Bill Wray (born Shreveport, Louisiana) is an American musician, composer and producer. His performing career spanned the mid 1970s through the early 1980s. Since then he has written and produced a variety of artists from

glam metal Glam metal (also known as hair metal or pop metal) is a subgenre of heavy metal that features pop-influenced hooks and guitar riffs, upbeat rock anthems, and slow power ballads. It borrows heavily from the fashion and image of 1970s glam ...

cajun The Cajuns (; French: ''les Cadjins'' or ''les Cadiens'' ), also known as Louisiana ''Acadians'' (French: ''les Acadiens''), are a Louisiana French ethnicity mainly found in the U.S. state of Louisiana. While Cajuns are usually described as ...

. He is the brother of fellow musician/composer

Jim Wray Jim or JIM may refer to: * Jim (given name), a given name * Jim, a diminutive form of the given name James (given name), James * Jim, a short form of the given name Jimmy (given name), Jimmy * OPCW-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism * Jim (comics), ...

Music career

Bill Wray made an appearance on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 with the song "Pinball, That's All" in 1979, peaking at No. 96. Bill Wray has written the songs "Fool for Your Love" and "So Close" for

Diana Ross Diana Ross (born March 26, 1944) is an American singer and actress. She rose to fame as the lead singer of the vocal group the Supremes, who became Motown's most successful act during the 1960s and one of the world's best-selling girl groups o ...

. Wray and his brother Jim wrote most of the hits ("One in a Million", "Surrender") on

Trixter Trixter is an American glam metal band from Paramus, New Jersey. The band achieved major success in the early 1990s with their top hit, "Give It To Me Good" reaching sixty-five on the Billboard Hot 100 in 1990. The band disbanded for several ye ...

's debut album. Wray was the producer of EFX at MGM Grand Casino, at the time the most expensive and largest-scaled theater installation in the world. Stars rotated through every two years were

Michael Crawford Michael Patrick Smith, (born 19 January 1942), known professionally as Michael Crawford, is an English tenor, actor and comedian. Crawford is best known for playing both the hapless Frank Spencer in the sitcom '' Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em'' a ...

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and

Rick Springfield Richard Lewis Springthorpe (born 23 August 1949), known professionally as Rick Springfield, is an Australian-American musician and actor. He was a member of the pop rock group Zoot from 1969 to 1971, then started his solo career with his debu ...

. The last three were during Wray's tenure. Bill Wray used to play at the old Dynasty Club and Common Ground in

Baton Rouge, Louisiana Baton Rouge ( ; ) is a city in and the capital of the U.S. state of Louisiana. Located the eastern bank of the Mississippi River, it is the parish seat of East Baton Rouge Parish, Louisiana's most populous parish—the equivalent of count ...

. There was also the Bill Wray Band which included Greg Worley. As an artist, Wray opened for such artists as Foreigner,

Toto Toto may refer to: Arts and entertainment Fictional characters Pets * Toto (Oz), Toto (''Oz''), a dog in the novel and film ''The Wonderful Wizard of Oz'' * Toto, in Japanese ''The Cat Returns#Plot, The Cat Returns'' Characters of agency * a ...

The Kinks The Kinks were an English rock band formed in Muswell Hill, north London, in 1963 by brothers Ray and Dave Davies. They are regarded as one of the most influential rock bands of the 1960s. The band emerged during the height of British rhyt ...

, BTO, Peter Frampton and

Joe Cocker John Robert "Joe" Cocker (20 May 1944 – 22 December 2014) was an English singer known for his gritty, bluesy voice and dynamic stage performances that featured expressive body movements. Most of his best known singles were recordings of son ...

. Wray produce
Driven2Rock
at the MGM Grand which gave custom inlai
Melancon Guitars
to stars such as

Dale Earnhardt Jr. Ralph Dale Earnhardt Jr. (born October 10, 1974) is an American semi-retired professional stock car racing driver, team owner, author, and an analyst for '' NASCAR on NBC''. He currently competes part-time in the NASCAR Xfinity Series, driving ...

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and

Michael Waltrip Michael Curtis Waltrip (born April 30, 1963) is an American former professional stock car racing driver, racing commentator, and published author. He competes full time in the Camping World Superstar Racing Experience. He is the younger brother ...

on March 5 and 6th 2004.

