Ray Davis (musician)
Raymond Davis (March 29, 1940 – July 5, 2005) was the original bass singer and one of the founding members of The Parliaments, and subsequently the bands Parliament, and Funkadelic, collectively known as P-Funk. His regular nickname while he was with those groups was "Sting Ray" Davis. Aside from George Clinton, he was the only original member of the Parliaments not to leave the Parliament-Funkadelic conglomerate in 1977. He is a member of the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, inducted in 1997 with fifteen other members of Parliament-Funkadelic.
Biography
He was born in Sumter, South Carolina to Julius and Carrie Bell (Pack) Davis, and worked with Roger Troutman and Zapp in the early to mid-1980s. His distinctive bass can be heard on "I Can Make You Dance," and "Do Wa Ditty." He was also briefly in a later period line-up of The Temptations, joining after the death of original bass singer Melvin Franklin,[1] and appearing on the 1995 album For Lovers Only. Davis left the group after being diagnosed with throat cancer. In later years, he performed with former Temptation Glenn Leonard in Leonard's group, The Temptations Experience. And in 1998, along with original Parliament-Funkadelic members Clarence "Fuzzy" Haskins, Calvin Simon, and "Shady Grady" Thomas, he formed the Original P.
Davis died in New Brunswick, New Jersey on July 5, 2005, at the age of 65, of respiratory problems.[2][3]
References
- ^ MacKenzie, A. (2009). The Life and Times of the Motown Stars. Together Publications LLP. ISBN 978-1-84226-014-2. Retrieved August 25, 2023.
- ^ "Ray Davis". The Daily Telegraph. July 14, 2005. Retrieved December 3, 2017.
- ^ "Ray Davis, 65, Veteran Member of P-Funk, Is Dead". The New York Times. July 8, 2005. Retrieved March 21, 2024.
External links
- Interview with Ray Davis
- Ray Davis discography at Discogs
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- Osmium
- Up for the Down Stroke
- Chocolate City
- Mothership Connection
- The Clones of Dr. Funkenstein
- Live: P-Funk Earth Tour
- Funkentelechy vs. the Placebo Syndrome
- Motor Booty Affair
- Gloryhallastoopid
- Trombipulation
- Medicaid Fraud Dogg
- Funkadelic
- Free Your Mind... and Your Ass Will Follow
- Maggot Brain
- America Eats Its Young
- Cosmic Slop
- Standing on the Verge of Getting It On
- Let's Take It to the Stage
- Tales of Kidd Funkadelic
- Hardcore Jollies
- One Nation Under a Groove
- Uncle Jam Wants You
- Connections & Disconnections
- The Electric Spanking of War Babies
- Live: Meadowbrook, Rochester, Michigan – 12th September 1971
- By Way of the Drum
- Toys
- U.S. Music with Funkadelic
- First Ya Gotta Shake the Gate
Parliament-Funkadelic
- Computer Games
- Urban Dancefloor Guerillas
- You Shouldn't-Nuf Bit Fish
- Some of My Best Jokes Are Friends
- R&B Skeletons in the Closet
- The Mothership Connection – Live from Houston
- The Cinderella Theory
- Live at the Beverly Theater
- Hey, Man, Smell My Finger
- Dope Dogs
- Mothership Connection Newberg Session
- T.A.P.O.A.F.O.M.
- Live 1976–1993
- How Late Do U Have 2BB4UR Absent?
- George Clinton and His Gangsters of Love
- Live...Capitol Theatre 1978
- Stretchin' Out in Bootsy's Rubber Band
- Ahh... The Name Is Bootsy, Baby!
- Bootsy? Player of the Year
- This Boot Is Made for Fonk-N
- Ultra Wave
- The One Giveth, the Count Taketh Away
- What's Bootsy Doin'?
- Jungle Bass
- Blasters of the Universe
- Lord of the Harvest
- Keepin' dah Funk Alive 4-1995
- Fresh Outta 'P' University
- Live in Louisville 1978
- Play with Bootsy
- Live in Concert 1998
- Live in Oklahoma 1976
- Christmas Is 4 Ever
- Tha Funk Capital of the World
- All the Woo in the World
- Funk of Ages
- Pieces of Woo: The Other Side
- Blacktronic Science
- Free Agent: A Spaced Odyssey
- Pleasure Principle
- Invasion of the Booty Snatchers
- Play Me or Trade Me
- A Whole Nother Thang (1976)
- Radio Active (1978)
- A Whole Nother Radio Active Thang (1994)
- Self Portrait (1970)
- I Am What I Am (1971)
- Take Me to Baltimore (1976)
- Mutiny on the Mamaship (1979)
- Funk Plus the One (1980)
- A Night Out With the Boys (1983)
- Aftershock 2005 (1996)
- Quazar (1978)
- Sweat Band (1980)
- Federation of Tackheads (1985)
- Lifestyles of the Roach and Famous (1988)
- Out of the Dark (1993)
- Funkcronomicon (1995)
- Heavy Metal Funkason (1998)
- PCU
- Parliament-Funkadelic: One Nation Under a Groove
- George Clinton: The Mothership Connection
- Parliament
- Funkadelic
- House Guests
- Godmoma
- Kiddo
- Original P
- The Pacemakers
- The Parliaments
- Zapp (Roger Troutman)
- List of P-Funk members
- Pedro Bell
- Armen Boladian
- Bridgeport Music
- Children of Production
- Bill Laswell
- Overton Loyd
- P-Funk
- P-Funk Earth Tour
- P-Funk Mothership
- P-Funk mythology
- P-Funk projects
- Uncle Jam Records
- G-funk
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