Collin Raye

Floyd Elliot Wray, born on August 22, 1960, in De Queen, Arkansas, professionally known as Collin Raye, began his musical journey in the 1980s. Initially, he performed as part of the country-rock band The Wray Brothers Band, later shortened to The Wrays, alongside his brother Scott. The band released several singles on independent labels and signed with Mercury Records, though their singles did not achieve significant chart success, leading to the band’s disbandment. After this, Wray adopted the stage name Collin Raye and secured a record deal with Epic Records in 1990.

Collin Raye’s solo career launched in 1991 with his debut album, “All I Can Be.” This album featured his first Number One hit, “Love, Me,” which held the top spot on the country music charts for three weeks in early 1992. “All I Can Be” was the first of four consecutive albums to be certified platinum by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA). His second album, “In This Life” (1992), also saw its title track reach number 1 and cross over to the Adult Contemporary charts. Raye continued to produce multiple Top Ten hits throughout the 1990s and into 2000, including “My Kind of Girl” (1995) and “I Can Still Feel You” (1998), both of which hit number 1 on the Billboard country music charts. Over his career, Raye charted 30 singles on the U.S. country charts and released 11 studio albums, including a Christmas album and a compilation of lullabies. His work often addressed social concerns, such as alcoholism in “Little Rock” and child abuse in “The Eleventh Commandment.”

After parting ways with Epic Records in 2001, Raye continued to record on independent labels. He released “Twenty Years and Change” in 2005 on Aspirion and “Fearless” in 2006 on Country Roads Records. In 2005, he also appeared in Fruit of the Loom underwear commercials, singing their jingle. His later albums include “Never Going Back” (2009) and “Scars” (2020), which featured collaborations with artists like Miranda Lambert. Raye also became the national spokesperson for the Terri Schiavo Life & Hope Network in 2011, reflecting his commitment to social activism.