Credits

Composed songs for

Lisa Hartman Lisa Hartman Black is an American actress and singer. Career After some minor television appearances, Hartman starred on the short-lived ''Bewitched'' spin-off, ''Tabitha'' during 1977–78. She subsequently appeared frequently on television in ...

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Zachary Richard Ralph Zachary Richard (born September 8, 1950) is an American singer-songwriter and poet. His music is a combination of Cajun and Zydeco musical styles. Biography Zachary Richard began his musical career at the age of 8, as soprano in the Bish ...

Emerson, Lake & Palmer Emerson, Lake & Palmer (informally known as ELP) were an English progressive rock supergroup formed in London in 1970. The band consisted of Keith Emerson (keyboards), Greg Lake (vocals, bass, guitar, producer) and Carl Palmer (drums, percu ...

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- Courtesy AMG

Songs composed by (officially credited)

* Song - Artist * 'Till My Heart Stops Beating -

* Angeline -

* Apotheosis (Final Dance) - 1999 Las Vegas Cast EFX * Back to the Future -

* Better Day - Eric Martin * Big Bang Theory -

* Borderline Blues - Little Feat * Bullet in the Chamber -

* Burning -

* Cadillac Hotel - Little Feat * Cajun Rage - Little Feat * Change -

* Dancing at Double d's -

* Destination Heartbreak -

* Down in Congo Square -

* Drivin' Blind - Little Feat * Eclipse - 1999 Las Vegas Cast EFX * EFX (Bring On The Dream) - 1999 Las Vegas Cast EFX * Friday Night -

* Gone Too Soon - Emerson, Lake & Palmer * Heart of Steel -

* How Many Rivers? -

* In Dreams - 1999 Las Vegas Cast EFX * Intergalactic Circus of Wonders - 1996 and 1999 Las Vegas Cast EFX * It's A Wonderful Life - Diana Ross * Lead a Double Life -

* Let it Shine, Pts 1 & 2 - 1996 & 1999 Las Vegas Cast EFX * No Mercy - 1990 '' Lionheart'' soundtrack * One in a Million - Trixter * Only Young Once - Trixter * Play Rough - Trixter * Prologue - 1999 Las Vegas Cast EFX * Ride the Whip - 1999 Las Vegas Cast EFX * Rock & Roll Everynight - Little Feat * Roll Me -

* Shockwaves - Diana Ross * So Close - Diana Ross * Song and Dance Man - 1999 Las Vegas Cast EFX * Steal the Thunder -

* Surrender - Trixter * Tempt Me (If You Want To) - ''

Navy SEALs The United States Navy Sea, Air, and Land (SEAL) Teams, commonly known as Navy SEALs, are the U.S. Navy's primary special operations force and a component of the Naval Special Warfare Command. Among the SEALs' main functions are conducting s ...

'' Soundtrack /

* Tender Kiss -

* The Curtain Call - 1999 Las Vegas Cast EFX * The Wedge - 1999 Las Vegas Cast EFX * Thin Line - Emerson, Lake & Palmer * This Could Be the Night -

* Too Much Too Soon -

* Trouble Walkin' -

* What a Night - 1999 Las Vegas Cast EFX * What She Don't Know - 1991 Flame * When You Believe (Lullaby) - 1999 Las Vegas Cast EFX * When You Dream - Diana Ross * Where Did We Go Wrong - Diana Ross * You'll Never See My Cryin' - Trixter * Zydeco Jump -

Own albums

* Bill Wray (1976 MCA/legend 2188 Leon Medica performs on album)ASIN: B000RZQKM0 * Seize the Moment (1983 Liberty LT-51140 Produced by John Ryan for Chicago Kid Productions) * Bill Wray and His Show Band Royale (songs Ooo Baby, Baby and Morning Dew, Warner Brothers-Seven Arts #7317, other artists:

Jim Chiek Jim or JIM may refer to: * Jim (given name), a given name * Jim, a diminutive form of the given name James * Jim, a short form of the given name Jimmy * OPCW-UN Joint Investigative Mechanism * ''Jim'' (comics), a series by Jim Woodring * ''Jim ...

