Nashville, Tennessee
38 Years Old
Singer-Songwriter

writer profile >

BIOGRAPHY

Ray Stephenson may be the next key singer/songwriter of our time. He has already crafted songs for Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard, John Anderson, Guy Clark (GRAMMY nominated album of the year), Jeff Bates, Steve Holy, The Wilkinsons, Sonya Issacs and more. He is also an established painter. He resides in Nashville, TN. and tours over 120+ shows a year (mostly across the southeast). Ray’s songs are surprisingly soulful and thoughtful for a writer his age. There is a strong thread of honesty woven into his lyric and his songs are generally filled with stories about life, love, and loss.

His newest solo album entitled “Gravity” is receiving critical praise from the Nashville press and the recording community. Gravity is a very autobiographical album. “It combines beautifully crafted lyric and narrative with stellar melody and feel,” says Gavin Richards of the Music City Scene. The album features the songs such as: "Farmboy," and "Honkytonk Road" written with another accomplished writer, Bob Dipiero. These songs shed light on the artist's early years and the current life of this singer/guitar player from South Georgia. It also features 3 collaborations with CM Hall of Fame songwriter and two time GRAMMY nominee Guy Clark.

Most of the acoustic guitar parts on this album were played on one of the home-made guitars that Ray and Guy built in Guy's workshop. It is a 000-28 Martin style body design with a slotted headstock. "I nearly cut a finger off in the process," Ray claims.

So go ahead!
Send your friends in his direction so that they may also discover this truly southern renaissance man!



Songs written by Ray that have been recorded by other artists include:

"Willies Guitar" by John Anderson/Merle Haggard/Willie Nelson
"Magdalene" by Guy Clark
"Funnybone" by Guy Clark
"Homeless" by Guy Clark
"Mama was a lot like Jesus" by Jeff Bates
"Honkytonk Road" by Walt Wilkins
"Pictures of Me" by Sonya Issacs
"The Leaving Song" by The Wilkinsons
"I am the Highway" by The Wilkinsons
"She's So" by Steve Holy
"Smile" by Steve Holy
"Sally" by Jared Ashley
"You" by Heartland
"Fall Asleep in Your Arms" by The Wilkinsons
"If You Aint Got a Redneck" by Jared Ashley
Cutting Down the Cross" by Waycross
"Sitting at a Redlight" by Susie Luschinger
"Praying for Rain" by Dean Miller
"Sitting at a Red Light" by Susie Luschinger
"Mama was a lot like Jesus" by Southern Grace
"Betty Rides Around" by Tommy Gillam and also by The Well Hungarians

LEVEL

professional

GENRES

Country, Alternative Country, Singer/Songwriter

PUBLISHING COMPANY

Curb Music Pub, major publishing company

Contact

Management: Mike Robertson Management
Publishing: Curb/Nashville
Booking: Crescent Moon Talent
Administrative: Ray Stephenson

P.R.O.

ASCAP

INSTRUMENTS

acoustic guitar / electric guitar

INFLUENCES

Willie Nelson, Guy Clark, John Prine, Allison Krauss and Union Station, Alt Rock, Vern Gosdin, Sting,Bob Seger, Creedence Clearwater Revival

DAY JOB

Songwriter/Gigs

I AM INTERESTED IN

in networking with songwriters
in pitching songs to artist
in pitching songs to tv

I WRITE:

For a living

I Also Write:
by myself
with others
for myself
for others

I Prefer To Write:
lyrics
melody
music

experience >

SONG CUTS

"Willies Guitar" by John Anderson/Merle Haggard/Willie Nelson "Magdalene" by Guy Clark "Funnybone" by Guy Clark "Homeless" by Guy Clark "Mama was a lot like Jesus" by Jeff Bates "Honkytonk Road" by Walt Wilkins "Pictures of Me" by Sonya Issacs "The Leaving Song" by The Wilkinsons "I am the Highway" by The Wilkinsons "She's So" by Steve Holy "Smile" by Steve Holy "Sally" by Jared Ashley "You" by Heartland "Fall Asleep in Your Arms" by The Wilkinsons "If You Aint Got a Redneck" by Jared Ashley Cutting Down the Cross" by Waycross "Sitting at a Redlight" by Susie Luschinger "Praying for Rain" by Dean Miller "Sitting at a Red Light" by Susie Luschinger "Mama was a lot like Jesus" by Southern Grace "Betty Rides Around" by Tommy Gillam and also by The Well Hungarians Also wrote all the songs on 4 solo records

AWARDS & ACCOLADES

Wrote 2 songs on Guy Clark's "Workbench songs" nominated for GRAMMY/best contemporary folk/americanna album of the year. Wrote" Willies Guitar" for John Anderson, Merle Haggard, and Willie Nelson. It was nominated for a CMA award for best vocal collaboration.

OTHER SONG OR ALBUM CREDITS

"Willies Guitar" by John Anderson/Merle Haggard/Willie Nelson "Magdalene" by Guy Clark "Funnybone" by Guy Clark "Homeless" by Guy Clark "Mama was a lot like Jesus" by Jeff Bates "Honkytonk Road" by Walt Wilkins "Pictures of Me" by Sonya Issacs "The Leaving Song" by The Wilkinsons "I am the Highway" by The Wilkinsons "She's So" by Steve Holy "Smile" by Steve Holy "Sally" by Jared Ashley "You" by Heartland "Fall Asleep in Your Arms" by The Wilkinsons "If You Aint Got a Redneck" by Jared Ashley Cutting Down the Cross" by Waycross "Sitting at a Redlight" by Susie Luschinger "Praying for Rain" by Dean Miller "Sitting at a Red Light" by Susie Luschinger "Mama was a lot like Jesus" by Southern Grace "Betty Rides Around" by Tommy Gillam and also by The Well Hungarians

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