Don Raye

Don Raye
Background information
Birth nameDonald MacRae Wilhoite Jr.
Born(1909-03-16)March 16, 1909
OriginWashington, D.C., U.S.
DiedJanuary 29, 1985(1985-01-29) (aged 75)
Occupation(s)Songwriter

Don Raye (born Donald MacRae Wilhoite Jr., March 16, 1909 – January 29, 1985)[1] was an American songwriter, best known for his songs for The Andrews Sisters such as "Beat Me Daddy, Eight to the Bar", "The House of Blue Lights", "Just for a Thrill" and "Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy." The latter was co-written with Hughie Prince.

While known for such wordy novelty numbers, he also wrote the lyrics to "You Don't Know What Love Is," a simple, poetic lament of unusual power. He also composed the song "(That Place) Down the Road a Piece," one of his boogie woogie songs,[1] which has a medium bright boogie tempo. It was written for the Will Bradley Orchestra, who recorded it in 1940, but the song was destined to become a rock and roll standard, recorded by The Rolling Stones, Chuck Berry, Jerry Lee Lewis, Foghat, Amos Milburn, Harry Gibson, and countless others.[1] In 1940, he wrote the lyrics for the patriotic song "This Is My Country".[1]

In 1985, Don Raye was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.[2]

  1. ^ a b c d Colin Larkin, ed. (1992). The Guinness Encyclopedia of Popular Music (First ed.). Guinness Publishing. p. 2050. ISBN 0-85112-939-0.
  2. ^ "Don Raye Exhibit Home". Songwriters Hall of Fame. 1909-03-16. Archived from the original on 2016-04-14. Retrieved 2016-05-13.

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