Ray Griff
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Ray Griff | |
---|---|
Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada | |
Died | March 9, 2016 | (aged 75)
Genres | Country |
Occupation(s) | Singer-songwriter |
Instrument(s) | Vocals |
Years active | 1964–2016 |
Labels | Dot, Capitol |
John Raymond David Griff[1] (April 22, 1940 – March 9, 2016)[2][3] was a Canadian country music singer and songwriter, born in Vancouver and raised in Toronto. His songwriting credits reached over 2500 songs, many of which were recorded by Nashville's top recording artists.[4]
Early life and career
Griff was born in
Griff's success as a songwriter, however, always overshadowed his recording work with over 700 songs recorded, including the major hits "
Griff returned to Canada in the late 1970s and remained active on the country music scene there as an artist, songwriter, and record producer. He lived a quiet life in Calgary, Alberta, occasionally performing at country venues with musicians from the area, most notably the Ranchman's Inn.
Later years
In 2008, Griff was awarded the Lifetime Achievement Award by
Griff had battled throat cancer in his recent years,[4] and he died on March 9, 2016, from pneumonia following surgery. He was 75.[1][7][8]
Discography
Albums
Year | Album | US Country | Label |
---|---|---|---|
1968 | A Ray of Sunshine | 42 | Dot |
1972 | The Entertainer | — | |
Ray Griff Sings! | — | ||
1973 | Songs for Everyone | 22 | |
1974 | Expressions | 47 | ABC/Dot |
1976 | Ray Griff | 31 | Capitol |
The Last of the Winfield Amateurs | 44 | ||
1977 | Raymond's Place | — | |
1978 | Ray's Bar and Grill | — | Boot-London |
1979 | Canada | — | |
1980 | Maple Leaf | — | |
1981 | Adam's Child | — | |
1982 | Greatest Hits | — | |
1983 | You Can Count on Me | — | RCA |
1984 | You | — | |
1985 | The Sky's the Limit | — | |
1987 | My Kind of Country | — | Bookshop |
1988 | Ray Griff & Friends: Honest to Goodness Amigos | — | Warner Music Canada |
1990 | There'll Always Be Christmas | — | ATI |
1993 | Ray Griff: Through the Years, Vol. 1 & 2 | — | Focus |
Singles
Year | Title | Peak chart positions | Album | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
CAN Country | CAN AC | US Country | |||
1965 | "Weeping Willow Tree"A | 6 | — | — | Non-album song |
"Don't Lead Me On" | 10 | — | — | ||
"Golden Years" | 2 | — | — | ||
1967 | "Your Lily White Hands" | — | — | 49 | A Ray of Sunshine |
1968 | "A Ray of Sunshine" | — | — | — | |
"The Sugar from My Candy" | 14 | — | 50 | ||
1969 | "Wanderin' Through the Valley" | 18 | — | — | The Entertainer |
"The Entertainer" | 6 | — | — | ||
1970 | "Patches" | 13 | 30 | 26 | Ray Griff Sings! |
"Ain't Nowhere to Go" | 42 | 18 | — | Non-album song | |
1971 | "Wait a Little Longer" | — | — | — | Ray Griff Sings! |
"The Morning After Baby Let Me Down" | 12 | — | 14 | ||
1972 | "It Rains Just the Same in Missouri" | 19 | — | 62 | Songs for Everyone |
1973 | "A Song for Everyone" | 38 | 78 | 66 | |
"What Got to You (Before It Got to Me)" | 5 | — | 46 | ||
"Darlin'" | 26 | — | 42 | ||
1974 | "That Doesn't Mean (I Don't Love My God)" | 12 | — | 65 | Expressions |
"The Hill" | 18 | — | 91 | ||
1975 | "If That's What It Takes" | — | — | 65 | Non-album song |
"You Ring My Bell" | 40 | — | 16 | Ray Griff | |
1976 | "If I Let Her Come In" | 1 | — | 11 | |
"I Love the Way That You Love Me" | 36 | — | 40 | ||
"That's What I Get (For Doin' My Own Thinkin')" | 9 | — | 24 | The Last of the Winfield Amateurs | |
"The Last of the Winfield Amateurs" | 11 | — | 27 | ||
1977 | "You Put the Bounce Back into My Step" | — | — | flip | |
"A Passing Thing" | 20 | — | 28 | ||
"A Cold Day in July" | 33 | — | 69 | Raymond's Place | |
"Raymond's Place" | 41 | — | 52 | ||
1978 | "Canada" | 22 | — | — | Canada |
1979 | "Betty Mitchell" | 43 | — | — | |
"Friends and Neighbours" | 55 | — | — | ||
1981 | "Jimmy, Luke and Me" | 48 | — | — | Maple Leaf |
"Draw Me a Line" | 24 | — | 87 | You Can Count on Me | |
1982 | "Things That Songs Are Made Of" | 30 | — | 95 | |
1983 | "If Tomorrow Never Comes" | 8 | — | 86 | |
"You Can Count on Me" | 33 | — | — | ||
1984 | "So Close" | 30 | — | — | You |
"You" | — | — | — | ||
"Diamond in the Rough" | 52 | — | — | You Can Count on Me | |
1985 | "A Light in the Window" | 48 | — | — | The Sky's the Limit |
"I Did" | 51 | — | — | ||
1986 | "What My Woman Does to Me" | 50 | — | 71 | |
"I Can't See Me" | — | — | — | ||
1987 | "That Old Montana Moon" | 40 | — | — | My Kind of Country |
1988 | "Damned If I Do, Damned If I Don't" | — | — | — | |
"Light as a Feather" (with Glory-Anne Carriere) | 37 | — | — | Ray Griff & Friends: Honest to Goodness Amigos | |
"Honest to Goodness Amigos" (with Ronnie Prophet) | 86 | — | — | ||
1989 | "Flames" | 78 | — | — | Non-album song |
1990 | "Daybreak" | 47 | — | — |
- A"Weeping Willow Tree" also peaked at number 39 on the Canadian RPM Top 40 chart.
References
- ^ a b "John Griff obituary". Calgary Herald. March 19, 2016. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
- ^ Allmusic. Retrieved 2008-09-25.
- ^ "John GRIFF Obituary - Parksville". 27 April 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-04-27. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
- ^ a b c Delaney, Larry (March 11, 2016). "RIP: Canadian Country Star Ray Griff". FYI Music News. Retrieved October 17, 2016.
- ^ ISBN 0-85112-726-6.
- ^ "2008 SOCAN AWARDS | SOCAN". 10 August 2016. Archived from the original on 2016-08-10. Retrieved 7 August 2021.
- ^ ""Ray Griff, dead at age 75"". Rodeocountryradi.com. March 10, 2016.
- ^ Bell, Mike (March 11, 2016). "Legendary Calgary 'country gentleman' Ray Griff dies at the age of 75". Calgary Herald. Retrieved June 10, 2016.