that year.

Price continued to generate steady chart activity throughout the 1970s with such singles as, For the Good Times (No. 1, 1970), I Won't Mention It Again (No. 1, 1971), She's Got To Be A Saint (No. 1, 1972) and You're the Best Thing That Ever Happened to Me (No. 1, 1973). In 1971, I Won't Mention It Again was named CMA Album of the Year. The Academy of Country Music named For the Good Times Album of the Year in 1970. His final top10 hit was Diamonds in The Stars (1982), but he continued to have minor chart activity through 1989.

Price and Columbia Records parted ways in 1974 and though he recorded with various other labels his singles rarely reached the top-10. In 1974, he signed with Myrrh, where he had two top-10 hits over the next year. In the Mid - '70s, Moises "Blondie" Calderon became Ray Price's pianist and bandleader and he remained in that position for 34 years.

By the end of 1975, Price had left Myrrh and moved over to ABC/Dot, but his recordings failed to generate much chart activity. However, he continued to draw respectable concert crowds as he headlined venues across the country. In 1978, he switched labels again, signing with Monument, which proved to be another unsuccessful venture.

In 1980, Price reunited with his old bassist Willie Nelson, recording the duet album San Antonio Rose, which was a major success, generating the No. 3 chart song Faded Love. San Antonio Rose rejuvenated Price's career and in 1981 he had two top-10 singles, It Don't Hurt Me Half as Bad and Diamonds in the Stars for his new label, Dimension.

Price left Dimension in 1983, signing with Warner Records. He remained with the label for one year and by that time his new burst of popularity had cooled considerably as he was having trouble generating the top-40 activity. Not much changed for the remainder of the decade, even though Price recorded for two new labels: Viva (1983-1984) and Step One (1985-1989).

By the late '80s, Ray Price had stopped recording, but continued tour into the new millennium. By any measure, Ray Price was a consummate entertainer with a captivating and mesmerizing stage presence.

Ray Price: Country Music Hall of Fame

In 1996 when Ray price accepted his Country Music Hall of Fame (HOF) induction, he said "It's about time!" Price's nomination was grossly overdue, coming at a time when such names as Roger Miller, Cliffie Stone and Merle Travis had already been called. Price should've been inducted into the HOF years prior. His contribution to country music is unparallel.

Price is the seventh most successful recording artist in the history of country music. One listen to his landmark recording of Crazy Arms (1956) and an analysis of its chart dominance warranted his induction, even if his career had ended there. The song locked in at No. 1 and held that position for 20 weeks, making it the 4th biggest song in the history of country music.

Even Elvis Presley with his rocking Heartbreak Hotel (1956) couldn't kick Crazy Arms from its pedestal. There had been honky-tonk music before, but not like this. Price's secret was the use of double fiddles (not violins -- fiddles!) and a seasoned rhythm section. With the death of Williams and the decline of Lefty Frizzell, Price kept the hard country torch burning in the late-1950s.

After breaking into the national spotlight with Crazy Arms (1956) Price's reign at the top of the charts continued with hits like I've Got a New Heartache (No. 2, 1956) and My Shoes Keep Walking Back to You (No.1, 1957) and the Ray Price sound gained widespread popularity.

When Price was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, many noted that the honor was long overdue. Price's chart activity alone, which spanned three decades and generated 46 top-10 hits, warranted his induction. During his long and distinguished career, Ray accomplished the remarkable feat of re-inventing hard-core honky-tonk and also gaining considerable success with the pop crossover market.

In 1993, when Willie Nelson walked on stage to accept his induction into the Country Music Hall of Fame, he said, "Don't you think it's about time to invite Ray Price?" That had to be an embarrassment (if possible) to the Country Music Association (CMA) board of directors. Still, it still took the CMA committee three more years to induct Ray Price into the Country Music Hall of Fame, What the hell was their problem? Was inducting Roger Miller and Jo Walker-Meador before Ray Price that critical to the subjective CMA committee? Price's election was unquestionably warranted and overdue unlike some of the subjective inductions before him. Hell Yes It Was About Time!

Heartaches By the Number

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Columbia Records Album Discography (1957-1992)

During his long and distinguished career, Ray Price has accomplished the remarkable feat of re-inventing hard-core honky-tonk and also gaining success with lushly arranged love ballads aimed at the country-and-pop crossover market.

