When it comes to MUSIC, no one is a solo act. No one learned music all by themselves.
THANK YOU all the people who have inspired me in MUSIC. The list will grow. If I forget someone, remind me and I will add them. These are the people who encouraged me in music. I grew up around music. My sister Brenda plays piano. My brother Lannie plays drums. My Mom does a great lip sync of "Respect" by Aretha Franklin. RIP Aretha. My Dad, Uncle Sonny and the Greenwoods (RJ, Chet & Jerry) had a major impact on me growing up. My second cousin Joey Cooper played guitar for the "Shindogs' host band for "Shindig". Ed Sullivan took me to music school every Sunday night. Thank you Pastor Elbert Pool for teaching me how to sing harmony at Gospel Mission Church. Thank you to my wife Jan and children Bethany, Rachel and Adam for the many nights I was on the road. Forgive me. There's ONE name I love to drop... (the creator of music) the Name above all names! JESUS. Thank YOU.
Thank you to my family who hears me all the time...Jan, Bethany, Cory, Rachel, Slava, Adam, Preston, Luke, Jayeden, Davis, Max, Journey and Bronx. I appreciate the churches and Pastors (and their families) over the years (Gospel Mission, CenterPoint, Lakeside AOG, The Gathering - Elbert & Carole Pool, Bob & Kathy Mixon, Joe & Carolyn Roller, Billy & Donna Burton, Greg & Sherry Whitlow. Thank you to OKC First Nazarene Pastors Jon and Kelly Middendorf and Mike McLaughlin for making us feel like family at the Cole Community Center. Thanks to all of the churches who invited me come to their city over the years. Mexico and South Africa were amazing in the way they worshiped without reservation. Thank you for allowing me to bring some of that back to the US. Thank you to the Executive Producers who believed in me and helped make these song ideas become realities. A whole new batch of songs are brewing!
-Ray Hollis
MUSICIANS & SINGERS WHO PERFORMED ON MY RECORDINGS AND WITH ME ON LIVE EVENTS...
ACOUSTIC:
STUDIO: Terry Scarberry (Rodeo Opry), Ray Hollis (The Gathering), Joel Key (Nashville)
LIVE: Preston Fansher
BASS:
STUDIO: Dave McKerley (we miss you), Duncan Mullins (Nashville), John McCall, Johnny Nelson, Todde Lawton (Toby Mac)
LIVE: Butch Ramsey, Chad Roper (Kool94), Earl Lemons, Matt Payne, Mike Myers, John McCall, John Stendel
LEAD:
STUDIO: Brent Mason (Nashville), Dennis Brewer, John Carroll (Austin), Kendall Combes, Pete Aristorenus, Rocky Armstrong, Steven Adams, Steven Jeffrey, Terry Scarberry, Trent Austin
LIVE: Daniel Gonzales, Dennis Brewer, Dustin Tompkins, Kendall Combes, Pete Aristorenus, Shane Conaway, Steve Brann
KEYS:
STUDIO: Harold Ross, Trent Austin, Don Johnson, Rick Toops, Buddy Hyatt (Toto, Nashville)
LIVE: Chris Wilson, Harold Ross, Glenn Quirk, LG Hamilton (The Music Group), Nathan Nockles (Watermark), Rick Toops
DRUMS:
STUDIO: Chandler Austin, Donny Benedict, Trent Austin, Mike Walker, Lonnie Wilson (Nashville)
LIVE: Brandon Lopez, Brent Berry, Donny Benedict, Eddie Howard, Garrett Minor, James Zenger, Jaxon Humphrey, Mark Smith, Mike McCraw, Mike Walker, Rich Martin, Robby Schaffer (Mercy Me), Steve Short, Tony Mustin, Trent Austin
CONGA/PERCUSSION:
STUDIO: Pete Aristorenus
LIVE: Pete Aristorenus, Micah Calloway
DOBRO:
STUDIO: Milo Deering (The Eagles, Dallas TX)
FIDDLE:
STUDIO: Dave Short, Milo Deering (The Eagles, Dallas TX)
HARMONICA:
STUDIO: Dave Short
STEEL GUITAR:
STUDIO: Milo Deering (The Eagles), Tommy Detamore (Austin), Mike Johnson, Russ Pahl, Scotty Sanders (Nashville) LIVE: Barry Thomas
SAX:
STUDIO: Tim Coleman (soprano/alto), Charles Martin (alto)
LIVE: Charles Martin, Joseph Shirk (Big Daddy Weave), Tim Coleman
FLUTE:
STUDIO & LIVE: Dino Baldini
BGV'S:
STUDIO: Bethany Hollis Benton, Brad Bange, Charity Allen, Karen Carter, Kevin Idleman, Kim McCoy, Kim Price, Latricia Tolerson, Maurice Carter, Melody Johnson, Myra Beasley, Nick Smith, Rick Toops, Scott Harrison, Sharron Smith, Stephen Hinkle, Stephanie Hines, Steven Jeffrey, Steve Wright, Trent Austin
LIVE BGV's: Way too many to mention! Thank You!
PRODUCERS/ENGINEERS:
Chris Freels, LG Hamilton, Trent Austin (The Music Group), Dave McKerley, Chuck Day (Nashville) Paul Secord (Nashville)
LIVE SOUND: Britt Billins, Greg Hawks, Rick Colbert
COVER & GRAPHIC DESIGN:
Kent Winfield, Andy Dugan, Shawn Smith
PHOTOGRAPHY:
Amy Coleman, Kent Winfield, Some dude in Pittsburgh, PA
RAY HOLLIS INSTRUMENTS:
Fender Tele-Plus, Fender Resonator, Fender Strat, Gibson Les Paul, PRS Tremonti, Samick Charlie Christian Solo-Flight (collector), Taylor K24ce,Taylor 414ce, Taylor 320e, Takamine FP592me // Arturia Key Lab Controller/Sunday Keys, Nord Stage 3, Yamaha Keys
RAY PLAYS:
Guitar, Bass, Keyboards and dabbles around with banjo, dobro, drums, harmonica, mandolin, percussion & ukelele
SOME OF THE ARTISTS RAY HOLLIS HAS HAD THE CHANCE TO SHARE THE SAME STAGE AT AN EVENT: Bob Bennett, Darrell Evans, DC Talk (Toby Mac), Jamie Page, Israel Houghton, Kim Boyce, Lincoln Brewster, Newsboys, Out of Eden, Skillet, South Bound, The Sound
AND WHO CAN FORGET ABOUT THOSE WHO PLAYED MUSIC IN OUR BANDS GROWING UP:
DRUMS: David O'Dell, James Norman, Jerry Greenwood
BASS: Arthur "Butch" Holland, Coleman Sisson (ceo bubbleup.net)
ORGAN: Michael Evans
SINGER: Jeff Newkirk
ICU BAND: (late 80's)
DRUMS: Donny Benedict
BASS/KEYS/VOCALS: Nancy Lanham
LEAD GUITAR: Terry Varnon
VOCALS: Chere Willis Turner
T-SHIRTS & PROMOTIONAL ITEMS:
ROBYN PROMOTION in Oklahoma City, OK has thousands of quality promotional items, including their own T-SHIRT facility, STITCH 46. Contact Cory or Bethany Benton.
(877) 211-9711
T-SHIRT DESIGNS by W&Co. Reach out from our contact page for more info.