About Gary McCray
Gary McCray was born in Shawnee, Oklahoma, September 9th, 1950.“Born to sing Country Music”, McCray started singing at the age of 6 years old and played his first professional job when he was 14, for 5 silver dollars.
Most people in Nashville remember Gary as a song writer as he has had 4 Top Ten country songs recorded by country greats such as Charley Pride, Mel Tillis, Wynn Stewart, Erik Bergen(European country star) and many more.
Songs such as “Eyes as Big as Dallas”(Wynn Stewart), “Heart Break Mountain”(Charlie Pride), “Nothing is Prettier than Rose”(Charlie Pride), and McCray himself in “Heaven in a Honky Tonk” and “Falling Angel”.
He has performed on national TV , Radio and stage shows with greats such as, Tammy Wynett, Claude Grey , Norma Jean, Tommy Collins, Wynn Stewart, Johnny Paycheck and more.
Gary was a staff writer for Rose Publishing(Charley Pride) for 5 years.
After 30 years he recorded a new CD, that was released in mid July, 2015, Titled, “Gary McCray – “Singin’ Like a Cowboy in a Rock n Roll Band”
His current release will be a new single call "ROLLING THUNDER".
Way back in 1982 I took my first stumbling steps into DJing a Country Music show in our small town Mora, in the middle of Sweden. After 30 years, the show still remains on the air. In 1982 there were no CD’s or MP3 files. A computer was something that required a whole room to store and the internet didn’t exist. So, any information about Country artists and Country Music had to be found in magazines, newspapers, or with some luck, on the backside of LP covers. In Sweden, retailers might provide some information and a special magazine Kounty Koral had record reviews. 45rpm records had nothing more than song titles, songwriters and the singers names listed. In the early 80’s I bought a hand-full of 45’s recorded by Gary McCray, all on Joe Gibson’s NSD Label in Nashville. Today, I still rate those 45’s as the best in my entire collection. I was sold on Gary McCray tunes. I never expected that one day Gary and I would cross paths via the internet. My love for traditional Country Music made me very happy when I found out that Gary was making this new CD. I finally got the chance to talk/chat with one of my heroes in Country Music, thanks to the internet, and I am honored he asked me to write these liner notes.
Gary McCray has had a huge musical life. He has worked with some of the best artists in the business. To all lovers of the old school music, Gary’s a living icon. As a staff writer for Charley Pride for 5 years, Charley recorded several of Gary´s songs and took them to the top. Some of these songs are included in this new CD…"Nothing´s Prettier Than Rose Is", "Let Me Have The Chance To Love You" and “Heartbreak Mountain”. Gary also spent several years working with Country Music legend, Wynn Stewart. As Wynn’s bandleader & front-man, Gary wrote "Eyes As Big As Dallas", a huge hit that almost every singer in Texas still sings today.
There could be much more said about Gary accomplishments in music. But liner notes are not supposed to be a history book, so these are just some of the pieces of the past. But for this moment of grace…I´m very happy that Gary´s mom asked him to record a song for her funeral, “Momma Knew How To Pray”. Without that request this CD project may have never started. But now, after 2½ years in the making, here it is…a superb recording from the start to the end…another landmark in Country Music history. Gary McCray is still "Singin´Like A Cowboy” and thanks to producer Ernie Rowell, manager Dennis Dyer and others who must be just as convinced as I am that this is the real deal!
God Bless my new found friend - Gary McCray - even though it seems that I
have known you since 1982.
Musically Yours,
Lars G Lindberg
MCWC Radio
Mora
Sweden