The following is the chronological listing of Price's Columbia albums.

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Jim Beck Studio

1101 Ross Avenue, Dallas, Texas USA

Bullet Recording Sessions (1950)

Artist: Ray Price

Date: Jan. 1950

Producer: Jim Beck

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocals, guitar), The Frontersmen Hi "Highpockets" Busse (accordion), Eddie Martin (steel guitar), Don Poole (bass guitar)

1. Jealous Lies
2. Your Wedding Corsage

Columbia Recording Sessions (1951, 1953, 1955)

Artist: Ray Price

Date: Mar. 15, . 1951

Producer: Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocals, guitar), lead guitar (unknown), B. D. "Buddy" Griffin (rhythm guitar, vocal), steel guitar (unknown), bass guitar (unknown), fiddle (unknown), piano (unknown)

1. If You're Ever Lonely Darling
2. I Saw My Castles Fall Today
3. You've Got My Troubles Now
4. I Get the Short End Every Time

Date: May 1951

Producer: Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocals, guitar), lead guitar (unknown), B. D. "Buddy" Griffin (rhythm guitar, vocal), bass guitar (unknown), Leonard McBride (fiddle, vocal), Mrs. Leonard McBride (vocal)

1. Hey La La

Date: Aug. 6, 1951

Producer: Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocals, guitar), lead guitar (unknown), B. D. "Buddy" Griffin (rhythm guitar, vocal), steel guitar (unknown), bass guitar (unknown), fiddle (unknown), piano (unknown)

1. The Answer to the Last Letter
2. Until Death Do Us Part
3. Beyond the Last Mile
4. Heart Aching Blues

Date: Oct. 16, 1951

Producer: Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocals, guitar), lead guitar (unknown), mandolin (unknown), steel guitar (unknown), bass guitar (unknown), fiddle (unknown), piano (unknown)

1. Weary Blues From Waiting
2. I Made a Mistake and I'm Sorry
3. We Crossed Our Heart
4. Your Heart Is Too Crowded

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Bradley Film & Recording Studio

Nashville, Tennessee USA

Columbia Recording Sessions (1955-1962)

Date: Jul. 8, 1955

Producer: Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar), Van Howard (guitar, harmony vocal), Pete Wade (guitar), Earl Scruggs (banjo), Don Helms (steel), Floyd Chance (bass), Gene Gasaway, Tommy Jackson, Johnny Manson, Dale Potter(fiddle), Jimmy Dennis (drums), Milburn Winston (piano)

1. As Strange As It Seems
2. I Can't Go Home Like This
3. Don't You Know Me Anymore
4. I Don't Want It On My Conscience

Date: Oct 28, 1955

Producer: Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar), Van Howard (guitar), Pete Wade (guitar), Don Helms (steel), Buddy Killen (bass guitar), Jimmy Dennis(drums), Tommy Jackson, Gordon Terry (fiddle), Gordon Terry (piano)

1. Run Boy
2. You Never Will Be True
3. Don't Tempt Me
4. Slowly Dying

Date: Mar. 1, 1956

Producer: Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar), Jack Pruett (guitar), Van Howard (guitar, harmony vocal), Pete Wade (guitar), Jimmy Day (steel guitar), Buddy Killen (bass guitar), Tommy Jackson (fiddle), Floyd Cramer (piano)

1. Crazy Arms
2. You Done Me Wrong
3. Wild and Wicked World

Date: Jun. 22, 1956

Producer: Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar), Charlie Louvin, Pete Wade (guitar), Van Howard (guitar, harmony vocal), Jack Evans (steel guitar), Buddy Killen (bass guitar), Tommy Jackson (fiddle), Tommy Cutrer (drums)

• Crazy
• Are You Wasting My Time
• Fallin' Fallin' Fallin'
• Wasted Words

Date: Aug. 3, 1956

Producer: Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar), Sammy Pruett (guitar), Van Howard (guitar, harmony vocal), Pete Wade (guitar), Jack Evans (steel guitar), Buddy Killen (bass guitar), Tommy Jackson, Pete Wade (fiddle), Dale Potter (fiddle, mandolin), Floyd Cramer (piano)

