Benjamin Raye
Benjamin Raye is an American singer-songwriter and radio personality from Minneapolis, MN.[1][2] He currently works at KQRS in Minneapolis as an on-air announcer, along with sister-station KXXR. He also writes and records music and performs many live shows in the Twin Cities area.[2]
Career
[edit]His radio career began at KKIN in Aitkin, Minnesota.[3] Since then he has also worked at stations such as Kiss 96.7 in St. Cloud, MN,[4] KCLD in St. Cloud, MN [4] and BOB FM 106.1 in the Minneapolis area.[1]
In 2012, Raye won the award for the most-promising new artist from the Independent Country Music Association in Nashville.[2] [5][6]
That same year, he also won an ICoMA award for the Most Indie-Friendly radio show, for his music show on BOB FM.[7]
Raye also supports Minnesota local music, being a host of a music radio show on BOB FM radio for 10 years, followed by a rock show which has aired since 2015 on KXXR on Sunday nights.[8][9]
The first song to make national charts for Raye was his single "Far Away" which made #582 nationally on the AAA (adult album alternative) charts on Mediabase on 8 October 2011.[10]
In 2014, he released his first solo full-length CD, "Come And Get It".[2][11]
Several of his songs have been played on radio stations across the U.S.[12] His song "Shy Side Of Three" entered the top-400 on the Active Rock chart on 15 March 2014.[13]
Also in 2014, Raye's song "New Guitar" charted nationally on the Mediabase Country Music charts for 3 weeks, peaking at #224.[13] His single "Downtown" peaked at #190 nationally on the Mediabase Country Music chart on 26 April 2014.[13]
In early 2015, he had a second song enter the top-200 nationally on the Mediabase charts. "65 To Nashville" charted at #194 on 14 February 2015.[13]
In 2016, Raye signed a contract with an indie record label out of Nashville, TN where he recorded his single "Somewhere" with long-time Tim McGraw drummer Billy "Thunder" Mason.[1][11] The following year, he returned to Nashville to record his single "You Are My Love Song" with the label, again using Mason on drums.
Film
[edit]Aside from radio and music, Benjamin Raye has also made some cameo appearances on movies. In 2011, he appeared as himself in the movie "Invincible Force"[14] His song "Like It Or Not" was also featured on a Halloween short-film titled "7 minutes" which was released on Halloween in 2013.
References
[edit]- ^ a b c "ABC Newspapers". 25 November 2013.http://abcnewspapers.com/2013/11/25/local-artist-perform-mccoys-elk-river/
- ^ a b c d "Twin Cities Daily Planet".http://www.tcdailyplanet.net/arts/2014/02/06/sounding-sounds-benjamin-raye
- ^ UMD Statesman, Volume 72, Number 4, Thursday, October 4, 2001
- ^ a b St. Cloud Times, April 3, 2014
- ^ "ICoMA - Independent COuntry Music Association". icmanet.com.
- ^ "Airplay Direct".http://www.airplaydirect.com/music/ICoMA/press.php
- ^ "Home". icmanet.com.
- ^ "Country Aircheck" (PDF). www.countryaircheck.com.
- ^ Country Aircheck, Issue #222, December 20, 2010.
- ^ "Mediabase 24/7 - Logon". Archived from the original on 2008-07-04. Retrieved 2015-02-06.
- ^ a b "Tate Music Group". Archived from the original on 2018-10-08. Retrieved 2015-02-26.https://tatemusicgroup.com/epk/artist/23493
- ^ Crosby-Ironton Courier, Vol. 89, NO. 40, October 3, 2001
- ^ a b c d "Mediabase 24/7". www.mediabase.com. Archived from the original on 2008-07-04.
- ^ "IMDB.com". IMDb.https://www.imdb.com/name/nm4351002/bio?ref_=nm_ov_bio_sm