Ray, James
James Ray (clear)
James Ray kickstarted his career as a teenager in 1959 after he left Washington DC for New York, but debut single Make Her Mine flopped. Two years later, songwriter Rudy Clark discovered Ray and got him signed to the Caprice label, the resultant If You Gotta Make A Fool Of Somebody a top-30 hit that the Beatles covered in early live sets. Rays self-titled debut album had that hit and the equally appealing follow-up, Itty Bitty Pieces, as well as Ive Got My Mind Set On You, later successfully covered by George Harrison. An overdose would tragically cut short Rays career, this sole LP a testament to his enduring talent.