• Fallin' Fallin' Fallin'
• Wasted Words

Date: Sep. 3, 1956

Producer: Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar), Sammy Pruett (guitar), Van Howard (guitar, harmony vocal), Pete Wade (guitar), Don Helms (steel guitar), Buddy Killen (bass guitar), Tommy Jackson (fiddle)

• I've Got a New Heartache
• Don't Do This to Me

Date: Feb 13, 1957

Producer: Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar), Van Howard (guitar, harmony vocal), Pete Wade (guitar), Jack Evins (steel), Buddy Killen (bass), Tommy Jackson (fiddle), Buddy Harman (drums), Floyd Cramer (piano)

1. Letters Have No Arms
2. I'll Sail My Ship Alone
3. A Mansion on the Hill
4. I Can't Help It
5. Remember Me (I'm the One Who...
6. I Saw My Castles Fall Today
7. Let Me Talk to You
8. Please Don't Leave Me

Date: Mar. 6, 1957

Producer: Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar), Van Howard (guitar, harmony vocal), James Edward Selph (guitar), Pete Wade (guitar), Jack Evins (steel), Buddy Killen (bass), Tommy Jackson (fiddle), Buddy Harman (drums), Floyd Cramer (piano)

1. Blues Stay Away From Me
2. Pins and Needles (In My Heart)
3. I Love You Because
4. Many Tears Ago

Date: Mar. 7, 1957

Producer: Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar), Van Howard (guitar, harmony vocal), Grady Martin (guitar), Jimmy Day (steel), Bob Moore (bass), Tommy Jackson (fiddle), Buddy Harman (drums), Floyd Cramer (piano)

1. I'll Be There
2. It's All Your Fault
3. My Shoes Keep Walking Back to You
4. Faded Love

Date: May. 22, 1957

Producer: Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar), Hank Garland (guitar, Van Howard (guitar, harmony vocal), Grady Martin (guitar), Jimmy Day (steel), Floyd Chance (bass), Tommy Jackson (fiddle), Farris Coursey (drums), Marvin Hughes(piano)

1. Gone
2. Bye Bye Love
3. Four Walls
4. A Fallen Star

Date: May 24, 1957

Producer: Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar), Van Howard (guitar, harmony vocal), Grady Martin, Pete Wade, James Wilson (guitar), Jimmy Day (steel), Floyd Chance (bass), Tommy Jackson (fiddle), Douglas irkham (drums), Floyd Cramer(piano)

1. It's All our Fault
2. My Shoes Keep Walking Back to You
3. Don't Do This to Me

Date: Dec. 11, 1957

Producer: Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar), Harold Bradley, Grady Martin, Pete Wade (guitar), Van Howard (guitar, harmony vocal), Jimmy Day (steel), Floyd Chance (bass), Tommy Jackson (fiddle), Buddy Harman (drums), Floyd Cramer(piano) 

1. Wall of Tears
2. Curtain in the Window
3. Talk to Your Conscience

Date: Feb 4, 1958

Producer: Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar), Harold Bradley, Benny Martin, Pete Wade (guitar), Van Howard (guitar, harmony vocal), Jimmy Day (steel), Floyd Chance (bass), Tommy Jackson (fiddle), Buddy Harman (drums), Floyd Cramer(piano)

1. There'll Be No Teardrops Tonight
2. Driftwood On the River
3. Deep Water
4. I'll Keep on Loving You

Date: Feb 4, 1958

Producer: Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar), Harold Bradley, Pete Wade (guitar), Van Howard (guitar, harmony vocal), Jimmy Day (steel), Floyd Chance (bass), Tommy Jackson, Benny Martin (fiddle), Buddy Harman (drums), Floyd Cramer (piano)

1. I Love You So Much It Hurts
2. I Told You So
3. Ice Cold Heart
4. I've Gotta Have My Baby Back

Date: Feb 5, 1958

Producer: Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar), Harold Bradley, Pete Wade (guitar), Van Howard (guitar, harmony vocal), Jimmy Day (steel), Floyd Chance (bass), Tommy Jackson, Benny Martin (fiddle), Buddy Harman (drums), Floyd Cramer (piano)

