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Johnnie Ray Net Worth

Author

Ava Lawson

Updated on August 19, 2026



Lisa Ray Net Worth

John Alvin Ray net worth is
$950,000

John Alvin Ray Wiki: Salary, Married, Wedding, Spouse, Family

One of the greatest of the transition singers between the crooners and the rockers, Johnnie Ray was the only son of Elmer and Hazel Ray. He was born and raised in Oregon where he loved hiking in nature. He was close with his older sister, sometimes hiking with her. Mother nature eventually would inspire the song lyrics he wrote. After he became ... 

Full NameJohn Alvin Ray
Net Worth$950,000
Date Of BirthJanuary 10, 1927
Died1990-02-24
Place Of BirthDallas, Oregon, USA
OccupationSinger, songwriter
ProfessionSoundtrack, Actor, Music Department
NicknamesJohnnie Ray, Ray, Johnnie
Star SignCapricorn
#Quote
1[asked about his appeal to his mostly female audience] I've got no talent. Still sing flat as a table. I'm a sort of human spaniel. People come to see what I'm like. I make them feel, I exhaust them, I destroy them.
2I am constantly asked why I never made other films after There's No Business Like Show Business (1954). The answer is I was never asked.
#Fact
1Discovered and signed by Danny Kessler of Okeh Records (a subsidiary of Columbia Records, which recorded mostly black artists) when he went to the Flame Bar in Detroit to scout the black singer-pianist Little Miss Cornshucks. When Kessler found that Cornshucks already had a record contract, he auditioned and signed Ray, who was performing during the intermissions. When Kessler brought Ray's demo record back to New York and played it for Okeh's executives, they immediately thought he'd found them a black girl who sang like Dinah Washington. "Actually, he's a guy," Kessler explained. "And he's white".
2In 1968, when he needed to update his SAG benefits, he called producer A.C. Lyles and asked for any kind of role in the film that Lyles was about to shoot, Rogue's Gallery (1968). He was cast as a squad-car cop.
3In the last years of his life he was honored by contemporary rock stars with mentions in the lyrics of three major hits--the #1 "Come On Eileen" by Dexys Midnight Runners, Billy Idol's "You Don't Need a Gun" (which also featured Johnnie's last on-screen appearance in the music video) and Billy Joel's "We Didn't Start The Fire," which hit #1 while Johnnie was in the hospital.
4Played his last engagement at the Salem, OR theatre in his hometown, where he is now buried.
5Awarded his latest Gold Record posthumously in 2000 for the Columbia Records CD compilation "16 Most Requested".
6He was awarded a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame for Recording at 6201 Hollywood Boulevard.
7His soulful performance of "Cry" was a forerunner to James Brown's "Please Don't Go".
8The first pop singer to have a two-million-selling two-sided hit with "Cry" / "The Little White Cloud That Cried" (1951).
9Biography in: "The Scribner Encyclopedia of American Lives". Volume Two, 1986-1990, pages 723-725. New York: Charles Scribner's Sons, 1999.
10Was a close friend of actor Christopher George.
11Morrissey, the lead singer of The Smiths, often performed with a hearing aid (though not hearing impaired himself) in honor of Ray.
12Originally partly deaf in his left ear, a botched operation later left him hearing-impaired in both ears.
13Best man at Judy Garland's wedding to Mickey Deans and opening act for Garland on the Scandinavian tour Deans set up for her in early 1969, which were her last live performances before her death in June 1969.
14Would become enraged if anyone mispelled his first name.

