Robert Cray hails from Columbus, Georgia, where he began playing the guitar when he was still a teenager. He was inspired by watching the blues players who performed at the jazz clubs in his hometown. His family relocated to Tacoma, Washington, and later to Eugene, Oregon, where he put together his first band when he was 20. They played all the gigs they could on the West Coast.
In the 1970s, he formed a new outfit, the Robert Cray Band, and began recording, releasing his first album, “Who’s Been Talkin’” in 1980. “Bad Influence” followed in 1983, and “False Accusations” in 1985, both released on the HighTone label.
When Cray moved to Mercury Records and released “Strong Persuader” in 1986, the band achieved a breakthrough into mainstream success. The Recording Industry Association of America gave the album its Platinum ranking. His most recent LP is “That’s What I Heard,” released in 2020.
The band has been nominated for 16 Grammys and won five. A concert review says:
“Fantastic set, a blues player on top of his game with an outstanding backing band.”
The Robert Cray Band will be at Cincinnati’s Memorial Hall on Wednesday, April 24. Organizers who schedule events like this will often use poster printing to create advertising for them.