# Raymond Louis Kennedy > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Raymond_Louis_Kennedy > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Raymond_Louis_Kennedy.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_Louis_Kennedy > Source revision: 1357136130 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) American songwriter (1946-2014) This article needs more citations. Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources. Unsourced material may be challenged and removed. Find sources: "Raymond Louis Kennedy" – news · newspapers · books · scholar · JSTOR (February 2014) (Learn how and when to remove this message) **Raymond Louis Kennedy** (November 26, 1946 – February 16, 2014) was an American singer, songwriter, musician, and record producer based in [Los Angeles](/source/Los_Angeles). His works span multiple genres including R&B, pop, rock, jazz, fusion, acid rock, country, and many more. He co-wrote "[Sail On, Sailor](/source/Sail_On%2C_Sailor)", one of [The Beach Boys](/source/The_Beach_Boys)' mid-career hits,[1] as well as two hits for [The Babys](/source/The_Babys): "[Every Time I Think of You](/source/Every_Time_I_Think_of_You)" and "[Isn't It Time](/source/Isn't_It_Time_(The_Babys_song))". ## Biography Born in [Philadelphia](/source/Philadelphia), Kennedy began playing saxophone at age nine. He sang in a cappella groups in [New Jersey](/source/New_Jersey) and Philadelphia before becoming a dancing regular on *[American Bandstand](/source/American_Bandstand)* in 1960. [Dick Clark](/source/Dick_Clark) eventually offered to pay him to pantomime playing saxophone with artists including [The Platters](/source/The_Platters), [The Drifters](/source/The_Drifters), [Chubby Checker](/source/Chubby_Checker), [Little Richard](/source/Little_Richard), and many others. In 1965, Kennedy recorded his first single as vocalist with then-unknown [Kenny Gamble](/source/Kenny_Gamble), "Number 5 Gemini," on Guyden Records. In the same year, Kennedy also auditioned for and received a gig playing tenor sax with [Gerry Mulligan](/source/Gerry_Mulligan), one of the top baritone jazz saxophonists in the world. That led to Kennedy leaving his home in New Jersey, playing various jazz clubs and making his way south. With drummer Jay David, Kennedy eventually left the tour to play various gigs with [Dizzy Gillespie](/source/Dizzy_Gillespie), [J.J. Johnson](/source/J.J._Johnson), [Buddy Rich](/source/Buddy_Rich) and the [Gene Krupa](/source/Gene_Krupa) Jazz Group until he decided in 1962 that the lifestyle of a jazz musician was simply not for him. Kennedy went to [Paducah, Kentucky](/source/Paducah%2C_Kentucky) for a few performances with [Brenda Lee](/source/Brenda_Lee); one-nighters with Little Richard, [Fats Domino](/source/Fats_Domino), [Jerry Lee Lewis](/source/Jerry_Lee_Lewis), [Wilson Pickett](/source/Wilson_Pickett), and many others followed. Encouraged by his friend [Otis Redding](/source/Otis_Redding), Kennedy shifted his focus back to singing and moved to [New York City](/source/New_York_City) in 1963. He was signed by [Ahmet Ertegun](/source/Ahmet_Ertegun) to [Atlantic Records](/source/Atlantic_Records), recording as Jon and Ray and touring with Jon Mislan (aka Johnny Angel). In 1966, he formed another band named Group Therapy and recorded two albums, then moved to Los Angeles with them in 1968. Kennedy's first solo album, *Raymond Louis Kennedy*, was released in 1970. Also in 1970, he befriended [Dave Mason](/source/Dave_Mason) of [Traffic](/source/Traffic_(band)) and toured with him in support of Mason's solo album *[Alone Together](/source/Alone_Together_(Dave_Mason_album))*. The pair collaborated on the song "Seasons," which later was on the future Mason solo album *[Let It Flow](/source/Let_It_Flow_(Dave_Mason_album))*. During that period, Kennedy also co-wrote the [Beach Boys](/source/Beach_Boys) hit "[Sail On, Sailor](/source/Sail_On%2C_Sailor)". In 1974, Kennedy was featured on the soundtrack to the [Brian DePalma](/source/Brian_DePalma) cult film *[Phantom of the Paradise](/source/Phantom_of_the_Paradise)*, singing "Life at Last" and a version of "The Phantom's Theme". In the movie, the former song was lip-synched by [Gerrit Graham](/source/Gerrit_Graham) as the character Beef, who performed the song as a [Frankenstein](/source/Frankenstein_in_popular_culture)-type, flamboyant rocker, constructed by the members of The Undead during a [Dr. Caligari](/source/The_Cabinet_of_Dr._Caligari)-esque performance. In 1980, Kennedy released a second, self-titled solo album, *Ray Kennedy*; it featured the minor hit single "Just for the Moment",[2] which