Andrew Eborn - ELTON JOHN SPECIAL with RAY WILLIAMS
- 4 years ago
June 17th 2020
Andrew Eborn is joined by long time friend, Ray Williams, the legendary A&R music producer and publisher ,to celebrate the 53rd Anniversary of the discovery of Elton John.
On June 17, 1967, when Ray was just 20, he put an advert into the New Musical Express, "Liberty wants talent. Artists/composers/singers/musicians to form a new group."
One of the thousands of applications was Reg Dwight.
Ray Williams has been a driving force in the music industry for more than five decades. From discovering and launching the career of Elton John, to supervising and producing music for some of the most epic films of the twentieth century, to innovating as a record label executive, Ray is an integral part of the fabric of modern music.
He is best known as the man who discovered Elton John, and introduced him to lyricist Bernie Taupin.
Ray Williams is also a major figure in the music and film industry, and has worked as as a press agent, A&R head, artist manager, film music producer, and publisher.
In film, he was the music supervisor of films such as The Last Emperor, Absolute Beginners and Naked Lunch.
In the 1960s, Williams started his career by working with Cathy McGowan, who presented Ready Steady Go!
He also worked as a press agent for several artists such as Sonny & Cher, Cream, Robert Stigwood, and for Brian Epstein's Saville Theatre. He eventually became head of the A&R department for Liberty Records, where he signed then-new artists such as Jeff Lynne (ELO), The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and Mike Batt, among others.
He also helped launch the career of Gerry Rafferty and his band Stealers Wheel.
Andrew Eborn is joined by long time friend, Ray Williams, the legendary A&R music producer and publisher ,to celebrate the 53rd Anniversary of the discovery of Elton John.
On June 17, 1967, when Ray was just 20, he put an advert into the New Musical Express, "Liberty wants talent. Artists/composers/singers/musicians to form a new group."
One of the thousands of applications was Reg Dwight.
Ray Williams has been a driving force in the music industry for more than five decades. From discovering and launching the career of Elton John, to supervising and producing music for some of the most epic films of the twentieth century, to innovating as a record label executive, Ray is an integral part of the fabric of modern music.
He is best known as the man who discovered Elton John, and introduced him to lyricist Bernie Taupin.
Ray Williams is also a major figure in the music and film industry, and has worked as as a press agent, A&R head, artist manager, film music producer, and publisher.
In film, he was the music supervisor of films such as The Last Emperor, Absolute Beginners and Naked Lunch.
In the 1960s, Williams started his career by working with Cathy McGowan, who presented Ready Steady Go!
He also worked as a press agent for several artists such as Sonny & Cher, Cream, Robert Stigwood, and for Brian Epstein's Saville Theatre. He eventually became head of the A&R department for Liberty Records, where he signed then-new artists such as Jeff Lynne (ELO), The Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band and Mike Batt, among others.
He also helped launch the career of Gerry Rafferty and his band Stealers Wheel.