ArtistInfo

Raymond Donnez

key, p, 1942-2019 FR
Musician / Composer / Arranger / Conductor of R&B/Soul
A.k.a. Don Ray

Born in Aulnay-sous-Bois, France on september 9th, 1942. Died on march 7th, 2019. Raymond Donnez was a french composer, arranger, conductor and musician (he plays the piano, organ and keyboards). He has worked with Crystal Grass, Alec Costandinos, Cerrone, Leroy Gomez and many more in the disco era. Raymond has also worked as an arranger and conductor for most of the biggest French artist of the past four decades, he is also with Ray Gimenes, Thor Baldursson and Rod Temperton, one of the best European arranger and orchestrator of the disco era. Raymond Donnez, or Don Ray, was a disco producer, arranger and performer. He played keyboards on Cerrone's records "Love in C Minor", "IV", "VI", and "VIII" and released one solo album, "Garden of Love", which featured his successful single "Got to Have Loving", cowritten with Cerrone, who drummed on the track. He also produced Santa Esmeralda's hit cover of "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood" and their third LP, "House of the Rising Sun". His single "Got To Have Loving" had cross-over success on pop radio, and charted to #44 in the Billboard Hot 100 in October 1978. Also, was conductor in the Eurovision Song Contest in three years, 1974 (for the Monegasque entry "Celui qui reste et celui qui s'en va"), 1976 (for the Monegasque entry "Toi, la musique et moi") and 1977 (the winner of this year, the French "L'oiseau et l'enfant").

Instruments

• Keyboards
• Piano
• Electric piano
• Organ
• Harpsichord

Genres

• R&B/Soul
• Electronic
• Pop
• Rock
• Latin

Plays With

ArtistInfo App

Acknowledgements

Other Search Results