Gerald Hugh Ramsey (a.k.a. Jay Ramsey) is an American singer, songwriter, musician, and performer. As a recording artist in the 1950s, 1960s, and 1970s, Ramsey had releases on several record labels including United Artist Records, Reprise Records, Casablanca Records, ABC Records and Hanover Records. His songs have been recorded by popular artists including Elvis Presley, Conway Twitty, Roy Clark, Johnny Tillotson, and Billy Mize. His song "We Can Make the Morning" was included on Presley's 1972 Gold award-winning album Elvis Now on RCA Records.

Biography

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Ramsey grew up in Sanger, Texas and attended Sanger High School. When he was 14 years old his parents took him to donate used clothing to an orphanage and while there he noticed his father's previously donated guitar sitting against a wall in the director's office. He asked the director about the guitar and was told he could take it home. After one lesson from his father, he taught himself to play. Ramsey began writing songs at the age of 16 and began performing in a band while in high school. He attended college at the University of North Texas in Denton, Texas. In 1962 he married Joan Speck of Celina, Texas and together they have two daughters. Ramsey and Speck have since divorced.[1][failed verification]

Recording career

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In high school, Ramsey was a member of the Denton, Texas group Kids from Texas. The band was signed to New York City label Hanover Records in 1958 and released the single, "Long Legged Linda" b/w the Gerald H. Ramsey song "I'm So Lonely" (Hanover Records release #4500[2]).[better source needed]

In the early 1960s, Ramsey met WRR Dallas disc jockey Bob Kelly at Kelly's Dallas recording studio, Top Ten Recording Studio. Kelly was a well known disc jockey at Dallas radio station WRR, a record producer, and recording engineer. In 1962 Ramsey's first single "Smooth Talking Woman" b/w "Look Away Love" was released on Kelly's record label, Libra Records, under the name Jay Ramsey & The Contempos (Libra release #B.K-1001)

In 1963, Ramsey, Bob Kelly, Frank Cole, and Jerry Brown formed the band, The Expressions. The group released a single with Chicago-based Smash Records, a subsidiary of Mercury Records.[3][better source needed] Ramsey's song "Thrill" was the A-side b/w "Come Back Karen" which was written by the band (Smash Records release #S-1848). The single had no chart success.

In 1965, The Expressions were signed by Reprise Records. Reprise released a single with two of Ramsey's songs "One Plus One" b/w "Playboy" (Reprise Records #0360). In 1965, they became a 5 piece self contained band by adding Kirby St. Romain. The five members then performed and recorded together with no personnel changes for over 10 years.

By 1968 the band had changed its name to Expression and in 1971 they recorded an album for Mediarts Records entitled "Texas/Nevada Border" (Mediarts Records release #41-9). The label released the single "California is Just Mississippi" b/w "Let Us Pray" (Mediarts Records release #ME-104). The song made it to the top ten in several major markets, but never charted nationally. This single was also released in Germany by United Artists Records (United Artists #35 250).

Major label success

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In the 1970s, Jay signed with Surety Songs and Blue Crest Music (both Nashville publishing companies) and worked for a while as a full-time songwriter.[4][5]

In 1971, Kenny Price recorded Ramsey's song "Tonopah Highway" on his RCA Records album The Sheriff of Boone County (LSP-4527).[6]

In 1972, Ramsey's song "We Can Make The Morning" was included in Elvis Presley's famed album Elvis Now. Ramsey's song "We Can Make the Morning" was also included on the only single from the album, "Until It's Time for You to Go" / "We Can Make The Morning" (RCA release #2188). The album Elvis Now achieved Gold status from the Recording Industry's Association of America (RIAA).[7] The single "Until It's Time for You to Go"/"We Can Make the Morning" reached number 9 on the Adult Contemporary Chart in the US[8] and number 5 on the UK Singles Chart.[9]

Also in 1972, Ramsey's song "Lord, Let It Rain" was recorded by Roy Clark and released on Dot Records album Roy Clark Country! (DOS-#25997) Clark's album peaked at number 10 on the US Country charts[10] and number 112 on the US charts.[11]

In 1973, Billy Mize released a single of Ramsey's song "California is Just Mississippi" with United Artists Records (UA-XW265-W) which reached number 99 on the Country Music charts.[12]

In 1973, Ramsey released the single, "Draggin' Chains' b/w "The Saddest Song" (both Ramsey compositions) on ABC Records (ABC-#11385). In 1979, Conway Twitty recorded "Draggin' Chains" and another of Ramsey's songs, "If You Can't Write the Music," for his MCA Records album Cross Winds (MCA-3086). Cross Winds peaked at number 11 and spent 26 weeks on the Top Country Albums chart.[13] "Draggin' Chains" was also released on Conway Twitty's single "Don't Take it Away" b/w "Draggin Chains" (MCA-41002). This single peaked at number 12 on the US Country Music charts and number 15 on the Canada Country Music charts.

