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Nashville, TN (October 15, 2014) -- The last album of Country Music Hall of Fame member Ray Price, BEAUTY IS ... the final sessions, continues to generate praise from fellow artists, the media, and legions of fans. The disc features duets with Vince Gill and Martina McBride and both artists were honored to participate in the project.
Gill, who traded lines with Price on "Beauty Lies In The Eyes Of The Beholder" recently told Rolling Stone, "Ray was one of those guys who never lost a step with his voice - even well into the end of his life, he was still singing great. You can hear that on the record: It's not manipulated, it's the real deal. Very few singers keep their voice intact like that their whole lives."
Martina admits to a being flattered by the invitation to sing with the Country legend. "I was so honored and surprised to be asked to sing with him," she recalls. "Ray carried himself so well and still had this amazing voice. That's the voice that we all loved." McBride and Price made magic on "An Affair To Remember."
Even artists who didn't participate in the history-making recording are praising BEAUTY IS. Merle Haggard, who recorded previously with Price, sums up his thoughts on Price and the disc, saying: "Excellence personified from the beginning to the end."
Lynn Anderson calls the album, "A fitting encore for those of us who want more from the Tony Bennett of Country Music." She observes, "Among the beautiful string-laden ballads is an old-timey Shuffle with a steel guitar, a fiddle and perfectly understated harmony. Sensitively produced by Fred Foster, timeless songs sung by the best. Classic Country."
Ray Benson of Asleep At The Wheel fame calls BEAUTY IS "an amazing record." He adds, "Ray was one of my musical heroes and it's so wonderful to hear his voice again. He proved that we can get better with age."
The media has heaped accolades on Ray and the album, with Robert K. Oermann of MusicRow stating, "After one listen of this remarkable album, you will note that Price's flawless phrasing, vocal resonance and burnished warmth of tone create a glow that lingers long after the final notes have sounded." Duncan Warwick wrote in Country Music People, "I can't imagine liking another album more this year ... and I'm not just saying that because it's Ray Price. It's one of the most moving listening experiences I can ever remember." SiriusXM Willie's Roadhouse on-air talent Dallas Wayne said recently, "Beauty Is is not only the name of this brilliant recording, Beauty Is Ray Price."
Produced by Grammy award-winning hit maker and friend Fred Foster, BEAUTY IS ... highlights the timeless, signature string and Shuffle sounds for which Price was so well known. Released on Amerimonte Records, this iconic project is available at Cracker Barrel Old Country Store® locations as well as Hastings, Walmart and online retailers including Amazon.
ABOUT RAY PRICE
Born in 1926 in Peach, Texas, Price defined two major eras of Country music. His barroom Shuffle classics made him a master of the honky-tonk style of the early 1950s, and a cornerstone of the Nashville Sound-era with a string of smooth ballads throughout the '60s and '70s. Best known for his iconic rendering of the Kristofferson smash "For The Good Times," the Cherokee Cowboy charted over 100 times with 46 Top Ten hits, nine #1 singles and five #1 albums. A member of the Grand Ole Opry, Ray enjoyed Gold and Platinum album sales, won two Grammy® awards, took home a CMA trophy, earned two ACM awards - and his place in the Country Music Hall of Fame. A "gentlemen's gentleman," Price fought pancreatic cancer to complete his final album project with legendary producer and longtime friend Fred Foster. BEAUTY IS ... the final sessions was released in April, following Price's death on December 16, 2013.
To stay updated on Ray Price, simply visit www.beautyisrayprice.com.
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