Darrell Westmoreland Photo
Robert Cray will play the D&R Theatre on May 12. Cray, who grew up in the Tacoma area is a five-time Grammy winner and an inductee into the Blues Hall of Fame.
Legendary guitarist, bluesman and five-time Grammy winning artist Robert Cray returns to the D&R Theatre in Aberdeen on Saturday, May 12.
Soon after his show on the Harbor, the Blues Hall of Fame inductee heads into the studio to record a new album scheduled for release later this year. Producing for the multimillion selling Cray will be famed rock producer Kevin Shirley (Aerosmith, Led Zeppelin, Iron Maiden, Joe Bonamassa, Black Crowes, Rush).
“I’m really enthusiastic about collaborating with Kevin,” says Cray. “He’s done some amazing work in the past and I like the direction we’re taking for this album.”
This will be the 21st release for rock/blues icon Cray since he first arrived on the scene with “Who’s Been Talkin’” before quickly hitting the Billboard Top 20 with the album Strong Persuader (a moniker quickly given Cray) featuring the smash single “Smoking Gun.”
Since the release of “Smoking Gun,” Cray went on to collaborate, perform and befriend some of the world’s greatest blues guitarists including Albert Collins, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn and BB King. Cray continues to perform with Clapton, taking the stage at his annual Crossroads concert. In addition to Clapton and King, Cray has written for Tony Bennett and worked with an array of artists from Tina Turner, Keith Richards, John Lee Hooker, Chuck Berry and Bonnie Raitt to name a few.
The New York Times says, “his voice, alternately smooth and craggy, is often richer and more emotive than Mr. Clapton’s, and he knows the best ways to use it,” while Guitar Player magazine says, “Robert Cray is not only making great music; he’s making history…”
He has his own signature line of Fender Guitars and just last year (still in his fifties) was, according to the Blues Foundation, one of the youngest “living legends” to be inducted into the 2011 Blues Hall of Fame!
Cray will perform at 7 p.m. Saturday, May 12 at the D&R Theatre. Tickets are available at Backstage Espresso (next to the theater) or at dandrtheater.com