In 1974, Billy Mize also recorded Ramsey's "Lord Let It Rain" for United Artists (UA-XW503-X).

In 1975, Ramsey recorded his songs on the single "Smokey Mountain Cowboy" b/w "Sunshine In My Morning" (NB-820) with Casablanca Records. "Smokey Mountain Cowboy" charted at number one on WKDA radio in Nashville. In 1977, Johnny Tillotson recorded Ramsey's song "Sunshine in My Morning" for his album Johnny Tillotson released by United Artists Records (UA-LA758-G).

Live performance

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By 1964 The Expressions began touring nationally. The band toured for 16 years, playing the Playboy Club circuit and other venues throughout the continental US and Canada. By 1968 they were known simply as Expression and had become regulars in the Nevada casino circuit.[14][better source needed]

In 1982, Ramsey formed the Jay Ramsey Band. They performed together for 18 years. In recent years, a new Jay Ramsey Band has been formed, and he continues to perform in Texas and Las Vegas with his long-time friend and fellow founding member of The Expressions, Jerry Brown. Ramsey currently lives in Las Vegas. He was inducted into the Las Vegas Entertainers Hall Of Fame in 2017.

TV, film and advertising

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In 2008, Ramsey signed many of his songs and recordings from the 1960s and 1970s to Fervor Records. The label has placed many of his songs in popular films and television shows, and have released much of his previously unreleased material.[15]

