Eddie Ray


Edward Ray Hall Of Fame InducteeEddie Ray is a veteran executive with over sixty years of professional experience and expertise in several facets of the U.S commercial music industry, including record distribution, promotion/sales, record production, songwriting/music publishing, artist acquisition/development, business administration, commercial music education, and federal copyright administration.

He has held top level executive positions with major music entitles in Hollywood, CA; Memphis, TN; and with the Federal Government in Washington, DC. In Hollywood, Ray served as a Senior Executive with MGM Records; Capitol Records (Tower Record Division); Co-Burt Television Productions Imperial Records; and Central Record Sales Company. In Memphis, Ray served as Executive VP/GM of Cream Hi Records (Memphis Division) and President/CEO of Eddie Ray Music Enterprises.

As a division of his company, he founded and operated the Tennessee College of Recording Arts and Sciences, a vocational school specializing in commercial music business education. Ray was later appointed by President Reagan and confirmed by the U.S Senate to serve as a Commissioner of the U.S Copyright Royalty Tribunal in Washington, DC. Currently Ray is Operation Director/ Vice Chairman of the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame in Kannapolis, NC.

During his career, Ray has been directly involved in the successful careers of recording artists, songwriters, and producers such as Fats Domino, Rick Nelson, Dave Bartholomew, Slim Whitman, The Osmonds, Allen Toussaint, Lou Rawls, Hank Williams, Jr., Ernie Freeman, Mike Curb, Irma Thomas, Sammy Davis, Jr., Ian Whitcomb, Ernie K-Doe, Al Green, Pink Floyd, Mae West, Smiley Lewis, Sandy Nelson, and Johnny Rivers.

As a songwriter, Ray is co-writer of the hit song, “Hearts of Stone” which became a national number one hit during the 50s and over 30 other tracks. As an A&R executive, he has acquired many nationally charted records including artists Freddie & The Dreamers, Pink Floyd, Ian Whitcomb, Mike Curb’s A.I.P movie sound tracks, Solomon Burke, and Jimmy Smith.

Co-author Barbara Jackson Hall is a former TV news reporter, talk show host, and health magazine editor who spent two decades in the communications field. Today Hall is director of the Small Business Center at Rowan-Cabarrus Community College where she helps individuals fulfill their dream of business ownership. Her office is located in Kannapolis, NC a few blocks from the North Carolina Music Hall of Fame where she first met Eddie Ray in 2009.

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