European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - July 30, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Profile Robert Cray a new Boss for the blues Story and photo by Anita coach staff writer Roberl cry ambles Down the Walkway through the Ftp Section of he stadium in Karlsruhe Germany past thousands of people crammed into i he grandstand on the of her Side of the Chain link Fence. The Young Man could have been any record company executive is  As the crowd was concerned or just anybody Lucky enough to swing a backstage pass. Bui soon Cray would be up on stage performing a 45-minute set of the most gut wrenching blues this Side of ills1 Mississippi standing in the wings moments before his performance the american Singer guitarist fidgets bul just a Little biding his Lime while the stagehands Sel up the instruments. Cray knows he s just one of several warm up nets at the festival Ilia Day he knows too that the 45,000 people in the stadium Are wailing for the Star of the show Tina Turner. Vou just Galla iry to win them Over Cray says tuning one of five guitars hell use during his performance then wiping the frets Wilh a big White Sowol. Everybody else on the show knows too  the people Are Here to see Tina you just have to not think Aboul  by All appearances one Woolri imagine the .1.1 year old did l have ,1  in the world a constant smile covers Cray s handsome face. Cray admits lit used to be real scared before going on stage but in time he says if you do in Over and Over again you get used to it. Right now his biggest concern is his faded Black Denim trousers. I be been walking up so Many stairs lately la it my leg Muscles seem to have gotten bigger he says. I feel As if i m Aboul to burst out of these  the show begins. The crowd is quiet and alte live Al first seemingly in Awe As they Walch Cray s fingers slide Over the Guila strings like Sparks along a wire As they listen if his distinctive pleading voice sing Lunes of lying cheating and sneaking around. From police applause in he beginning they soon begin to cheer. Thirty minutes later Cray ruts Back to the wings he Cocks his ear. Are they clapping do they want him  for an enc ref Cray decides the cheering is Strong enough. He returns to the stage Lor another musing 1 5-Mmule set. After the pi.tform.inct1, Cray walks once More past the crowd in the grandstand on the other Side of the Chain link Fence this Lime the specs doors Rise in a wave cheering stomping and clapping ferociously. They Anou who he is now and they know what he can do. Robert Cray has won them Over. The spectators in the Karlsruhe stadium that Day weren l the Only ones who have become instant Robert Cray fans. In the Pas i 2 months a virtual Cray mania has swept Over the music world Brkih in the United Stales and in Europe Cray s latest and fourth album strew Fen Judit. Climbed to the no. 3 slow of a Muojo  s music charts 1 he album spawned two Hii singles smoking gun and right n Jeff door by cause of and their videos were mtg favourites for months. Rolling Stone guitarist Keith Richards invited Cray Loam Al a birthday session in Celebration of Chuck Berry s 60lh birthday last october. The session was filmed for a Fca Luro length documentary on Berry expected to nil movie Heaters in the United so alas in september Veteran blues guitarist Eric Clapton has Young performers Pikr Robert Cray try keeping the blues alive and hot. Done his oxen version of in older Cray Lune bad Influent. I be also recruited him As opening act on his . Tour is did Huey Lewis. Tina Turner drafted him for a to special filmed in London last fall and for her recent european tour. At Many indoor gigs Cray said he came out tin stage during Turner s encores and performed Wilson Pickett s in the Midnight hour and Sam Cooke s a change is con a come. So what does All this mean for the Young musician a former army brat born in Columbus ca., who s now being touted by the Media As the new Boss of the blues for Cray the answer is simple his Success has brought blues into the mainstream and opened the door for younger audiences to listen to and appreciate blues greats from the past. When i talk with the Media i always mention the names of people wlm i Gnu my background from he said. I think in ids helped out quite a bit to get other people to listen to their music to buy their records and go and see other blues acts too Cray recalled first hiking a serious interest in music in the Early 1 %0s. I Lis father then a sergeant firs class in the army stationed at Warner Cavern in Munich kept an extensive1 record collection with albums by such Arlins As Muddy Walers Robert Johnson Sam and Dave . Wright one of Cray s favorite singers. Olis Redding Otis Rush buddy Guy Junior Wells , King Miles Davis and a Hosl of other jaz soul and blues musicians. It was t until the Lale Fin thai Cray became a self professed blues  by that time his family  moved to Washington stale just outside of Taunima. And Cray had Given up c classical piano lessons in favor of the guitar. In 1974, Cray and Bass player Roberl cousins formed the Robert Cray band. Based in Eugene ore., the group worked up and Down the West coast often backing blues guitarist Albert Collins before branching Oul to the rest of the urn Ted Stales in 198 v in the meantime the band released the albums who s been talking in 1 9 10 and bad Influent t in 1983 which won several . Handy award followed by fast accusation in 1905. The Laller release led to a major record Deal with Phonogram. One of the highlights of the Early years of his c career Cray said was performing wild Muddy Waters. We did about six Dales together go on Slage Wilh him every night Anil Sang Manish  these Days Cray is More nonchalant about mixing with the famous. I be listened to their music for a Long time soil s like i be known them Lor a Long lime1," he said referring to Berry Richards Clapton drummer Sieve Jordan piano player Johnny Johnson and others whom he met Al the birthday session when i  get to Meel them physically in s like i Ley How a Coinman in s great he said. Sometimes you gel together and you Don t even Lalk about music you just Lalk Aboul  Robert Cray May be considered the Boss of the blues right now. But the Young Singer guitarist does t delude himself Minlu believing that he s started i Iri and by bringing blues to the charts. Char music to a real strange thing bul in s Mil strange to a lot of people because of the fact thai in s basically Aboul Money he said. As Long As somebody can make a Dollar on it you re Only going to hear a certain amount of Songi being played at every radio station. As Long As those few songs Are the ones making Money Al one radio station the other ones will follow suit. So that leaves out a whole lot of other kinds of Good music. Not jus blues but jazz music too. In s a sad thing. The Beller musicians or Stirne of the More Down to Earth music will never get  still he said blues will always be around there s a in of people Oul Luiere  keep pm doing it. And Itu re at is will  20 to Ripe Mega line juty30,19b7