NASHVILLE — Versatile session guitarist Ray Edenton, who played on thousands of recordings by artists such as the Everly Brothers, Charley Pride, Neil Young and Patsy Cline, died at his son Ray Q. Edenton’s home in Goodlettsville on September 21st. . , Tennessee. he was 95 years old.
His death was confirmed by his daughter Rhonda Hardcastle.
A longtime member of the so-called A-Team at First Call Studio Professionals in Nashville, Mr. Edenton contributed his understated, sympathetic rhythm guitar to countless hits in a career spanning four decades. Although his name was not as well known for his musicianship, generations of listeners knew of the records that helped make him famous.
Klein “A good dream,” web pierce “There is a glass standing there.” Kenny Rogers “gambler,” Roger Miller’s “King of the Lord” and Loretta Lynn’s “You are not woman enough” It was one of the country’s biggest hit singles, many of which were also pop crossover successes featuring his guitar work.
Edenton, who retired in 1991 at the age of 65, reflected on his years as a studio musician in an interview at an event held in his memory at the Country Music Hall, saying, “22 sessions, five days a week. I did it,” he said. of Fame and Museum in Nashville in 2007.
“That’s four times a day for three days and five times a day for two days,” he continued. “I don’t go home for 5 days and I sleep on the sofa in the studio.”
About the Everly Brothers “Wake Up Little Susie” When “Bye Bye Love” Edenton, both top 10 pop, country and R&B artists in 1957, played a driving, syncopated acoustic guitar riff alongside Don Everly.
“I spent quite a few years with licks I stole from Don,” he said at an event in 2007.
In fact, it was two men matching every note that gave these big-beat Everly classics their unique stamp.
Mr. Edenton was primarily a rhythm guitarist, but was occasionally featured on lead guitar, especially on Marty Robbins’ 1956 recording. “Sing the Blues” Inspired by his nifty electric guitar solo. His lead work on the 12-string acoustic guitar was heard on his 1963 hit for George Hamilton IV. “Abilene” — Records that topped the country charts and reached the pop top 20, like “Singing the Blues.”
Edenton was also a songwriter.his main achievement “You are on the run” The Rubin Brothers’ top 10 country singles, written in 1956 with then-brother-in-law Don Winters. (He also played rhythm guitar on the recording.)
Edenton’s work as a session musician extends beyond country music to singers such as Julie Andrews, Rosemary Clooney and Sammy Davis Jr., and rock acts such as Elvis Presley, Roy Orbison and the Sir Douglas Quintet. He played on Mr. Young’s acclaimed 1978 album, “It’s time.”
He also attended the Nashville sessions that produced the album “Tennessee Firebird” A pioneering fusion of country and jazz released in 1967 by vibraphonist Gary Burton.
“Everybody in the world came here and we recorded with them all,” Edenton said of the Nashville studio in an interview with the Country Music Hall of Fame. “You might have a pop session in the morning, bluegrass in the afternoon, and rock’n’roll in the evening.”
In 2007, Edenton, who played mandolin, ukulele and banjo as well as guitar, was inducted into the Musician’s Hall of Fame along with the rest of the A-Team.
Ray Quarles Edenton was born on November 3, 1926 in Mineral, Virginia, a gold mining town about 50 miles northwest of Richmond. He was the youngest of four children of Tom Edenton, a sawmill operator, and Laura Edenton, his homemaker.
Young Ray taught himself to play the ukulele and guitar at a young age and later provided square dance music with his two older brothers who played fiddle and guitar.
In 1946, after serving in the Army, he joined a band called the Rodeo Rangers and played dance and radio in Maryland and Virginia. He became the bassist for The Corncrackers, an ensemble led by guitarist Joe Mafis, who appeared on the dance. He began working for his WNOX in Knoxville in 1949 and was treated for tuberculosis at a Veterans Affairs hospital, where he spent 28 months.
Mr. Edenton moved to Nashville in 1952, where he became guitarist for the Grand Ole Opry and worked in touring bands for such notables as Hank Williams and Ray Price. A notable early recording of his sessions was the 1954 Honky Tonk Sweeper “One by One” with Red Foley and Kitty Wells scoring his number one hit in country.
Most country acts of the time did not feature a drummer in their lineup. Inspired by snare drum rhythms, Mr. Edenton’s agile, unobtrusive guitar playing was especially popular with record companies when he was named when a vacancy arose on the A-Team when guitarist Hank Garland suffered. created a steady demand for his services among He was disabled in a car accident in 1961.
Besides his daughter and son, Mr. Edenton leaves behind his wife of nearly 50 years, Polly Roper Edenton. His marriage to country singer Rita Winters, who performed under the name Rita Robbins, ended in divorce.
“I get asked a lot about session musicians. Why were there only a few people making all the records back then?” Edenton said in 2007, reflecting on his heyday with the Nashville A-Team. I’m here.
“It was a few things. You had to learn really fast. You had to adapt quickly. If you can’t do that, you can’t do a session.”