Don Raye

Don Raye
Background information
Birth name	Donald MacRae Wilhoite Jr.
Born	(1909-03-16)March 16, 1909
Origin	Washington, D.C.,U.S.
Died	January 29, 1985(1985-01-29)(aged 75)
Occupation(s)	Songwriter

Don Raye(bornDonald MacRae Wilhoite Jr.,March 16, 1909 – January 29, 1985)was an American songwriter, best known for his songs forThe Andrews Sisterssuch as "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar","The House of Blue Lights","Just for a Thrill "and"Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy."The latter was co-written withHughie Prince.

While known for such wordy novelty numbers, he also wrote the lyrics to "You Don't Know What Love Is,"a simple, poetic lament of unusual power. He also composed the song" (That Place)Down the Road a Piece,"one of his boogie woogie songs,which has a medium bright boogie tempo. It was written for theWill BradleyOrchestra, who recorded it in 1940, but the song was destined to become arock and rollstandard, recorded byThe Rolling Stones,Chuck Berry,Jerry Lee Lewis,Foghat,Amos Milburn,Harry Gibson,and countless others.In 1940, he wrote the lyrics for the patriotic song "This Is My Country".

In 1985, Don Raye was inducted into theSongwriters Hall of Fame.

History

Raye started his career as adancer,going on to win the "Virginia State Dancing Championship."He started work invaudevilleas a song and dance man often writing his own songs for his act.In 1935, he started work as a songwriter, collaborating with composersSammy CahnandSaul Chaplin,and bandleader-saxophonistJimmie Lunceford.

His great success with "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar" (co-written with Bradley's drummerRay McKinley) led Raye to write follow-up songs, in collaboration with Hughie Prince: "Scrub Me Mama, with a Boogie Beat" and "Bounce Me Brother, with a Solid Four." Raye and Prince were signed byUniversal Picturesto score musical comedies withThe Andrews Sisters,TheRitz Brothers,andAbbott and Costello;the Andrews trio recorded some of the Raye-Prince compositions forDecca Records.Raye and Prince also penned a risqué, best-selling novelty hit, "She Had to Go and Lose It at the Astor."

Raye joined theUnited States Armyin 1941, and served inWorld War II.Upon his return he resumed songwriting inHollywoodand worked alongsideGene de PaulatUniversal Studios,penning theDinah Shorehit "Daddy-O, I'm Gonna Teach You Some Blues." Their biggest hit was "I'll Remember April."He and de Paul wrote three original songs forWalt Disney'sThe Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toadas well asA Song is Born.Raye and de Paul also wrote "Beware the Jabberwock," a song for Disney'sAlice in Wonderland,which was not included in the final version of the film. A demo was recorded, and is included on the 2004 and 2010 DVD releases of the Disney movie.

Raye co-wrote "The Ballad of Thunder Road"with its script writer and star,Robert Mitchum.The Robert Mitchum version of the song did not appear in the 1958 movieThunder Road,but was released byCapitol Records.

He co-wrote "The House of Blue Lights" in 1946 withFreddie Slack,a song which was recorded originally by Freddie Slack withElla Mae Morseon vocals, by The Andrews Sisters,Merrill Moore(1952),Chuck Miller(1955), Chuck Berry,George Thorogoodand the Destroyers,Asleep at the Wheel,andJerry Lee Lewis.

Publications

In 1971, theCharles E. Tuttle Companypublished Raye'sLike Haiku,a collection of poems. He called them "nothaikuin the true sense. They are 'like' haiku. An Occidental songwriter's haiku. I have merely used that stringent form to frame my own pictures of wonder, my moments of awareness of those things which have made mefeel."

External links

• Don RayeatIMDb