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| Church of Christ in
Wilkinson and a teacher in the public school in nearby Woodville. Wilkinson boasted a
grocery store with a post office in it, a church building, and a saw mill (still operative
and one of the most prosperous in the world). The Walkers lived in a three room, shotgun, sawmill-raw-lumber house, which is still there today, with added bath and screened-in front porch, housing a worker at the saw mill. Since "R. C." (this is the way his dad was known) was an evangelist, the Walkers moved every two to four years. Also living in Virginia, Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, Arkansas, and, Florida (twice) by the time Ray went to Nashville to attend David Lipscomb College (now University) in 1952, immediately after graduating from Andrew Jackson High School in Jacksonville, Florida. Ray was Chaplain of his graduating class at both schools. In Nashville, in 1952, Ray became the bass singer in the college quartet. Pat Boone was also a member of that group. He began doing local television and various shows, both, on his own and with the quartet (Ray had been singing in quartets from the third grade. His dad put him on his public feet when he was six years old, both, singing and speaking. By the time he was fourteen, he was traveling away from home on engagements). In September 1954, a junior in college, Ray and Marilyn DuFresne married. They had met in Jacksonville, Florida, at thirteen. Ray dropped out of school in 1955, moved to Centerville, Tennessee, where he helped to build a radio station, WHLP, worked with the local Church, and, became the youngest school principal in the history of Tennessee. He came back to college in 1956 and graduated in June 1957, with a BA Degree in Speech, Music, Bible, and, Education; worked for Werthan Bag Company during the Summer. By that time Ray and Marilyn's third child was on the way. Ray continued working for the local Church and, in the Fall began teaching school in Davidson County Schools, where he was Assistant Principal, Coach, and commanded a split seventh and eighth grade class. It was April 1958 now, and through a business call to David Lipscomb College, Ray was put in touch with the Jordanaires by his former Choral Director. Gordon Stoker had called there, just prior to Ray's call, to see if the Music Department knew of a bass singer who might fit their requirements. When Ray spoke with the professor, he said to give them his name, which the professor did. Ray was called that afternoon, auditioned at 11:00 that evening, was called at the school the next day and asked to go to Hollywood to do some recording. The school board let him off, he went, came home and completed his school year of teaching, and joined the Jordanaires, officially, June 1, 1958. Since that time, while working with the Jordanaires, Ray has found time to be involved in over three thousand sing-outs, youth rallies, appearances of his own. He had a successful, daily, morning show, "YOUR OWN TIME" on the ABC Channel in Nashville in 1976. Ray has done modeling, numerous radio, television, magazine and newspaper commercials (locally and nationally). He was a deputy sheriff (as a liaison between trouble youth and distraught families) for twenty-some years and, as were all the Jordanaires, an honorary member of the Tennessee Governor's Staff in Tennessee for many years. Ray and Marilyn became involved in foster-care six months after they were married and remain active, presently. By May 1963, they had six children, and now have fifteen grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. ..........And the Jordanaires work on. |
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jordanairesfan@hotmail.com
