Singer Dobie Gray 1940-2011 - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Zoneboy · 12-06-2011, 10:55 PM

According to his website, Dobie Gray passed away today at the age of 71.

Regulus · 12-06-2011, 10:58 PM

Zoneboy · 12-07-2011, 04:27 AM

Singer and songwriter Dobie Gray, who had a top 5 hit in 1973 with the song “Drift Away,” died on Dec. 6. The news came via his official website, although no cause of death was listed.

Born near Houston in 1940 to a family of sharecroppers, Gray, whose real name has been listed as Leonard Victor Ainsworth and Laurence Darrow Brown, discovered gospel music through his grandfather, a Baptist minister. He moved to Los Angeles in the early 1960s where he met Sonny Bono, who dubbed him Dobie Gray after the then popular sitcom The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.

Gray saw his first music industry success in 1965 with the single “The 'In' Crowd,” which reached No. 13 on the chart, but it was 1973’s country-soul “Drift Away,” whose chorus pined, “I wanna get lost in your rock and roll and drift away,” that would make him a radio staple for decades to come.

The song was covered by scores of musicians including Roy Orbison, Rod Stewart, Waylon Jennings, Ray Charles and Michael Bolton, but perhaps the most famous version was Detroit rapper Uncle Kracker’s cover in 2003, a collaboration with Gray. It reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 but topped the Adult Contemporary chart for a record-setting 28 weeks.

Asked about the song’s inclusion on his album, No Stranger to Shame, Kracker said in 2003, “This is a song that’s almost impossible to do better than the original, so I just grabbed the guy that did it originally and had him co-sing it. I learned [from him] that you can be an older musician and not be bitter. I meet a lot of older musicians that are bitter about everything. He’s definitely a nice gentleman and he’s very down to earth."

Soon after news broke of his death, Kracker tweeted, “My heart goes out to Dobie's family this evening. RIP Dobie Gray. Thank you for the music. You will not be forgotten.”

Gray’s last website update appears to have been around March 2010. In the post, Gray wishes “farewell and blessings” to some 20 deceased stars including Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Ed McMahon, Heath Ledger, Ted Kennedy, Patrick Swayze, Walter Cronkite and Marlon Brando.

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/new...y-death-270338

Penny Lane · 12-07-2011, 05:11 AM

Drift Away. I love that song! RIP Dobie

MrCleveland · 12-07-2011, 04:13 PM

WOW!...I didn't know he was 71.

AB · 12-07-2011, 05:52 PM

Rest in peace.

rezny717 · 12-07-2011, 05:58 PM

Although"Drift Away"is good,and The Ramsey Lewis Trio did a good instrumental version of Dobie Gray's "The In Crowd",Dobie Gray's vocal original version of "The In Crowd"is the best.

TheCars1986 · 12-08-2011, 02:50 PM

This sucks. I really liked that song "Drift Away".

12-06-2011, 10:55 PM	#1
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,349	Singer Dobie Gray 1940-2011 According to his website, Dobie Gray passed away today at the age of 71.
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12-06-2011, 10:58 PM	#2
Regulus Member Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Feb 07, 2011 Location: Port Orange, Florida Avatar - Poiuyt Posts: 3,374
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12-07-2011, 05:11 AM	#4
Penny Lane Butter Pie Forum Icon Join Date: Jul 03, 2001 Location: Beneath the blue suburban skies Posts: 51,035	Drift Away. I love that song! RIP Dobie
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12-07-2011, 04:13 PM	#5
MrCleveland Drew Carey from Hell Forum Star Join Date: Nov 10, 2007 Location: The City of Cleveland, in The State of Cleveland, in The United States of Cleveland Posts: 14,222	WOW!...I didn't know he was 71.
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12-07-2011, 04:27 AM	#3
Zoneboy RIP, I'LL NEVER FORGET YOU :( Moderator Forum Superstar Join Date: Jul 13, 2003 Location: AT HOME WISHING ALL THIS WAS JUST A DREAM AND THAT I'LL WAKE UP FROM THIS NIGHTMARE. Posts: 34,349	Singer and songwriter Dobie Gray, who had a top 5 hit in 1973 with the song “Drift Away,” died on Dec. 6. The news came via his official website, although no cause of death was listed. Born near Houston in 1940 to a family of sharecroppers, Gray, whose real name has been listed as Leonard Victor Ainsworth and Laurence Darrow Brown, discovered gospel music through his grandfather, a Baptist minister. He moved to Los Angeles in the early 1960s where he met Sonny Bono, who dubbed him Dobie Gray after the then popular sitcom The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis. Gray saw his first music industry success in 1965 with the single “The 'In' Crowd,” which reached No. 13 on the chart, but it was 1973’s country-soul “Drift Away,” whose chorus pined, “I wanna get lost in your rock and roll and drift away,” that would make him a radio staple for decades to come. The song was covered by scores of musicians including Roy Orbison, Rod Stewart, Waylon Jennings, Ray Charles and Michael Bolton, but perhaps the most famous version was Detroit rapper Uncle Kracker’s cover in 2003, a collaboration with Gray. It reached No. 9 on the Billboard Hot 100 but topped the Adult Contemporary chart for a record-setting 28 weeks. Asked about the song’s inclusion on his album, No Stranger to Shame, Kracker said in 2003, “This is a song that’s almost impossible to do better than the original, so I just grabbed the guy that did it originally and had him co-sing it. I learned [from him] that you can be an older musician and not be bitter. I meet a lot of older musicians that are bitter about everything. He’s definitely a nice gentleman and he’s very down to earth." Soon after news broke of his death, Kracker tweeted, “My heart goes out to Dobie's family this evening. RIP Dobie Gray. Thank you for the music. You will not be forgotten.” Gray’s last website update appears to have been around March 2010. In the post, Gray wishes “farewell and blessings” to some 20 deceased stars including Michael Jackson, Farrah Fawcett, Ed McMahon, Heath Ledger, Ted Kennedy, Patrick Swayze, Walter Cronkite and Marlon Brando. http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/new...y-death-270338

12-07-2011, 05:52 PM	#6
AB Member Eternal Member Forum Icon Join Date: Dec 26, 2006 Location: The South Posts: 59,429	Rest in peace.

12-07-2011, 05:58 PM	#7
rezny717 Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jun 06, 2011 Location: Lincoln,Nebraska Posts: 659	Although"Drift Away"is good,and The Ramsey Lewis Trio did a good instrumental version of Dobie Gray's "The In Crowd",Dobie Gray's vocal original version of "The In Crowd"is the best.

12-08-2011, 02:50 PM	#8
TheCars1986 #VLSKMS Forum Fanatic Join Date: Nov 22, 2008 Location: Maryland Posts: 8,606	This sucks. I really liked that song "Drift Away".