Posted on 01/01/2019 3:42:04 PM PST by Eddie01
One of the founding members of the band Dr. Hook & the Medicine Show died this week after a brief illness.
According to Page Six, Ray Sawyer died Monday at age 81. He mostly sang in the background and played various percussion instruments in several of the band's songs, but he was on lead vocals for the 1972 hit "The Cover of Rolling Stone."
The song, written by cartoonist and writer Shel Silverstein, sang a tale about the band wanting to appear on the cover of the popular music magazine. Four months after the song was released, the band accomplished that feat.
Sawyer, George Cummings, Billy Francis, and Dennis Locorriere formed the band in 1968. The band released nine studio albums with Sawyer until he left in 1981 to pursue a solo career, according to Rolling Stone.
Sawyer toured from 1988-2015, at which point he stopped because of health issues. He was known for wearing an eye patch after losing his right eye in a car accident in 1967. The Alabama native also wore a cowboy hat.
*snip*
(Excerpt) Read more at newsmax.com ...
"Cover of the Rolling Stone."
"Freakin' at the Freakers Ball" ...or was if Freepin' and the Freeper's Ball... I can never remember.
Sylvia’s Mother is one of my favorite songs
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4up6_OphOMY
Dr Hook & The Medicine Show - “Cover Of The Rolling Stone”
Wow, he made it past 80...
RIP old Ray. You made me smile many times.
I agree, Sylvia’s Mother and also Dooley Jones. This group and the Amazing Rhythm Aces never got the recognition they deserved.
Put out an album cover like that today and people are going to assume things ...
Classic.
I remember the HUGE controversy about “I was stoned and I missed it” including the line, “it took 16 weeks of urging just to get the local virgin.........”
Funny how all that stuff seems so completely innocent compared to any of today’s rap lyrics.
One of the best antedotes to the Disco virus.
I vaguely remember them:
Dr. Hook “Sharing The Night Together”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j_v4Eo4aRVI&list=PL4yb6ubWokIgPF7oeKoj3shhiJ0BxAqtC&index=1
&
Dr Hook “The Cover of The Rolling Stones”
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=npxRpGguGGI&list=PL4yb6ubWokIgPF7oeKoj3shhiJ0BxAqtC&index=2
So of course I had to go to youtube, and play the song. Hadn’t thought about it in years. Enjoyed it again.
R.I.P. Ray Sawyer.
Some of their songs (my favorite was "Last Mornin'") were ahead of their audience.
RIP
.
Fun, classic 70s....
I remember them on the “Midnight Special” with Wolfman Jack. Sure miss those days.
I mostly liked his stuff after he decided to go solo, and in a more country direction. Really loved A Couple More Years and Cooky and Lila.
‘Sylvia’s Mother’
Makes me cry EVERY time I hear it!
“Cover of the Rolling Stone.”
Yup. Love that one.
Just damn. Pleasure and Pain was my wife and myselfs “album” when we were dating 38 years ago. Thanks for the memories Ray.
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