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Meet Ray Williams: The Man Who Discovered Elton John

Ray Williams
Elizabeth Eason
/
Ray Williams
Ray Williams
Ray Williams
Credit Elizabeth Eason / Ray Williams
/
Ray Williams
Ray Williams

As a teenager in England in the 1960s, Ray Williams soaked up the sounds of one of British pop’s most iconic eras. After spending years listening to popular music, he got a front-row seat to it all when he landed a job working for Cathy McGowan, presenter of the music television show “Ready Steady Go!”

 Meet the founder of Crumbs Music Media Ray Williams.

From there, Williams quickly rose in the ranks of the music industry and became a press agent for artists like Sonny & Cher, The Kinks and Tommy Roe. He eventually took on the role as head of artists and repertoire for Liberty Records.

One day he came across a singer and piano player named Reginald Dwight, who would quickly become famous under the name Elton John.

Williams paired John with lyricist Bernie Taupin, and a successful musical relationship was born. Williams then served as John’s personal manager for the beginning of his career. Throughout the years, Williams has also been a musical supervisor for dozens of films, including “Saving Grace” and the award-winning movie “The Last Emperor.”

Today Williams runs Crumbs Music Media, a company that helps emerging artists license their music for films and TV. Host Frank Stasio talks with Williams about his career in the music industry. 

Copyright 2017 North Carolina Public Radio

Longtime NPR correspondent Frank Stasio was named permanent host of The State of Things in June 2006. A native of Buffalo, Frank has been in radio since the age of 19. He began his public radio career at WOI in Ames, Iowa, where he was a magazine show anchor and the station's News Director.
Charlie Shelton