1. Please Don't Leave Me
2. Talk To Your Heart
3. I'm Tired
4. Wondering

Date: May 6, 1958

Producer: Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar), Roger Miller, Sammy Pruett, Velma Williams Smith (guitar), Jack Evans (steel), Joseph Zinkan (bass), Tommy Jackson (fiddle), Buddy Harman (drums), Floyd Cramer (piano)

1. Walkin' the Floor
2. Invitation to the Blues
3. I've Got to Know
4. Heartaches Must Be Your Name

Note: Walkin' the Floor was recorded as, I'm Walking Slow (And Thinkin' 'Bout Her)

Date: May 29, 1958

Producer: Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar), Ray Edenton (rhythm guitar), Roger Miller, Sammy Pruett (guitar), Jimmy Day (steel), Bob Moore(bass), Tommy Jackson (fiddle), Buddy Harman (drums), Floyd Cramer (piano)

1. City Lights

Date: Nov. 18,  1958

Producer: Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar), Grady Martin, Velma Williams Smith (guitar), Jack Evans (steel), Joseph Zinkan (bass), Grover Shorty Lavender, Dale Potter (fiddle), Buddy Harman (drums), Floyd Cramer (piano)

1. Kissing Your Picture
2. That's What Its Like to Be Lonesome

Date: Jan 29, 1959

Producer: Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar), Grady Martin, Pete Wade, Harold Bradley (guitar), Jimmy Day (steel), Joe Zinkan (bass), Doug Kirkham (drums), Tommy Jackson, Shorty Lavender (fiddle) Marvin Hughes (piano)

1. Punish Me Tomorrow
2. Heartaches By the Number
3. Wild and Wicked World
4. Beyond the Last Mile

Date: Aug. 31, 1959

Producer: Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar), Harold Bradley (electric bass guitar), Grady Martin, Ray Sanders (guitar), Jimmy Day (steel), Joe Zinkan (acoustic bass), Steve Bess (drums), Tommy Jackson, Shorty Lavender, Thomas Williams (fiddle) Floyd Cramer (piano)

1. Same Old Me
2. Under Your Spell Again
3. Broken Hearts Will Haunt Your Soul

Date: Feb. 3, 1960

Producer: Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar), Harold Bradley (electric bass guitar), Grady Martin, Thomas Williams (guitar), Jimmy Day (steel), Joe Zinkan (acoustic bass), Steve Bess (drums), Tommy Jackson, Shorty Lavender (fiddle) Marvin Hughes (piano)

1. One More Time
2. Who'll Be the First

Date: Mar. 4, 1960

Producer: Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar) Hank Garland, Grady Martin (guitar), Sam Hollinworth (bass), Buddy Harmon(drums), Joan Marie Mack (cello), W.O. Collins (viola), Howard Carpenter, Solie Issac Fott, Lillian Vann Hunt, Wilda Tinsley (violin), Floyd Cramer (piano)

1. The Old Rugged Cross
2. In the Garden
3. How Big Is God
4. Until Then

Date: Mar. 9, 1960

Producer: Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar) Hank Garland, Grady Martin (guitar), Bob Moore (bass), Buddy Harmon(drums), Ryan T. Bach (cello), W.O. Collins (viola), Benton Bolden Banks, Howard Carpenter, Lillian Vann Hunt, Vernal E. Richardson (violin), Floyd Cramer (piano)

1. Help Through My Unbelief
2. When I Take My Vacation In Heaven
3. Faith
4. Rock of Ages

Date: Mar. 13, 1960

Producer: Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar) Hank Garland, Grady Martin (guitar), Bob Moore (bass), Buddy Harmon(drums), ryan T. Bach (cello), W.O. Collins (viola), Benton Bolden Banks, Howard Carpenter, Lillian Vann Hunt, Vernal E. Richardson (violin), Floyd Cramer (piano)

1. Softly and Tenderly
2. When the Roll Is Called Up Yonder
3. Just As I Am
4. Where He Leads Me (I Will Follow)
5. Now the Day Is Over

Date: Jul. 11, 1960

Producer: Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar) Harold Bradley, Grady Martin, Sammy Pruett Johnny Paycheck "Donnie Young" (guitar), Jimmy Day (steel guitar), Bob Moore (bass), Steve Bess (drums), Tommy Jackson (fiddle), Marvin Hughes (piano)

