Ray Rush
{{short description|American songwriter and record producer}}
Ray Rush is an American songwriter and record producer. After early collaborations with Buddy Holly and Roy Orbison, Rush moved into producing and promoting records of Texas musicians.
Music career
Rush's music career began while a student at Odessa College, where he sang in a trio called the Roses, serving as a backup vocals on "Think It Over" by Buddy Holly in 1958.Ray Rush | LoneStarStomp bioDean, Maury. [https://books.google.com/books?id=lJS4EArRBwoC&dq=%22ray+rush%22&pg=PA64 Rock and Roll:Gold Rush]. 2003. p. 64. The Roses accompanied Holly and his band to New York in support of the song.Gerron, Peggy Sue. [https://books.google.com/books?id=qzP_GxeTW4AC&q=%22ray+rush%22 Whatever Happened to Peggy Sue?] 2008. p. 279.
Rush and the Roses sang backup vocals on other Crickets songs, such as "Wild One", ( aka, ' Real Wild Child '), in 1958.Lergessner, James. [https://books.google.com/books?id=tycb6ygvJ-EC&q=%22ray+rush%22&pg=PA128 Cloudland: Queen of the Dance Halls]. 2013. p. 128. Rush was promotions manager of an early recording and publishing company formed by Holly, Prism Records.Amburn, Ellis. [https://books.google.com/books?id=9BAEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22ray+rush%22+mama&pg=PA3 Buddy Holly: A Biography]. 2014.
Rush introduced Roy Orbison to Joe Melson, one of Orbison's most important early collaborators.Kruth, John. [https://books.google.com/books?id=A19fAgAAQBAJ&dq=%22ray+rush%22&pg=PT67 Rhapsody in Black]. 2013.Escott, Colin. [https://books.google.com/books?id=EQZoSIW67k4C&dq=%22ray+rush%22&pg=PT244 Good Rockin' Tonight]. 2011. Rush co-wrote "Mama" in 1962 with Orbison.Lehman, Peter. [https://books.google.com/books?id=MjvdQCw0A-AC&q=%22ray+rush%22&pg=PA198 Roy Orbison: Invention of an Alternative Rock Masculinity]. 2010. p. 198.
Rush was one of the founders of Zenith Productions. From 1966 to 1968, Zenith was in litigation with Scepter Records in a contractual dispute over B. J. Thomas. Zenith had recorded one of Thomas's early singles, and claimed contractual interference.Billboard. [https://books.google.com/books?id=9BAEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22ray+rush%22+mama&pg=PA3 "Legal Battle over Thomas".] July 9, 1966. p. 3. Zenith settled in 1968 for $7,500, and Thomas signed with Scepter.Billboard. [https://books.google.com/books?id=qggEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22ray+rush%22&pg=RA1-PA71 "Thomas Stays with Scepter"]. May 4, 1968. p. 71.
In 1968, Rush was hired by International Artists to revamp their operation.Billboard. [https://books.google.com/books?id=zygEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22ray+rush%22&pg=PA8 Int'l Artists Producing in New Expansion Moves]. Mar. 15, 1969. p. 3. Rush produced several psychedelic rock albums with International Artists in the late 1960s, including The Thirteenth Floor Elevators', Bull of the Woods, and songs by Bubble Puppy in 1969.[https://books.google.com/books?id=KygEAAAAMBAJ&dq=%22ray+rush%22+mama&pg=RA1-PA76 Billboard]. May 24, 1969. p.76. Rush produced records and also managed artists and repertoire with International.Laurie Jasinski, ed. [https://books.google.com/books?id=CE8xiT3pV6QC&dq=%22ray+rush%22&pg=PT798 The Handbook of Texas Music]. 2012.
Singles discography
- A: "So What" / B: "Can This Be Love" (1962)
- A: "Lucky Star" / B: "A Hole in My Rockin' Shoes" (1963)Ingman, John. [https://books.google.com/books?id=Ing5AQAAIAAJ&q=%22ray+rush%22 A.O.K.: Record Labels of West Texas & New Mexico].
References
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