Ray Stevens - "Everything Is Beautiful" (1970)

Ray Stevens (born Harold Ray Ragsdale, January 24, 1939 is an American country music, pop singer-songwriter who has become known for his novelty songs.

He was born in Clarkdale, Georgia, a small town west of Atlanta. Stevens' recording career began in the mid-1950s with two singles released on Prep Records. He then signed a contract with Capitol Records with the help of Atlanta, Georgia music maven Bill Lowery. In 1958, Stevens joined Lowery's National Recording Corporation (NRC), playing numerous instruments, arranging music, and performing background vocals for its band. After NRC filed for bankruptcy, he signed with Mercury Records with whom Stevens recorded a series of hit records in the 1960s that included songs such as "Ahab the Arab", "Harry the Hairy Ape", "Funny Man," the original recording of "Santa Claus Is Watching You", and "Jeremiah Peabody's Polyunsaturated Quick-Dissolving, Fast-Acting Pleasant-Tasting Green and Purple Pills". The song that introduced Stevens to most of his fan base is a shortened version of "Ahab the Arab", which reached #5 on the Hot 100 in the summer of 1962.

In 1966, Stevens signed with Monument Records and started to release serious material such as "Mr. Businessman" in 1968, a Top 30 pop hit; "Have a Little Talk With Myself" and the original version of "Sunday Morning Coming Down" in 1969, which became Stevens' first two singles to reach the country music charts. O.C. Smith covered the Stevens-penned Isn't It Lonely Together while Sammy Davis, Jr. covered Have a Little Talk With Myself. Stevens continued releasing novelty songs, and in 1969 he had a Top 10 pop hit with "Gitarzan". Stevens also became a regular on The Andy Williams Show during the 1969--1970 season, and he hosted his own summer show, The Ray Stevens Show, in 1970. In Australia, Ross D. Wylie reached the top 20 with his cover of the Stevens-penned, Funny Man. Stevens' collection of Hot 100 hits is evenly divided between serious and novelty.

As an A&R man, music producer, songwriter, and music arranger he assisted countless artists in the recording studio during his years at Mercury Records and Monument Records, 1961 through early 1970. Some of the acts he was associated with during that time period were Brenda Lee, Brook Benton, Patti Page, Joe Dowell, Dusty Springfield, and Dolly Parton. Stevens was a writer or co-writer of several songs those particular acts recorded. My True Confession , a Top-10 on the R&B chart in 1963 for Brook Benton, was written by Stevens and Margie Singleton. Stevens was the arranger for an obscure Doyle Holly recording titled "My Heart Cries For You" which had been recorded previously by Stevens during the late 1950s.

The 1970sStarting in the 1970s, Stevens became a producer and well-known studio musician on the Nashville scene. He recorded songs for Barnaby Records and Warner Brothers during 1970--1979. Stevens' biggest hit in the United States was his gospel-inflected single "Everything Is Beautiful" (1970). The single won a Grammy Award, was the theme song for his summer 1970 TV show, hit #1 on both the pop and Adult-Contemporary charts, and marked his first time in the Top 40 on the country charts, peaking at #39. It sold over one million copies, and was awarded a gold disc. His other 1970 singles were "America, Communicate With Me" and "Sunset Strip", both of which reached the Top-20 on the Adult-Contemporary lists. His novelty song "Bridget the Midget (The Queen of The Blues)" made #2 on the United Kingdom chart in 1971 and in the US it reached #50. Stevens had a gospel/country hit single in early 1972 with Albert E. Brumley's "Turn Your Radio On", reaching the country Top 20. Two more of Stevens' songs in 1971 were also minor pop hits, "A Mama and a Papa" and "All My Trials," but both crossed over to the Top 10 Adult-Contemporary lists. Stevens frequently toured Canada and went overseas to the UK. A rock-infected gospel arrangement accompanied his version of "Love Lifted Me" and it became a hit single in Bangkok in the fall of 1972, finding its way into the Top-5 for the week ending September 30.

Read more:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Stevens

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[73MarkIV]

42 years ago, this song was introduced to a divided and angry nation, and for just a moment, we all stopped hating each other. Maybe if it is released again today, we could have the same result.

[Celestios2]

Really nicely done! --Both the videography and the song.

[RuthTCB]

Great video! Thanks to Kathy K for sharing! ***********

[stingray8213]

nice

[mwkjdrew]

Thanks for the lovely sharing Katy.!

Great video and Beautiful song thanks for posting...Wenhsing

[JazzyL8888]

This is such a beautiful song ! Love it ! =D Thank you for posting and thanks to Kathy K for sending it to me !

[anitashelby]

Such A Beautiful Song & Vid!!!! ********* I've Always Loved This Song!!! Thankyou Kathy & Joe....Anita :)

[dan1955ish]

I really enjoyed your video....Ray is an amazing artist...thanks for sharing

[bze2nlz1]

1970 had some of the best songs ever...this was one of them!!

[1001ststar]

Great video and song my friend.nice day to you.Julia