1. I Can't Run Away From Myself
2. I Wish I Could Fall In Love Today

Date: Jan. 12, 1961

Producer: Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar) Harold Bradley, Pete Wade,  Shorty Lavender, Johnny Paycheck "Donnie Young" (guitar), Jimmy Day (steel guitar), Joseph Zinkan (bass), Steve Bess (drums), Tommy Jackson (fiddle), Hargus "Pig" Robbins (piano)

1. Heart Over Mind
2. The Twenty-Fourth Hour
3. I'm Walking Slow (And Thinking 'Bout Her)

Date: Jun. 12, 1961

Producer: Grady Martin & Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar) Harold Bradley, Hank Garland, Pete Wade, Willie Nelson (guitar), Jimmy Day (steel guitar), Joseph Zinkan (bass), Steve Bess (drums), Tommy Jackson, Buddy Spicher (fiddle), Floyd Cramer (piano)

1. Soft Rain
2. Here We Are Again
3. You're Stronger Than Me
4. This Cold War With You

Date: Jul. 13, 1961

Producer: Grady Martin & Don Law

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar) Harold Bradley, Pete Wade, Willie Nelson (guitar), Ray Edenton rhythm guitar), Jimmy Day (steel guitar), Bob Moore (bass), Steve Bess (drums), Tommy Jackson (fiddle), Floyd Cramer (piano)

1. Soft Rain
2. Imagination's a Wonderful Thing
3. I'm Walking Slow (And Thinking 'Bout Her)

Date: Sep. 25, 1961

Producer: Frank Jones

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar) Grady Martin, Pete Wade, Willie Nelson (guitar), Jimmy Day (steel guitar), Joseph Zinkan (acoustic bass), Steve Bess (drums), Cecil Bower, Tommy Jackson (fiddle), Hargus "Pig" Robbins (piano)

1. Whose Heart Are You Breaking Now
2. Home In San Antoine
3. You Don't Care What Happens To Me
4. The Kind Of Love I Can't Forget
5. Maiden's Prayer
6. San Antonio Rose 

Date: Sep. 25, 1961

Producer: Frank Jones

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar) Ray Edenton (rhythm), Grady Martin, Pete Wade, Willie Nelson (guitar), Jimmy Day (steel guitar), Joseph Zinkan (acoustic bass), Steve Bess (drums), Tommy Jackson (fiddle), Bill Pursell (piano)

1. My Confession
2. Bubbles In My Beer
3. Roly Poly
4. You Don't Love Me (But I'll Always Care)
5. Time Changes Everything
6. Hang Your Head In Shame

Date: Jan. 7, 1962

Producer: Don Law & Frank Jones

Session Personnel: Ray Price (vocal, guitar) Darrell McCall (rhythm guitar), Harold Bradley, Grady Martin, Pete Wade, Willie Nelson (guitar), Jimmy Day (steel guitar), Joseph Zinkan (acoustic bass), Steve Bess (drums), Tommy Jackson (fiddle), Floyd Cramer (piano)

1. I've Just Destroyed the World I'm Living In
2. I'm Walking Slow (And Thinking 'Bout Her)
3. Pride
4. Big Shoes

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Studio Musicians

Columbia Records (1957 ~ 1968) 

Throughout his career, Price always managed to surround himself with the best session musicians that Nashville and the recording industry had to offer.

Below is a partial listing of the musicians that backed Ray on his Columbia studio recordings from 1957 through 1968.

During that time, Price recorded the following albums: “Sings Heart Songs” (1957), “Talk to Your Heart” (1958), (Faith 1960), “San Antonio Rose” (1962), “Night Life” (1963), “Love Life” (1964), “Burning Memories” (1965), “Western Strings” (1965), “The Other Woman” (1965), “The same Old Me” (1966), “Another Bridge to Burn” (1966), “Touch My Heart” (1967), “Danny Boy” (1967), “Born to Lose” (1967), “Take Me As I Am” (1968), “She Wears My Ring” (1968). 

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Researched, written and compiled by: Richard Bell, Country Music Historian, Roots of Country Music, Jan. 12, 2011.