would become Kennedy's only [Billboard Hot 100](/source/Billboard_Hot_100) hit under his own name. In addition to this solo album, Kennedy wrote, recorded, and toured for several decades with [Sly and the Family Stone](/source/Sly_and_the_Family_Stone), [Brian Wilson](/source/Brian_Wilson), Dave Mason, [Jeff Beck](/source/Jeff_Beck), [Barry Goldberg](/source/Barry_Goldberg), [Maurice White](/source/Maurice_White), [Aerosmith](/source/Aerosmith), [Michael Schenker](/source/Michael_Schenker), [Engelbert Humperdinck](/source/Engelbert_Humperdinck_(singer)), [Wayne Newton](/source/Wayne_Newton), [Tanya Tucker](/source/Tanya_Tucker), [Bill Champlin](/source/Bill_Champlin), [Willie Nelson](/source/Willie_Nelson), [Mick Fleetwood](/source/Mick_Fleetwood), and others. ## Albums Year Title Artist/Band Label 1963 Jon and Ray Jon and Ray Atlantic (unreleased) 1968 People Get Ready for Group Therapy Group Therapy RCA Victor 1969 37 Minutes of Group Therapy (aka You’re in Need of Group Therapy) Group Therapy Philips 1970 Raymond Louis Kennedy Ray Kennedy Cream Records 1976 KGB KGB MCA 1976 Motion KGB MCA 1980 Ray Kennedy Ray Kennedy ARC/Columbia ## Singles/contributed tracks Year Song title Artist/Album 1965 "Number 5 Gemini" Ray Kennedy single 1973 "Sail On, Sailor" The Beach Boys - Holland 1973 "Why Should I Care?" Beck, Bogert & Appice - Beck, Bogert & Appice 1974 "Life at Last" Phantom of the Paradise soundtrack 1974 "The Phantom's Theme" Phantom of the Paradise soundtrack 1977 "Seasons" Dave Mason - Let It Flow 1978 "Isn't It Time" The Babys - Broken Heart 1978 "Everytime I Think of You" The Babys - Head First 1980 "Starlight" Ray Kennedy 1980 "Just for the Moment" Ray Kennedy 1981 "Tonight, Tonight" Bill Champlin - Runaway 1983 "Badman" Uncommon Valor soundtrack 1983 "Brothers in the Night" Uncommon Valor soundtrack 1995 "These Strange Times" Fleetwood Mac - Time 2006 "Sail On, Sailor" The Departed soundtrack ## References 1. **[^](#cite_ref-1)** Gaines, Steven S. (1995). [*Heroes and villains: the true story of the Beach Boys*](https://books.google.com/books?id=spwdCTYbJP4C&q=Ray+Kennedy&pg=PA256). Hachette Books. p. 256. [ISBN](/source/ISBN_(identifier)) [9780786751044](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Special:BookSources/9780786751044). Retrieved 25 August 2011. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-2)** [1980 Year End (Lists the peak positions of all songs that charted in 1980)](http://www.bullfrogspond.com/whitburn/1980wye.htm) Retrieved 12-21-2014. ## External links - [raymondlouiskennedy.com/about.html](http://www.raymondlouiskennedy.com/about.html) - [raymondlouiskennedy.com/music.html](http://www.raymondlouiskennedy.com/music.html) - [https://www.allmusic.com/artist/p93322](https://www.allmusic.com/artist/p93322) - [fendermusicfoundation.org/news/index.cfm?sec=news&newsID=6](http://www.fendermusicfoundation.org/news/index.cfm?sec=news&newsID=6) - [discogs.com/Group-Therapy-People-Get-Ready-For-Group-Therapy/release/1447635](http://www.discogs.com/Group-Therapy-People-Get-Ready-For-Group-Therapy/release/1447635) - [soulfulkindamusic.net/guyden.htm](http://www.soulfulkindamusic.net/guyden.htm) v t e Michael Schenker Group Michael Schenker Steve Mann Bodo Schopf Barend Courbois Erik Grönwall Raymond Louis Kennedy Leif Sundin David VanLanding Kelly Keeling Graham Bonnet Don Airey Paul Raymond Tommy Eyre Andy Nye Jesse Harms Derek St. Holmes Billy Sheehan Mo Foster Jeff Pilson Jeff Kollman Stuart Hamm Pete Way Neil Murray Francis Buchholz Chris Glen Denny Carmassi Cozy Powell Simon Phillips Ted McKenna James Kottak Shane Gaalaas Jeff Martin Chris Slade Carmine Appice Brian Tichy Herman Rarebell Gary Barden Robin McAuley Doogie White Barry Sparks Studio albums The Michael Schenker Group (1980) MSG (1981) Assault Attack (1982) Built to Destroy (1983) Written in the Sand (1996) The Unforgiven (1999) Be Aware of Scorpions (2001) Arachnophobiac (2003) Tales of Rock'n'Roll (2006) In the Midst of Beauty (2008) Live albums One Night at Budokan (1982) Rock Will Never Die (1984) The Michael Schenker Story Live (1997) The Unforgiven World Tour (1999) The 30th Anniversary Concert: Live in Tokyo (2010) Cover albums Heavy Hitters (2005) Related Members Discography Authority control databases International ISNI VIAF WorldCat National United States Spain Norway Artists MusicBrainz --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Raymond Louis Kennedy](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_Louis_Kennedy) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Raymond_Louis_Kennedy?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.