Artist description Singer/songwriter, Ray Johnson - Chicago, IL. Born September 30, 1961. Musical genre: Acoustic/Pop & Contemporary Folk. Musical influences 60's British Invasion and Singer /Songwriters of the 70's.

Music Style Acoustic Pop, Contemporary Folk

Musical Influences 70's Singer/Songwriters, 60's British Invasion

Artist History Born in 1961, Ray Johnson soon learned of the excitement and the inner passion that music could bring to the human spirit. Affected greatly by the British Invasion of the Sixties and singer/songwriters of the Seventies, a career in music began that is storied and still in progress. Writing from the age of 16 and evolving through the years, as a solo artist and with numerous bands, the desire to write and perform original material became the main focus for this singer/songwriter. In 1996, the decision to pursue a full time career as a singer/songwriter was made. Ray's first CD release, Panning for Gold, came in 1999 with the his band Saldo Kreek. Two songs from Panning for Gold, both penned by Ray, were selected for two individual CD compilation projects. In July of 2000, Oasis CD Manufacturing selected The Devil You’ve Been Paying for their CD Oasis Acoustic Sampler that was earmarked for radio distribution across the U.S. In August of 2000, a second compilation disc, produced by Bandsolution.com, an Internet music site, selected Passed You By for their CD that is currently being sold to the general public through their internet site. Ray wrote 7 of the 11 tracks that appear on this CD with music credits on two additional tracks. New Releases, arrived in August of 2000, a Home Studio Project financed, recorded and produced by Ray. This six song CD caught the ear of record producer Duane Scott, a 30-year veteran in the music industry. Two songs from this release, Fools In Love written by Ray and Lullaby (music credits only) would appear on the forthcoming release titled Love Street. Love Street was recorded in July of 2001 in Franklin TN. at Dark Horse Recording. It is a full length CD that incorporates all of the talents needed by a singer/songwriter in today's competitive market. Creative lyrics, moving melodies and a variety of musical styles highlight all 11 tracks on this CD and each song stands as testimony to the development and progression of Ray's singing and songwriting abilities throughout his career.

Group Members Ray Johnson

Instruments Guild D55 acoustic 6 string and Taylor 355 acoustic 12 string.

Albums Panning For Gold, New Releases and Love Street

Press Reviews KlubKat.com - Simon Buford http://www.klubkat.com/musiczone/reviews/december01/saldokreek/saldokreek.htm "Love Street" is the third release for this band from St Charles, IL, following on from the already popular releases "Panning for Gold" and "New Releases", released in 1999 and 2000 respectively. The band is Ray Johnson on string, Tom Wade on Harmonica, Accordion and percussion and Dave Bieritz on Bass. Ray and Tom also provide the vocals between them, and make a good job of it too! Formed in the Autumn of 1996 for the purposes of producing original material, Saldo Kreek have come a long way in the years since. They still pride themselves on the performance of all original material, promoting and producing their own albums in-house - these guys really care about what they do, something which this reviewer always finds refreshing in a world full of big time hopefuls who can't sing a note Saldo Kreek not only CAN sing, but they produce foot-tapping tunes which stick around in the mind for some time. It has always puzzled me how so many bands from my side of the ocean (Britain) churn out the same dreary pop songs day after day in order to please the crowds while our American Cousins constantly pour their heart into differing musical styles which draw fans from far and wide. Take note, would be singer/songwriters - you may be able to get your songs into the charts, but wouldn't you like people to say "Wow - they're a little different aren't they?" Musically, Saldo Kreek are pleasant to listen to and provide what we call background music here in the UK. The guitar riffs are exceptional, at times reminiscent of Clapton himself, and during track 10 - "You Can't Come In" - I was strongly reminded of some of Dire Straits better guitar moments! In certain parts of America this style - country folk - is very popular indeed and draws crowds from far and wide. It is in these places that bands of this type fight for the top spot, and many often fall by the wayside. I've seen both good and bad when I've been in the deep south, and can say in all honesty that Saldo Kreek are one of the better choices in this genre. However, this is a hard market to crack for different reasons in different regions - in the UK, for example, many people turn their nose up at Country/Blues/Jazz artists and say "Why can't they play proper music like we hear in the charts?!?". In parts of the US, on the other hand, the market is so overcrowded with bands of a similar ilk that they might all have a fight on their hands! This, I have to confess, is my type of music and would take pride of place in my collection, but it definitely serves a very particular market. If it's your proverbial cup of tea, then rush on over to the web-site immediately and grab yourself a copy - otherwise, switch the radio on and check out the latest charts! Saldo Kreek can be heard on College Radio in Louisville, KY and Arkansas State University, and on the internet via Dhnet Radio in South Carolina among others. The band can be heard on local radio at WRMN in Elgin, IL and at WFXW in St Charles, IL and seem to be constantly on the lookout for new opportunities to be noticed!!! But if these resources are a little out of your locality, you can check them out at their official website: http://www.saldokreek.com. I'm sure you won't be disappointed. Jim Santo's Demo Universe http://www.demouniverse.com/review.php?did=2074 Saldo Kreek Love Street CD - arrived August 24, 2001 Saldo Kreek's third LP (see my review for New Releases 2000 elsewhere in this Universe) finds songwriters Ray Johnson and Tom Wade moving in a more rock direction, and that's A-OK by me. Nashville studio drummer Kenny Malone, supporting Kreeker David Bieritz on bass, lends a sure, steady backbeat to Johnson and Wade's gorgeous melodies, lending the tunes a pop sensibility only hinted at on the prior release. Violinist Carrie Davids is a no-show, sadly, but her absence is more than made up for by stellar performances from studio guests Billy Hullet (electric guitar), Bill Cuomo (keyboards), Vicki Carrico (vocals) and especially Wanda Vick on mandolin, fiddle and dobro. Tom Wade's harmonica is more prominent than I remember, lending a fresh sound to "Things You Do," the title track and other numbers. A ton of great tunes on Love Street, but my hands-down favorite is "Dreamer"; the soaring, poignant chorus recalls the best of the Byrds, and Wanda Vick knocks out a wicked fiddle solo (all the while playing dobro — ah, the wonder of multi-track recording). "Think Of Losing You" will appeal to Eagles fans who'll catch more than a whiff of "Hotel California" in its loping Tex-Mex beat and Hullet's mirror-ball solos. Damn fine music, this is. Contact Information: 1731 Patricia Lane St. Charles, IL 60174 (630) 584-8879 Ray Johnson (630) 584-2473 fax USA saldo6@saldokreek.com http://www.saldokreek.com

Additional Info Currently seeking publishing and label contracts

Location St. Charles, Illinois - USA

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