Soundtrack

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Shutter Island2010performer: "CRY" 1951
American MastersTV Series documentary performer - 1 episode, 2005 writer - 1 episode, 2005
Cold Case2004TV Series performer - 1 episode
The Singing Detective2003performer: "Just Walking In The Rain" - as Johnny Ray
Joe the King1999performer: "Just Walking in the Rain", "The Little White Cloud That Cried" / writer: "The Little White Cloud That Cried"
Tohuwabohu1993-1994TV Series performer - 2 episodes
A Perfect World1993writer: "The Little White Cloud that Cried"
Someone to Watch Over Me1987performer: "CRY"
Young Love: Lemon Popsicle 71987performer: "Just Walking in the Rain"
Desert Hearts1985performer: "CRY"
American Playhouse1984TV Series performer - 1 episode
Surf II1984performer: "Cry"
Heart Like a Wheel1983performer: "Just Walking in the Rain"
Grease 21982performer: "CRY" - uncredited
Happy DaysTV Series 1 episode, 1974 performer - 1 episode, 1974
The Last Picture Show1971performer: "Please, Mr. Sun" - uncredited
The Big Record1957TV Series performer - 1 episode
The Jimmy Durante Show1956TV Series performer - 1 episode
General Electric TheaterTV Series performer - 1 episode, 1955 writer - 1 episode, 1955
There's No Business Like Show Business1954performer: "If You Believe", "Alexander's Ragtime Band" - uncredited
The Jack Benny Program1953TV Series performer - 1 episode

Actor

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The ABC Comedy Hour1972TV Series
Rogue's Gallery1968Police Officer
A Santa for Christmas1957TV Movie
Shower of Stars1955TV Series
General Electric Theater1955TV SeriesJohnnie
There's No Business Like Show Business1954Steve Donahue
The Jack Benny Program1953TV SeriesJohnnie Ray

Music Department

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Laverne & Shirley1976-1977TV Series musician - 3 episodes

Miscellaneous

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Laverne & Shirley1977TV Series contributor - 1 episode

Thanks

TitleYearStatusCharacter
The Last Picture Show1971for their music we thank: courtesy of Columbia Records

Self

TitleYearStatusCharacter
Royal Variety Performance 19871987TV MovieHimself
CHiPs1979-1980TV SeriesHimself
Juke Box Saturday Night1979TV MovieHimself
The Merv Griffin Show1977TV SeriesHimself
Fall In, the Stars1977TV MovieHimself
All You Need Is Love1977TV Series documentaryHimself
American Bandstand's 25th Anniversary1977TV SpecialHimself
Sha Na Na1977TV SeriesHimself
Dinah!1975TV SeriesHimself
The Wheeltappers and Shunters Social Club1974TV SeriesHimself
The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson1972-1973TV SeriesHimself
The Mike Douglas Show1971-1972TV SeriesHimself - Vocalist
The Andy Williams Show1970TV SeriesHimself
The Last Performance1970TV MovieHimself
Della1970TV SeriesHimself
The David Frost Show1970TV SeriesHimself
The Joey Bishop Show1968-1969TV SeriesHimself
Frost on Sunday1968TV SeriesHimself
The Hollywood Palace1968TV SeriesHimself - Singer
The Woody Woodbury Show1967TV SeriesHimself
Val Parnell's Sunday Night at the London Palladium1955-1964TV SeriesHimself / Himself - Singer -Top Of The Bill
New American Bandstand 19651963TV SeriesHimself
The Jack Paar Tonight Show1962TV SeriesHimself
The Tonight Show1962TV SeriesHimself - Vocalist
Fasten Your Seatbelts!1961TV ShortHimself
Spectacular1957-1960TV SeriesHimself - Singer / Host / Himself / ...
The Ed Sullivan Show1953-1959TV SeriesHimself / Himself - Singer
The Patti Page Oldsmobile Show1959TV SeriesHimself
The Garry Moore Show1958TV SeriesHimself
The Dick Clark Show1958TV SeriesHimself - Interview
The Big Record1957TV SeriesHimself - Singer
What's My Line?1954-1957TV SeriesHimself - Mystery Guest
The Jackie Gleason Show1955-1957TV SeriesHimself - Guest Host / Himself - Guest Vocalist
Perry Como's Kraft Music Hall1956TV SeriesHimself - Guest
Shower of Stars1956TV SeriesHimself
Frankie Laine Time1956TV SeriesHimself
Person to Person1956TV Series documentaryHimself
The Jimmy Durante Show1956TV SeriesHimself
The Martha Raye Show1955TV SeriesHimself
The Colgate Comedy Hour1954-1955TV SeriesHimself / Himself - Singer

Archive Footage

Known for movies

Soundtrack

Shutter Island (2010)
as Soundtrack

Soundtrack

A Perfect World (1993)
as Soundtrack

Soundtrack

Joe the King (1999)
as Soundtrack

Soundtrack

Someone to Watch Over Me (1987)
as Soundtrack

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