Discography

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The Kids from Texas Long-Legged Linda/I'm So Lonely (7", single) Hanover Records 4500 US 1958
Long-Legged Linda (7", single, promo) Hanover Records 4500 US 1958
Expression California Is Just Mississippi/Let Us Pray (7", single) United Artists Records 35 250 Germany Unknown
California Is Just Mississippi/Let Us Pray (7", single, promo) Mediarts Records ME-104 US Unknown
Walk Away Son/Fallen Angel Mediarts Records ME-110 US unknown
The Expressions Thrill/ (Come Back) Karen (vinyl, 7", 45 RPM, single) Smash Records S-1848 US 1963
Jay Ramsey and the Contempos Smooth Talking Woman b/w Look Away Love (7", single) Libra Records B.K.-1001 US 1962
Bill and Sherry I Must Go/I Believe (You Put Me Down) Tangerine Record Corp. 45-TRC-960 US 1966
The Festivals You've Got the Makings of a Lover/High Wide and Handsome (7", single, promo) Smash Records S-2091 US 1967
Kenny Price Sheriff of Boone County RCA Records LSP-4527 US 1971
Roy Clark Roy Clark Country! Dot Records DOS-25997 US 1972
Elvis Presley Until It's Time for You to Go / We Can Make the Morning (7", single) RCA Victor 74-0619 Germany 1972
Until It's Time for You to Go/ We Can Make the Morning (7", single) RCA Victor 74-0619 Canada 1972
Until It's Time for You to Go (7", single) Jugoton, RCA Victor SRCA-88560 Yugoslavia 1972
Until It's Time for You to Go / We Can Make the Morning (7", single) RCA Victor 102033 Australia 1972
Elvis Now (LP, Album) RCA Victor LSP-4671 US 1972
We Can Make the Morning (7", single) RCA Victor, RCA Victor, RCA Victor 74-0619, 49.850, 49850 France 1972
Elvis Now (Album) RCA, RCA Victor P8S-1898 US 1972
Elvis Now (LP) RCA LSP 4671 UK 1972
Elvis Now (LP) RCA Victor, RCA Victor, RCA Victor LSP 4671, LSP-4671, LSA 4671 Germany 1972
Elvis Now (LP) RCA, RCA LSP 4671, 26.21085 Germany 1972
Elvis Now (LP, Album) RCA Victor LSP-4671 US 1972
Elvis Now (LP, Album) RCA Victor, RCA Victor SF 8266, LSP 4671 UK 1972
Elvis Now (LP, Album) RCA Victor LSP-4671 Canada 1972
Elvis Now (LP, Album) RCA Victor 443036 France 1972
Elvis Now (LP, Album) RCA Victor LSP-4671 South Africa 1972
Elvis Now (LP, Album) RCA Victor 104.4020 Brazil 1972
Elvis Now (LP, Album, Gat) RCA SHP-6240 Japan 1972
Elvis Now (LP, Album, Mono) RCA Victor LPM-4671 Uruguay 1972
Elvis Now (LP, Album, RP) RCA Victor 104.4020 Brazil 1972
Elvis Now (LP, Album, RE) RCA Victor, RCA Victor SF-8266, (APRS-2007) UK 1972
Elvis Now (LP, Album, RE RCA RCA-6120 Japan 1973
Elvis Now (LP, Album, RE) RCA Victor, RCA Victor AFL1-4671, LSP-4671 US 1976
Jay Ramsey Draggin' Chains/The Saddest Song ABC Records ABC-11385 US 1974
Billy Mize California is Just Mississippi United Artists Records UA-XW265-W US 1973
Lord Let it Rain United Artist Records UA-XW503-X US 1974
River City Wind Me Up Enterprise/Stax ENA-9097 US 1974
Jay Ramsey Sunshine In My Morning/Smokey Mountain Cowboy Casablanca Records NB-820 US 1975
Henson Cargill It Hurts the Man Electra E-45234-B US 1975
Larry Mahan King of the Rodeo Warner Bros. BS-2959 US 1976
Johnny Tillotson Johnny Tillotson United Artists Records UA-LA758-G US 1977
Conway Twitty Cross Winds MCA Records MCA-3086 US 1979
Cross Winds MCA Records MCA-3086 Canada 1979
Don't Take It Away/Draggin' Chains MCA Records MCA-41002 US 1979
Elvis Presley Elvis Now (LP) RCA PL-42360 Spain 1984
Elvis Now (Cass, Album, RE) Indalo 45912 Spain 1984
Elvis Now (LP, Album, RE) Mirlo CL-45912 Spain 1984
Elvis Now (LP) RCA PL 89543 Germany 1985
Elvis Now (LP, Album, RP) RCA Victor 104.4020 Brazil 1986
Elvis Now (CD, Album, RE) RCA BVCP-1023 Japan 1993
Elvis Now (CD, Album, RM) RCA 07863, 54671-2 Canada 1993
Elvis Now (CD, Album, RM) RCA 74321, 148312 Europe 1993
Elvis Now (CD, Album, RM) RCA 07863, 54671-2 US 1993
Elvis Now (CD) BMG, Nederland BV 74321, 90640 2 Netherlands 1996
Elvis Now (CD, Album, RE, RM) RCA, BMG, Nederland BV SP5039 Netherlands 1996
Elvis Now (CD, Album) RCA BVCM-35032 Japan 1999
Elvis Now (CD, Album) RBA Editores 74321, 784992 Spain 2000
Elvis Now (CD, Album, Ltd, Pap) RCA, BMG BVCM-35501 Japan 2008
Elvis Now (CD, Album, RE) Sony Music A761549 US 2009
Elvis Now (2xCD, Comp, RE, RM) Follow That Dream Records, RCA, Sony Music 506020-975010 Europe 2010
Now...And Again (2xLP, album, Ltd, RE, S/Edition, 180) RCA Victor, Follow That Dream Records 506020-975077 Denmark 2015
Various Cult Hits of the 1960s Vol. 3 Fervor Records FVRCD06075 US 6/15/2010
Cult Hits of the 1970s Gold Vol. 1 Fervor Records FVRCD06192 US 1/6/2015
Jay Ramsey Jay Ramsey Anthology, Vol. 1 Fervor Records FVRCD06148 US 11/19/2013
Jay Ramsey Anthology, Vol. 2 Fervor Records FVRCD06149 US 11/19/2013
Jay Ramsey Anthology Vol. 3 Fervor Records FVRCD06150 US 11/19/2013

