Susan Raye

Susan Raye (born October 8, 1944) is an American country music singer. She enjoyed great popularity during the early and mid-1970s, and chalked up seven top-10 and 19 top-40 country hits, most notably the song "L.A. International Airport", an international crossover pop hit in 1971.

Raye was a protegee of country music singer Buck Owens. Owens and Raye recorded a number of hit albums and singles together, and were one of the most successful country duet acts of the era, in addition to their solo careers.

Early life Years before success She was born in Eugene, Oregon, United States. At one of Raye's performances at an area nightclub, she met Jack McFadden, Buck Owens' manager. McFadden was so impressed with her vocal talents that he persuaded Owens to fly her to his home in Bakersfield, California, for an audition. At about the same time, she began a nine-year stint as a featured performer on the program Hee Haw.

Raye became the first woman to become a major country artist without recording in Nashville, a feat previously accomplished only by male stars such as Owens and Merle Haggard. Raye was nominated for five Academy of Country Music Awards, three times as "Top Female Vocalist". Raye married Owens' drummer Jerry Wiggins in 1972. They were married for over 40 years until his death in 2018.

Raye had an additional two top-20 country hits in 1972 from separate albums, "Wheel of Fortune" and "Love Sure Feels Good in My Heart". In 1973, Raye's next album, Cheating Game, spawned two singles, one of which (the title track) reached number 18 on the Billboard Country Chart that year. The second single, "When You Get Back from Nashville", was not as successful and peaked outside country's top 40. That same year, Raye and Owens reunited for an album, The Good Old Days (Are Again), and together they had a top-40 hit from the album. In 1974, Raye's album Singing Susan Raye also released a top-20 hit, a remake of "Stop the World (And Let Me Off)".

Raye's 1975 release "Whatcha Gonna Do With a Dog Like That", became her seventh top-10 on the Billboard Country Chart and a duet single with Buck Owens, "Love is Strange", placed in the top 20 that year. In 1976, however, Owens severed his ties with Capitol Records and closed down his Bakersfield unit for the label. Susan Raye released her final album on Capitol in 1976, Honey Toast and Sunshine, her first recording session in Nashville.

1977–1984: Later career Raye signed with United Artists Records at the end of 1976 and released one album on the label produced by George Richey, which spawned four charting singles, the most successful of which peaked at number 51. It was Raye's last studio album issued from a major record label. In the late 1970s, Raye dropped out of the music business, citing family and religion as her reasons.

Raye returned to LAX on August 6, 2003, during its 75th anniversary year. She performed the song "L.A. International Airport", with a Bakersfield band and backup vocalists, to an enthusiastic outdoor crowd from the airport community.

Awards and nominations Year Awards Award Outcome 1969 Academy of Country Music Awards Most Promising Female Vocalist 1970 Academy of Country Music Most Promising Female Vocalist 1971 Music City News Awards Most Promising Female Vocalist Academy of Country Music Top Female Vocalist 1972 Academy of Country Music Top Female Vocalist 1973 Academy of Country Music Top Female Vocalist

Discography