“Johnnie Ray” (1952) – Johnnie Ray

Album: Johnnie Ray

Artist: Johnnie Ray

Year: 1952

Genre: Traditional Pop

Grade: A

Johnnie Ray was an early antecedent of rock ‘n’ roll: his emotionally vulnerable voice is at once sultry and full of starpower. Ray was a proto-Presley pioneer, and his self-titled debut splits the bill between swing, R&B and traditional pop. It’s a fine collection; a perfect distillation of Ray’s unique sound. On every song, his expressive, unpredictable vocals — which quiver, bend and fluctuate from loud to soft on a whim — enrapture the listener with a tender, fragile and delicate charisma.