Ray Dorset
Encyclopedia
Ray Dorset is an English guitarist, singer, songwriter, and founder of Mungo Jerry
. He composed most of the songs for the band, including the hit
singles
"In the Summertime", "Mighty Man", "Baby Jump
", "Lady Rose", "You Don't Have To Be in the Army to Fight in the War", "Long Legged Woman Dressed in Black", and "Hello Nadine".
In 1968 he formed the group Good Earth, which also included Colin Earl on keyboards, Dave Hutchins on bass, and Ray Bowerman on drums. They recorded the album It's Hard Rock And All That on the Saga record label
, before Hutchins and Bowerman left. Joe Rush
joined on washboard
and the group adopted a more acoustic
-based skiffle style. In 1970, with further line-up changes, the group became Mungo Jerry
with hits to follow such as "In the Summertime".
Dorset has also maintained a solo career parallel to his leadership of Mungo Jerry. In 1972 he released the album Cold Blue Excursion
, made up entirely of self-penned songs, many featuring strings
and brass
accompaniment. In 1983 he was part of one-off blues
outfit Katmandu
with Peter Green
and Vincent Crane
, who recorded an album A Case for the Blues
. In 1986, billed as 'Made in England', he recorded
and released the theme tune for the TV
drama series Prospects as a single.
One song recorded by Mungo Jerry, "Feels Like I'm in Love
", was originally written by Dorset for Elvis Presley
, but he died before the recording of the song. Nevertheless, in 1979 it was recorded by disco
singer Kelly Marie
, and became a UK Number one in September 1980. It thus made Dorset one of the first songwriters to top the UK Singles Chart
with singles performed by himself, and by another artiste
.
In addition to guitar, he has played several other instruments
on stage and record
, including harmonica, kazoo
, accordion
, and keyboards.
Dorset currently resides in Bournemouth
, Dorset
, England where he lives with his wife and two young sons.
Mungo Jerry
Mungo Jerry is an English rock group whose greatest success was in the early 1970s, though they have continued throughout the years with an ever-changing line-up, always fronted by Ray Dorset. They are remembered above all for their hit "In the Summertime". It remains their most successful and most...
. He composed most of the songs for the band, including the hit
Hit record
A hit record is a sound recording, usually in the form of a single or album, that sells a large number of copies or otherwise becomes broadly popular or well-known, through airplay, club play, inclusion in a film or stage play soundtrack, causing it to have "hit" one of the popular chart listings...
singles
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
"In the Summertime", "Mighty Man", "Baby Jump
Baby Jump
Baby Jump is a popular song by Mungo Jerry.Written by the group's lead vocalist and guitarist Ray Dorset and produced by Barry Murray, it was the band's second UK No. 1 single, reaching the top for two weeks in March 1971...
", "Lady Rose", "You Don't Have To Be in the Army to Fight in the War", "Long Legged Woman Dressed in Black", and "Hello Nadine".
In 1968 he formed the group Good Earth, which also included Colin Earl on keyboards, Dave Hutchins on bass, and Ray Bowerman on drums. They recorded the album It's Hard Rock And All That on the Saga record label
Record label
In the music industry, a record label is a brand and a trademark associated with the marketing of music recordings and music videos. Most commonly, a record label is the company that manages such brands and trademarks, coordinates the production, manufacture, distribution, marketing and promotion,...
, before Hutchins and Bowerman left. Joe Rush
Joe Rush
Joe Rush influenced by the film 'Mad Max' and 'Judge Dredd' comics, was the co-originator of the travelling multi media art group Eat my face, an underground art collective who specialised in building large scale installations out of waste material...
joined on washboard
Washboard
A washboard is a tool designed for hand washing clothing. With mechanized cleaning of clothing becoming more common by the end of the 20th century, the washboard has become better known for its originally subsidiary use as a musical instrument....
and the group adopted a more acoustic
Acoustic music
Acoustic music comprises music that solely or primarily uses instruments which produce sound through entirely acoustic means, as opposed to electric or electronic means...
-based skiffle style. In 1970, with further line-up changes, the group became Mungo Jerry
Mungo Jerry
Mungo Jerry is an English rock group whose greatest success was in the early 1970s, though they have continued throughout the years with an ever-changing line-up, always fronted by Ray Dorset. They are remembered above all for their hit "In the Summertime". It remains their most successful and most...
with hits to follow such as "In the Summertime".
Dorset has also maintained a solo career parallel to his leadership of Mungo Jerry. In 1972 he released the album Cold Blue Excursion
Cold Blue Excursion
Cold Blue Excursion was a solo album recorded by Ray Dorset, leader of Mungo Jerry. The majority of the group’s songs at the time were good-time blues, skiffle and rock’n’roll, and these songs on the solo album, written by him during the previous seven years, were designed to show his versatility...
