Robert Cray is an American singer who really started his career in 1980 by releasing a first album called “Who’s been talkin’”, an album which went on to have a very honorable career, particularly in the Charts of the southern sphere.
Success confirmed and amplified 3 years later with the release in 1983 of the album “Bad influence”, an album which paradoxically did not produce Singles. Just like “False Accusations” which would be released 2 years later in 1985.
We had to wait for the release of the album “Strong Persuader” in 1986 to finally see the singer achieve his first Singles success with the title “Smoking Gun”. And what a success since this title will remain as his highest ranked title of all. An album which would produce another high caliber Single with the title “Right next door (Because of me)” a year later in 1987.
New album “Don’t be afraid of the dark” in 1988, new successful album, certainly less, but successful all the same. Album which will mainly produce the Single which bears the name of the album.
We find him in 1990 on the album “Midnight stroll”, an album which will allow him to add a new prestigious star to his list thanks to the flagship Single “The forecast (Call for pain)”.
Major success which will be the last despite the release of other albums and other Singles subsequently.
To discover or rediscover...
Discography (among others ...) :
80s Decade :
Too many cooks 1980
Who's been talkin' 1980
Phone booth 1983
Porch light 1983
She's gone 1985
Change of heart, change of mind 1985
Smoking gun 1986
I guessed I showed her 1987
Right next door (Because of me) 1987
Nothin' but a woman 1987
Don’t be afraid of the dark 1988
Gotta change the rules 1988
Acting this way 1989
90s Decade :
Consequences 1990
The forecast (Calls for pain) 1990
Move a mountain 1990
Just a loser 1992
The price I pay 1992
Won the battle 1992
Don't break this ring 1993
Leave well enough alone 1993
Up and down 1993
Never mattered much 1995
Little boy big 1995
The one in the middle 1997
Little birds 1997
Love gone to waste 1999
That wasn't me 1999
There's nothing wrong 1999
2000s Decade :
Baby's arms 2001
No one special 2001
Up in the sky 2003
I didn't know 2003
Lotta lovin' 2003
Poor Johnny 2005
I'm walkin' 2005
Twenty 2005
I can' t fail 2009
This time 2009
2010s Decade :
(Won't be) Coming home 2012
A memo 2012
I'm done crying 2012
You move me 2014
Fine yesterday 2014
Aspen, Colorado 2017
The way we are 2017
2020s Decade :
You'll want me back 2020
Do it 2020
Tracks :
1980...a style and sound that currently only concerns an audience of initiated people. Difficult in these conditions to break through to the highest level...
1980...at least on the general public side. Which is not going to prevent him from seriously starting to make a name for himself, at least in the southern sphere...
1983...he will finally succeed in making a name for himself on the North American continent from this year 1983. A slow but certain rise in power...
1983...it is clear that in the age of drum machines and synthesizers he looks a bit like a UFO. Afterwards there is something for all tastes as they say...
1985...this time the success extends to the entire planet, at least on the albums side. Because on the Singles side still no notable hit in sight...
1985...yet he tries to reorient his style and sound somewhat to fit a little more with the expectations of the general public...
1986...efforts that will eventually pay off, the proof with this title. Here he lands his first charted Single thanks to a hybrid style where he manages not to completely deny his fundamentals, which is the essential thing for him...
1987...this one will do a little less well than its predecessor but it doesn't matter, the dynamic of success is well and truly underway and that's what matters most...
1987...his biggest global success on the Singles side. It took him 7 years to obtain it but it is now done and he can only be proud of it...
1987...surprisingly this title will go somewhat under the radar. Afterwards that absolutely does not call into question his good career progress at this stage in any case...
1988...business picks up straight away with this title showing that there was no reason to worry in any way...
1988...a title which will not be officially released as a Single but which it would have been a shame to hide in any case. Here it is brought back to light as it should be...
1989...only one title will be released during this year 1989 but it will at least be classified. Certainly only in the United States but it will be in any case...
1990...the start of a new decade which starts again on the same basis as the end of the previous decade, which reassures more or less about the future of events...
1990...for the moment the adventure continues to be beautiful and the artist makes the most of this most favorable period concerning him...
1990...another title which will not be released as a Single but of significant quality. It would have been a shame to leave it aside...
1992...new single-title year but once again with certain success. That's for the good news because for the bad it could be that this title is his last at this level...
1992...we cannot speak of collapse at this stage but things will seriously get complicated from this title...
1992...at least on the Singles side at the Charts level because on the albums side he still manages to rank them somewhat. It's already that...
1993... in any case, this decline will not prevent him from continuing the adventure and on the principle who would blame him...
1993...as we know, in music everything is always possible and a return to the forefront can never be ruled out...
1993...it's still difficult to imagine it because he finds all its fundamentals title after title, album after album, year after year...
1995...not easy in these cases to find a semblance of recognition from the general public. After his insider audience seems to suit him completely at this stage...
1995...it is certain that his musical reorientation in the mid-80s seemed somewhat surprising given his basic musical fundamentals...
1997...in any case, even in his own style he is far from unworthy, to say the least. There is real talent in this artist...
1997...predispositions for the Intimist of the highest order and have been for years and years. So we take advantage of it as much as possible...
1999...each new opus that comes out is classified which therefore necessarily encourages him to continue the adventure as far as possible...
1999...it is clear that as long as a minimum audience follows him, it is out of the question for him to throw in the towel. And in principle he is absolutely right...
1999...and it's clear that he still has some basic fans. It must be said that the quality of the titles released necessarily helps to keep a minimum...
2001...a transition to the following decade which will mark a breaking point even with its core audience. Even the albums will no longer be classified now...
2001...an unscrewing which will not affect him more than that. An astonishing resistance where other artists would have decided not to stay there given the unfavorable circumstances to say the least...
2003...an adventure which is far from over in any case, even despite the absence of notable success. Good resistance whatever it may be...
2003...a desire to believe in it until the end which undoubtedly commands respect. Willingness and quality always in place, what more could you ask for...
2003...because as long as he continues to produce titles of significant quality, it is clear that it would be a real shame if the adventure stopped there...
2005...and a new opus, one ! A discography that grows inexorably title after title, year after year, decade after decade...
2005...even if the best years are now far behind what he continues to offer is far from unworthy in any case, that's for sure...
2005...we will enjoy it as long as possible in any case because there is still talent in this artist. And the real...
2009...4 albums released during the 2000s, a great performance all the same. And it could be that the next decade has a nice surprise in store for him...
2009...shows that in music you must never give up until the end. One day up, one day down, then back up again...
2012...certainly there will be no return to grace on the Singles side but on the albums side, business will pick up in a spectacular way to say the least...
2012...return of global success which doesn't spoil anything, quite the contrary. So tenacity always pays off in the end...
2012...we must also remember that he started his career in 1980 which is still starting to be quite a few years...
2014...a career mastered from start to finish and which will have allowed him to cross the decades, and especially the fashions, without too much damage...
2014...a notable performance to say the least given his style which does not really correspond to what the younger generations expect...
2017...in any case he will have been able to keep a large part of his basic clientele, or even managed to gain a new one...
2017...we therefore imagine that he has the firm intention of not stopping at this 2010 decade and moving on to the next one at all costs...
2020...the proof with this new title which allows him to begin his 5th decade of career ! Who would have thought this possible...?
2020...and yet he did it ! He held his ground against all odds and withstood a decade of the 2000s which really was not favorable to him in every way...
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Greatest Hits :
Discography :