Johnnie Ray

Poised between two teenage sensations -- Frank Sinatra a decade earlier and Elvis Presley five years later -- Johnnie Ray also ignited female hearts, but not with masculine tones or frankly sexual moves. No, the Johnnie Ray sensation owed to a uniquely tortured style of balladry and some of the most hysterical live performances ever seen on American stages (many of which were largely black R&B stages before he graduated to the Copacabana). This Living Era compilation of Ray material presents a narrow picture of the singer's career that skimps on the hits but does include much of his best material. It begins with his 1951 recording debut and takes listeners on a short yet intensive journey through the end of 1952, when Ray had already gained fame with his pair of torch smashes, "Cry" and "The Little White Cloud That Cried." Also included are lesser hits like "Walkin' My Baby Back Home" (an upbeat performance rare for him), "Please, Mr. Sun," "Here Am I, Broken Hearted," and "All of Me." Several of the best songs were only previously found on Bear Family's exhaustive 1999 box set (also titled Cry), such as "Mr. Midnight" and the British hit "Faith Can Move Mountains." The only crucial missing songs are his mid-'50s chart entries "Just Walking in the Rain" and "You Don't Owe Me a Thing," but for those who prefer seminal material to pop hits, this is the best one to pick up. ~ John Bush, All Music Guide