, made up entirely of self-penned songs, many featuring strings
Strings (music)
A string is the vibrating element that produces sound in string instruments, such as the guitar, harp, piano, and members of the violin family. Strings are lengths of a flexible material kept under tension so that they may vibrate freely, but controllably. Strings may be "plain"...
and brass
Brass instrument
A brass instrument is a musical instrument whose sound is produced by sympathetic vibration of air in a tubular resonator in sympathy with the vibration of the player's lips...
accompaniment. In 1983 he was part of one-off blues
Blues
Blues is the name given to both a musical form and a music genre that originated in African-American communities of primarily the "Deep South" of the United States at the end of the 19th century from spirituals, work songs, field hollers, shouts and chants, and rhymed simple narrative ballads...
outfit Katmandu
Katmandu (band)
Katmandu were a shortlived British blues band, formed in 1983, featuring Peter Green, Ray Dorset and Vincent Crane. After releasing one album, the group split the following year.-Formation:...
with Peter Green
Peter Green (musician)
Peter Green is a British blues-rock guitarist and the founder of the band Fleetwood Mac...
and Vincent Crane
Vincent Crane
Vincent Crane was a self-taught pianist, who studied theory and composition at Trinity College of Music, and graduated in 1964...
, who recorded an album A Case for the Blues
A Case for the Blues
-Credits:*Peter Green – vocals, guitar, harmonica, drums*Ray Dorset – vocals, guitar, bass guitar, harmonica*Vincent Crane – keyboards*Len Surtees – bass guitar*Greg Terry-Short – drums*Jeff Whittaker – vocals, percussion, drums...
. In 1986, billed as 'Made in England', he recorded
Sound recording and reproduction
Sound recording and reproduction is an electrical or mechanical inscription and re-creation of sound waves, such as spoken voice, singing, instrumental music, or sound effects. The two main classes of sound recording technology are analog recording and digital recording...
and released the theme tune for the TV
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
drama series Prospects as a single.
One song recorded by Mungo Jerry, "Feels Like I'm in Love
Feels Like I'm in Love
"Feels Like I'm in Love" was a UK number-one single for two weeks in September 1980 for Kelly Marie.Written by Raymond Dorset of Mungo Jerry, the song was originally intended for Elvis Presley but he died before it could be pitched to him...
", was originally written by Dorset for Elvis Presley
Elvis Presley
Elvis Aaron Presley was one of the most popular American singers of the 20th century. A cultural icon, he is widely known by the single name Elvis. He is often referred to as the "King of Rock and Roll" or simply "the King"....
, but he died before the recording of the song. Nevertheless, in 1979 it was recorded by disco
Disco
Disco is a genre of dance music. Disco acts charted high during the mid-1970s, and the genre's popularity peaked during the late 1970s. It had its roots in clubs that catered to African American, gay, psychedelic, and other communities in New York City and Philadelphia during the late 1960s and...
singer Kelly Marie
Kelly Marie
Kelly Marie is a Scottish disco singer. Her only notable hit was "Feels Like I'm in Love", a #1 hit in the UK in 1980.-Early career:...
, and became a UK Number one in September 1980. It thus made Dorset one of the first songwriters to top the UK Singles Chart
UK Singles Chart
The UK Singles Chart is compiled by The Official Charts Company on behalf of the British record-industry. The full chart contains the top selling 200 singles in the United Kingdom based upon combined record sales and download numbers, though some media outlets only list the Top 40 or the Top 75 ...
with singles performed by himself, and by another artiste
Musician
A musician is an artist who plays a musical instrument. It may or may not be the person's profession. Musicians can be classified by their roles in performing music and writing music.Also....* A person who makes music a profession....
.
In addition to guitar, he has played several other instruments
Musical instrument
A musical instrument is a device created or adapted for the purpose of making musical sounds. In principle, any object that produces sound can serve as a musical instrument—it is through purpose that the object becomes a musical instrument. The history of musical instruments dates back to the...
on stage and record
Gramophone record
A gramophone record, commonly known as a phonograph record , vinyl record , or colloquially, a record, is an analog sound storage medium consisting of a flat disc with an inscribed, modulated spiral groove...
, including harmonica, kazoo
Kazoo
The kazoo is a wind instrument which adds a "buzzing" timbral quality to a player's voice when the player vocalizes into it. The kazoo is a type of mirliton, which is a membranophone, a device which modifies the sound of a person's voice by way of a vibrating membrane."Kazoo" was the name given by...
, accordion
Accordion
The accordion is a box-shaped musical instrument of the bellows-driven free-reed aerophone family, sometimes referred to as a squeezebox. A person who plays the accordion is called an accordionist....
, and keyboards.
Dorset currently resides in Bournemouth
Bournemouth
Bournemouth is a large coastal resort town in the ceremonial county of Dorset, England. According to the 2001 Census the town has a population of 163,444, making it the largest settlement in Dorset. It is also the largest settlement between Southampton and Plymouth...
, Dorset
Dorset
Dorset , is a county in South West England on the English Channel coast. The county town is Dorchester which is situated in the south. The Hampshire towns of Bournemouth and Christchurch joined the county with the reorganisation of local government in 1974...
, England where he lives with his wife and two young sons.