Ray Quarles Edenton is an American guitar player and country music session musician. He used to play instruments like Guitar, Mandolin, Banjo, Bass, and Ukulele. Edenton is considered one of Nashville’s most prolific studio musicians and has played on more than 12000 recording sessions as a member of the Nashville-A-Team, a group of musicians who backed hundreds of popular country songs.
Ray is one of the many hidden heroes of Music City, and the Country music Hall of Fame and museum was always eager to shine a light on his virtuosity and ingenuity.
Ray Edenton, Former Member of Nashville-A-Team, passed away at age of 95
Nashville A-Team member, a country music guitarist, Ray Edenton died this week at 95, according to his family. He was one of the most prolific and respected session guitarists in country music and he passed away on Wednesday evening, September 21.
Many people were not intimately familiar with his name, but most definitely familiar with the licks he played, and the songs that he helped turn into country hits and standards over the decade. He has also served in the US Army for many years.
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He suffered temporarily from Tuberculosis. His cause of death is still not disclosed by his family as they are totally saddened and heartbroken by this news. They do not want to make it public as this is their family thing.
Ray Edenton’s Early Life
Ray Edenton was born on November 3, 1926, in Mineral, Virginia, US. He was a member of a musical family. His first instrument was a Banjo Ukulele, and he was performing with his two brothers and cousins at square dances around the area by age 6.
After serving in the United States Army during World War 2, he joined guitarist Joe Maphis as the bassist in a group called the Korn Krackers, appearing on the Old Dominion Barn Dance show on Richmond, Virginia station WRVA. he was temporarily sidelined by Tuberculosis before moving to Nashville, Tennessee, and beginning to play acoustic guitar on the Grand Ole Opry.
Ray Edenton’s Musical Career
Considered one of Nashville’s most prolific studio musicians, Edenton played on more than 12,000 recording sessions as a member of The Nashville A-Team. He played on his first session, American country music singer Red Kirk’s recording of Lovesick Blues.
Also Read: WWII Legend, Jim ‘Pee Wee’ Martin, dies at 101
His first appearance on his biggest hut came on Webb Prince’s 1953 single “There Stands the Glass.” Other artists Edenton accompanied on the record include Julie Andrews, the Beach Boys, Henri Mancini, Elvis Presley, Neil Young, and many more hit artists. Edenton retired in 1991. He is best known as an acoustic and rhythm guitarist.
