Ray Minhinnett is one of Britain's most passionate and soulful Blues-Rock Guitarist/Singer/Songwriters. Initially spotted in his native North - East by Ex Animal, Alan Price. In his early days he played with his own band, Highway, before he and Jim Hall (Keyboard Player with Highway) joined forces with Frankie Miller to form Frankie Miller's Full House. He is acknowledged by his peers as one of the few real contenders for the title of 'King of British Blues Guitar'.
BACK TO THE BEGINNING
Ray first came under the Music Industry spotlight, in the mid seventies as FRANKIE MILLER's Guitarist - replacing the departing Henry MCculloch who had left to form Wings with Paul McCartney. Frankie remains the Greatest Soul, Blues &' Country Singer/Songwriter, ever to come out of Britain. with over one hundred and fifty Song Covers to his credit.
Rays musical roots have always been firmly entrenched in the Blues, and after forming Full House with Miller, had what he still describes as the most enjoyable years of his career with Frankie, playing on classic Miller hits like, Brickyard Blues, Love Letters, The Devil Gun, Be Good to Yourself, Sail Away, Aint Got no Money, Jealous Guy, and A Fool in Love etc. etc. To this day his relationship with Frankie and Annette is something he cherishes. "I'd have been happy workin' with Frankie till we dropped, erh, Actually, thinkin' bout it, we often did!!!
After the success of Full House, he was invited to join Legendary Drummer Robert Henrits' Argent off-shoot, PHOENIX, co-writing eight of the ten songs
on the Polygram USA 'In Full View Album'.
While recording with Phoenix at Cherokee Studios in Los Angeles, Phil Lynott offered Ray the job of replacing the departing Gary Moore in the ranks of Thin Lizzy. "Yeah, I met up with Gary and Sharon Arden/Osbourne at the Rainbow - I think he was doing a solo deal with Jet Records, maybe the G - Force thing - anyway, he told me why he'd left the Band etc. and other things I won't go into, but I decided not to take the Gig".
'Minhinnett too busy for Lizzy', proclaimed the headline in Melody Maker shortly afterwards. Meanwhile, Ray carried on with the job in hand, the recording of, In full view, Phoenix's album for Polygram U.S.A.
On returning from the States, Ray returned to his roots and his beloved Blues with a new band featuring a five piece Brass section - The Q-Tips Horns - together with Andy Pyle on Bass, Graham Walker on Drums, and Don Airey, and Chris Parren on Keys.
Once again his old pal Gary Moore entered his life, this time however, when he left, he took Rays band with him, and they became The Midnight Blues Band.
Coincidently, at this time he was offered the opportunity to act as Musical Director/Co-Presenter alongside Matthew Lorrenzo on Sky TVs new flagship show Saturday Night, a two hour live-weekly show that created a formula that has since been much copied in British TV. Every week, Ray was given the opportunity of inviting a special guest onto the show to perform with him and his band. This also allowed his to share centre stage with great artists like Bobby Womack, Sonny Curtis and Courtney Pine, Status Quo, Grace Jones and John Parr, playing to a TV audience counted in millions all over Europe & the UK!
Producer MIKE VERNON asked Ray to submit a track for a new British blues compilation album he was planning. It was to be called, UN/American Blues Activities and featured the cream of the British blues scene. The song Ray contributed was an emotive, self-penned slow blues called 'Never had the blues like this before'. The song proved a great choice, as later that year he was recipient from the BBC's Paul Jones Rn'B Show of:
BEST BRITISH BLUES ALBUM & SONGWRITER AWARD
and nominated by Blueprint Magazine for
BEST BRITISH BLUES GUITARIST
with
Eric Clapton, Rory Gallagher, and Gary Moore
Ray won a whole new audience for himself when he acted as Support on a 72 date sell-out British tour, for an Artist who shall remain nameless - "Well it was a sold out Tour, I needed the work, and it meant playing to audiences of between 2 & 3,000 people each night. I thought I might sell some Albums! The Tour included a Sunday night at the The London Palladium, and the response to Rays set - which he performed with only a Keyboard player - was nothing short of incredible, soliciting shouts for encores - as on most nights of the Tour.
During this Tour, Ray was already planning, writing, and recording new material as well as working on his CREAMD Album project. This album is not only to tip his hat to his mentors, Eric Clapton and Peter Green, but also to mark what he says, was one of the saddest days of his life when he was a budding Guitarist, The last Concert by Cream at Londons Royal Albert Hall.
"I wanted to do something, similiar to Garys (Moore) Blues for Greeny, just to show my gratitude not only to Eric, but to Peter Greene as well really. They were my 'First point of reference', if you like, my start point, before I'd ever heard of Robert Johnson, Otis Rush, Buddy Guy or Freddie, Albert & BB King".
His CREAMD TOUR last year with Bass Player Ian Ellis and Drummer Kenny Ward was a huge success and won Ray some great press. He also did the opening set on the tour to promote his second solo Album, A Night to Remember.
FRANKIE MILLER'S FULL HOUSE REUNION
Shortly before the Bands' Headlining appearance at the Radio Caroline Rock Festival in August, Dave rang Ray from the U.S. where he was Touring with Robin Trower to say that the Tour had been extended, therefore he wouldn't be back in time to rehearse and play the Festival.
Step up 'Young' J. M. a Guitarist/Producer/Engineer/Bass Player who works on a lot of sessions with Mal. Now everyone knows what a 'Great' Bass Player Chrissy Stewart is, and so it was no easy task for a twenty - three year old to step into the Full House Bass Spot and make it work convincingly. However all fears were soon dispelled when the Band stepped out onto the stage and slammed into the opening bars of John Lennon's Jealous Guy.
The Band were fantastic, Frankie loved it, the audiance loved it, and the Press loved it, so all in all, great new beginings. Discussions are currently under way with various Record Companies, and Agencies to put together a Touring Agenda for next year. Watch this space.