TV, film, and advertising

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Artist Song Title Program Episode # Type Network/Source Air Date
Jay Ramsey Boogie Mama American Ultra -- Film Lionsgate 11/26/2015
Bloodline 309 SVOD Netflix 5/26/2017
Awkward 208 TV MTV 8/16/2012
Better Luck Next Time Little Girl Ascension 103 TV SyFy 1/1/2015
104
The Good Wife 619 TV CBS 4/12/2015
The Playboy Club 106 TV NBC 10/2011
Mad Men 306 TV AMC 9/20/2009
Summer Day Lucky Day Ascension 103 TV SyFy 1/1/2015
104
Kings and Queens The Astronaut Wives Club 102 TV ABC 6/25/2015
6/28/2015
The Playboy Club 106 TV NBC 10/2011
Bumble, Superswipe Campaign -- Ad Internet 2017
SMILF 103 TV Showtime 11/19/17
The Handmaid's Tale 209 SVOD HULU 6/13/18
How Many Times Chicago PD 103 TV ABC 1/26/2014
Somewhere to Dream Colony 107 TV USA 2/25/2016
Fallen Angel God's Pocket -- Film Independent 1/17/2014
Blindspot 210 TV NBC 1/4/2017
Golddigger Mad Men 709 TV AMC 4/12/2015
Rocking Chair Blues Parenthood 521 TV NBC 4/10/2014
High Wide & Handsome Recovery Road 107 TV Freeform 3/7/2016
Cast the First Stone Stonewall -- Film Independent 9/18/2015
Gotta Keep Movin' The Astronaut Wives Club 106 TV ABC 7/23/2015
Write Me an Ending The Frontier -- Film Independent 3/15/2015
Smooth Talking Woman The Playboy Club 105 TV NBC 10/2011
Whatever Linda 105 SVOD -- 10/2011
You're My Lady Red Oaks 207 SVOD Amazon 11/11/2017
Falling Out of Love with Love My Friend Dahmer -- Film Independent 4/21/2017
Hideaway Chuck -- Film IFC 5/5/2017
Homefront TV ABC 11/26/2013
Wake Me in the Morning Wrecked 209 TV TBS 8/15/2017
Call Me Free American Made -- Film Universal Pictures Europe: 8/23/2017 US: 9/29/2017
Lonely Girl Mad Men 404 TV AMC 8/15/2010
Lovin' Is a Full Time Job The Deuce 101 TV HBO 9/10/2017
Don't Have to Answer to Nobody SMILF 107 TV Showtime 12/17/17
Look Away Love Darling -- Film Amazon Studios 4/1/2016[16][17]

− Source:[18]

References

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  1. ^ "Sanger Native is Performing in Las Vegas". Denton Record-Chronicle. October 6, 1971. p. 3D. Retrieved 2017-12-10 – via Newspapers.com.  
  2. ^ "The Kids From Texas* - Long Legged Linda". Discogs. Retrieved 2018-01-09.
  3. ^ "The Expressions (3) - Thrill". Discogs. Retrieved 2018-01-09.
  4. ^ "Ramsey Grows Tall in Vegas: Sanger Native Finds Success". Denton Record-Chronicle. September 4, 1974. p. 3D. Retrieved 2017-12-10 – via Newspapers.com.  
  5. ^ "BMI Repertoire: Ramsey Gerald Hugh". BMI.
  6. ^ "Tonopah Highway - Kenny Price". AllMusic. Retrieved 2017-10-17.
  7. ^ "Gold & Platinum - RIAA". RIAA. Retrieved 2017-10-16.
  8. ^ "Adult Contemporary". Billboard. March 11, 1972.
  9. ^ "Elvis Presley Songs ••• Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". Musicvf.com. Retrieved 2017-12-11.
  10. ^ "Roy Clark Roy Clark Country! Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 2017-10-16.
  11. ^ "Roy Clark Chart History". Billboard. Retrieved 2017-10-16.
  12. ^ "Billy Mize Songs ••• Top Songs / Chart Singles Discography ••• Music VF, US & UK hits charts". www.musicvf.com. Retrieved 2017-10-17.
  13. ^ "Conway Twitty". Billboard. Retrieved 2017-10-17.
  14. ^ "Robert Kelly Interview with Pictures from Lance Monthly, article by Robert Kelly". Booksie.com. Retrieved 2017-12-11.
  15. ^ "Jay Ramsey Loves Parenthood". Fervor Records. Retrieved 2017-12-11.
  16. ^ "Darling (2016) - Soundtrack.Net". www.soundtrack.net. Retrieved 2017-10-06.
  17. ^ "A short, sharp shocker, Darling is a house-sitter's worst nightmare". National Post. 2016-03-31. Retrieved 2017-10-06.
  18. ^ Lounge, ABC Music (August 6, 2015). "Now playing on @AstronautWives, "Look Away Love" by Jay Ramsey & the Contempos". @abcmusiclounge. Retrieved 2017-10-06.

Further reading

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