Robert Cray

Columbus (Georgia, 1953)

Blues and Soul guitarist, singer and composer, winner of five Grammy awards. In 1980, he released his first album: Who's Been Talkin, but he did not reach fame until he recorded Strong Persuader in 1986. In that same year he recorded Live Ballads In Dallas, together with Stevie Ray Vaughan and Eric Clapton. From then onwards he became an icon of current blues, together with Eric Clapton, BB King and others. Some of his albums include: Some Rainy Morning (1995), Take Your Shoes Off (1999), Time Will Tell (2003), and Twenty (2005).

"Blues is the basis of our music"--says Cray himself-- "but it is not all we play. Back when I started playing guitar I wanted to be George Harrison, until I listened to Jimi Hendrix. Then, I wanted to be Albert Collins and Buddy Guy and BB King. And then there are singers like O.V. Wright and Bobby Blue Bland. Everything is mixed out there. Every time someone asks me where my music comes from, I give them five or six different references: a little rock, soul, jazz, blues and gospel".