Ray Pennington

Peter Freiberger · Post by **Peter Freiberger** » 7 Oct 2020 3:11 pm

I hate to post this. A great loss to the world of genuine country music. A multi faceted talent.
https://www.wsmv.com/news/one-dead-afte ... 68085.html

Adair Torres · Post by **Adair Torres** » 7 Oct 2020 3:35 pm

What a sad news....Great Songwriter, Great Producer, Great Singer

MIchael Bean · Post by **MIchael Bean** » 7 Oct 2020 4:30 pm

Just heard this news. That's terrible. Aside from those being some of my favorite records, that shouldn't happen to anyone.

Pete Burak · Post by **Pete Burak** » 7 Oct 2020 5:01 pm

Terrible News.
My heart goes out to his family, friends, and fans.
I am a big Fan.

Jim Park · Post by **Jim Park** » 7 Oct 2020 5:47 pm

A tragedy and loss that is beyond words. I am deeply saddened, Thank you Ray for giving us some of the best music ever

Mitch Drumm · Post by **Mitch Drumm** » 7 Oct 2020 6:06 pm

Ray was great---he had a honking rock and roll/western swing band in Cincinnati, long before he ever got to Nashville and went into a Ray Price mode.

Go listen to "Boogie Woogie Country Girl" or "Big Hunk Of Love" (the Elvis tune).

Michael Douchette · Post by **Michael Douchette** » 7 Oct 2020 6:48 pm

My heart hurts. As I said in the Was Emmons a Cards Fan thread, the Penningtons were our neighbors in the '60's. Ray was one of the first ones to use me on sessions. This like a piece of my soul has gone.

Jeff Neal · Post by **Jeff Neal** » 7 Oct 2020 6:49 pm

So sad. Ray and the Swing Shift band with Buddy was some of my earliest influences with steel and swing music. I really enjoyed their version of Sinatra’s Fly Me To The Moon.

Larry Dering · Post by **Larry Dering** » 8 Oct 2020 11:20 am

Wow, such a loss. Ray was a great singer and producer of the music we love. Seen him at live shows on a number of times. His recordings with Emmons are a benchmark for swing music.

Paul King · Post by **Paul King** » 10 Oct 2020 3:31 am

This is awful news. I never met Ray but he and Buddy put out some great music together. His family has to be devastated especially the way his passing happened. Prayers for his family during this most difficult time.

Neil Lang · Post by **Neil Lang** » 24 Oct 2020 6:18 am

RIP Ray. What an easy listening voice he had. Several fantastic recordings featuring the finest steel playing ever by.....Big E !!!! What a JAM must be goin'on up there!!!!!!!!!
DON'T GET NO BETTER!!!!!

Weldon Hargraves · Post by **Weldon Hargraves** » 26 Oct 2020 6:10 am

Ray Pennington told Buddy Emmons one day that he (Ray) was first influenced into Western swing music by yours truly and my band and guitar player! True!

Tony Prior · Post by **Tony Prior** » 28 Oct 2020 1:15 am

RIP Ray, thx for you incredible contribution to the world .

Jerry Hayes · Post by **Jerry Hayes** » 5 Nov 2020 6:20 am

I first met Ray at Scotty's convention in 1987 I believe. I couldn't believe how much good music was on sale at his booth that year. I didn't have too much money left for food after depleting my budget on recordings he had for sale. I think I have the entire "Swing Shift" tunes in my collection. I loved how Ray had given a "home" to some of the older recording artists that were out of the main stream. The Swing Shift band always had some great pickers on board such as the Big E of course, Rob Hajacos on fiddle, and that great guitarist (Greg Galbraith) and a bunch of others. I'm gonna go into my music room with a large mug of coffee, get into my recliner and put on a bunch of the SSB record.............RIP Ray, JH in Va.

Jim Palenscar · Post by **Jim Palenscar** » 5 Nov 2020 7:02 am

I was fortunate to have contacted Ray when I was wanting to get his permission to copy for a fee the old Swingin' Series recordings that he had on the now defunct Step One records label to accompany the courses that Buddy had for that series that I still sell. Ray told me he still had boxes of the CD's in his barn and sold me quite a few to go along with the rest. He was a wonderful man and I fear the balance of the series was engulfed by the flames that took Ray from us.

Jim Keith · Post by **Jim Keith** » 24 Nov 2020 7:57 pm

I met Ray in the 90's at the Steel Guitar Jamboree. I told him after
his set with Buddy how much I enjoyed his music and Step One
records. He called Buddy over and told him that he finally
met someone that actually reads all the notes on the back of records. He and Buddy really enjoyed that. SOR records was truly the best. RIP Ray; you sure made terrific music.

John Davis · Post by **John Davis** » 19 Dec 2020 10:19 pm

Just found this thread and I am so sad at such a loss to our world and some of the best music i have ever heard. Rest in peace Ray.

Jim Keith · Post by **Jim Keith** » 24 Dec 2020 10:19 am

Thanks for the wonderful music you left us and the wonderful recordings through Step One Records. I will never forget.

Willis Vanderberg · Post by **Willis Vanderberg** » 12 Jan 2021 11:40 am

In my eighty seven years I never heard any better music than what Ray and Buddy put out there.
Maybe the average person on the street never heard of Ray but everybody in this business knew who he was.
That speaks volumes to me.
I have been playing steel for over sixty five years.
The down side to this age is a big share of folks I knew are gone.the upside is I am still working in a Blue Grass band playing DoBro
We will miss you Ray........what a great talent.

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Ray Pennington

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Meeting Ray.

RIP Ray