Don Ray Band - Full Throttle (2012)

..Don Ray was born into a musical family in Sioux City, IA. He got his first drum kit at age 4 and began playing drums in his Dad’s band at the age of 10. He left the Midwest for Austin, TX. at age 18. Don played drums and sang for several regionally successful Texas bands until landing the gig with Texas Legend, Fiddlin’ Frenchie Burke.Don performed with Frenchie throughout the mid 80s. Don’s first break as a solo artist came when a project he was working on was produced by keyboardist Reese Wynans ( Stevie Ray Vaughan ). The first version of Don Ray Band came in Austin as well and included former Asleep At The Wheel musicians Danny Levin on keyboards and Bill Mabry on fiddle.

Moving to Nashville at age 26 to pursue a songwriting career, he was soon a staff writer for Square One Publishing on Music Row. He started the second version of Don Ray Band with hit songwriters, Monty Holmes, Don Sampson and Curt Ryle. A few of the co-songwriter credits Don has are with hit songwriters Randy Travis, Monty Holmes, Curt Ryle, Kent Blazey and Buck Moore. Don has songs in the publishing catalogs of Square One, Universal Music, Sony/ATV, Warner Tamerlane, PeerMusic III, Minnetonka Music and Malaco Music.