Jay Ramsey
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Texas native, singer, songwriter and guitarist Jay Ramsey has seen it and done it all. From gigging at the notorious Jack Ruby’s chain of Dallas nightclubs to hanging with Elvis at Graceland. As a teenager, in 1958, Jay’s band The Kids From Texas inked with Hanover Records and found national release. In 1962, Jay’s band Jay Ramsey & the Contempos released “Thrill” b/w “Come Back Karen” on Libra Records. He soon joined Bob Kelly’s Dallas, TX group Expression. The band went on to record for Smash Records and United Artists. A prolific songwriter, Jay created an immense body of work over several decades, finding success in numerous genres including Sunshine Pop, Traditional Pop and Rhythm & Blues. Not only did Ramsey find success as a songwriter, but as an artist and touring musician. Landing in Las Vegas, the mecca of US entertainment, The Expression were a fixture on the scene for years in the 1960s and 70s. Jay literally struck gold in 1972 when his tune, “We Can Make The Morning,” landed on Elvis Presley’s certified Gold Record, Elvis Now, released on RCA and Sony Records. In 1975 Jay released a single for Casablanca Records. He went on to write songs for Kenny Price (RCA), Bill and Sherry (Tangerine), Johnny Tillotson (United Artists), Roy Clark (Dot), The Festivals (Smash), Billy Mize (United Artists), and Conway Twitty (MCA), and many more. Jay Ramsey has seen every side of the biz and his music continues to resonate with dozens of song placements across film and television.