Ray Campi
by Steve HueyRockabilly wildman Ray Campi recorded several classic singles during the musics prime era, and later staged a comeback that earned him a substantial cult audience over the 70s and 80s. Campi was born in New York in 1934 and moved with his family to Austin, TX, at age ten. He started listening to country music, learned the guitar, and formed his first band in high school, which played on local radio stations. Campi made his first recordings in 1951, but it wasnt until 1956, when he cut the single Caterpillar b/w Play It Cool for the small TNT label, that any of them were released. He went on to record for Domino (Screamin Mimi) and Dot (The Ballad of Donna & Peggy Sue), and moved to Los Angeles in 1959, where he signed with Colpix and recorded Hear What I Wanna Hear. During the early 60s, Campi lived in New York and spent two and a half years as a staff writer at Aaron Schroeders publishing firm, but was never allowed to r...