Dobie Gray--Drift Away (1973)

     Was getting ready to write today's blog, when I got the word that Dobie Gray passed yesterday.....so we reflect on his career today...

     He was born Lawrence Brown in 1940 and has had what one would call the career of a music lifer. He had two major hits, "The 'In' Crowd" in 1965, and "Drift Away" in 1973, he recorded on many small labels as well. Gray helped provide vocals on soundtracks and spent two and half years working in the Los Angeles production of "Hair". Dobie's last charting song was 1979's, "You Can Do It" which reached #35 on the charts, and was then followed by a long stretch where he concentrated on music that was more country in style. Artists such as Ray Charles, George Jones, Charlie Pride, and Don Williams recorded Gray's music, and in 1986/87, made a series of singles that made it on the country charts.

    Beyond 1990 was a time of writing and singing, with a resurgence in the spotlight in 2003 due to the success of Uncle Kracker's cover of "Drift Away". He was 71....