) * Fire and Ice (1981 Liberty LT-1098) * Louisiana Rain (Liberty) * Takin My Time (MCA 40611) * Pinball, That's All - Tilt (film) soundtrack. Made Billboard top 100 (hit 96 for two weeks starting 5/19/1979 ABC 12449) Other songs for film: My Music, Where Were You, Don't Stop the Music, Rock and Roll Rodeo, Melody Man, Friends, Mercedes Morning, Koala Shuffle. * Unknown Album 1979 - Don't Stop the Music, Friends, Long Road to Texas, Melody Man, My Music, Pinball That's All, Rock N Roll Rodeo, Where Were You * Goin' Down/(You're A) Heartbreaker (1983 Liberty 1491 or SP225) - single * River City (1976 7" single MCA 40576 * Takin' My Time/Same (1976 single MCA 40611) * Louisiana Rain (???? Liberty 1428) - single

Other credits

* Year - Album - Artist - Credit * 1979 - Tilt (film)br>IMDB
- Original Soundtrack - Vocals, Composition, Music Arranger, pinball machine music AMGABC 1114 * 1983 - Private School (aka Private School for Girls) - Bandleader - actor and performer on soundtrack East World (WPT-90) * 1983 - Break Out -

The Pointer Sisters The Pointer Sisters are an American pop and R&B singing group from Oakland, California, that achieved mainstream success during the 1970s and 1980s. Their repertoire has included such diverse genres as pop, jazz, electronic music, bebop, blu ...

- uncredited project work with producer

Richard Perry Richard Van Perry (born June 18, 1942) is an American record producer. He began as a performer in his adolescence while attending Poly Prep, his high school in Brooklyn. After graduating from college he rose through the late 1960s and early 1970 ...

* 1984 - 1100 Bel Air Place -

Julio Iglesias Julio José Iglesias de la Cueva (; born 23 September 1943) is a Spanish singer, songwriter and former professional footballer. Iglesias is recognized as the most commercially successful Spanish singer in the world and one of the top record ...

- uncredited project work with producer

* 1985 - Private Resort - Original Soundtrack - composer "Ba Ba Ben", "Caribbean Heat", "Postcards", "Summer Eve" * 1990 - Navy Seals - Original Soundtrack - Producer * 1990 - Trixter -

- Producer * 1990 - Lionheart (film) - Original Soundtrack - "No Mercy" performer * 1991 -

Don't Tell Mom The Babysitter's Dead ''Don't Tell Mom the Babysitter's Dead'' is a 1991 American coming-of-age black comedy film directed by Stephen Herek, written by Neil Landau and Tara Ison, and starring Christina Applegate, Joanna Cassidy, Keith Coogan, John Getz and Josh ...

* 1992 - Snake Bite Love -

- Background vocals * 1994 - In the Hot Seat -

- Background vocals * 1995 - Ain't Had Enough Fun -

- Producer * 1996 - Live From Neon Park -

- Producer * 1996 - Pompatus of Love - Original Soundtrack - Producer * 1997 - From The Beginning: Retrospective -

Greg Lake Gregory Stuart Lake (10 November 1947 – 7 December 2016) was an English musician, singer, and songwriter. He gained prominence as a founding member of the progressive rock bands King Crimson and Emerson, Lake & Palmer (ELP). Born and b ...

- Background vocals * 1997 - God Street Wine -

- Arranger, Sound Effects, Producer, Mixing * 1998 - Rock and Roll Doctor:

Lowell George Lowell Thomas George (April 13, 1945 – June 29, 1979) was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer, who was the primary guitarist, vocalist, songwriter and founder/leader for the rock band Little Feat. Ear ...

Tribute - Various Artists - Producer * 1998 - Somewhere in the Middle -

Eric Martin (singer) Eric Lee Martin (born October 10, 1960, in Long Island, New York) is an American rock singer and musician who was active throughout the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, both as a solo artist and as a member of various bands. He earned his most promin ...

- Producer, Mixing * 1999 - Arrhythmia - Jack Mack and the Heart Attack - Producer * 2000 - Hotcakes and Outtakes: 30 Years of Little Feat -

- Producer, Assistant Engineer, Production Consultant * 2000 - Silver Jubilee: Best of Zachary Richard 1973-1998 -

- Producer * 2002 - Sidekick - Everyone's Hero - Producer * 2004 - Destroy All Monsters -

- Producer * 2006 - Best of Little Feat -

- Producer, Original Recording Producer

References

External links

*
1983 Interview
{{DEFAULTSORT:Wray, Bill Year of birth missing (living people) Living people American composers American male composers American male singers Record producers from Louisiana Musicians from Shreveport, Louisiana Singers from Louisiana