Don Raye

Don Raye was born Donald MacRae Wilhoite, Jr. in Washington, D. C. on March 16, 1909.

After graduating from New York University, Raye began his career appearing in vaudeville shows, touring extensively throughout the United States and Europe. In 1935, he organized a nightclub act in New York and began writing his own material for the show. Under contract with film studios, Raye moved to Hollywood in 1940, however, in 1941, he joined the US Army and served during World War II. After the War, Raye returned to songwriting and produced a catalog of hit standards.

Throughout his career, Raye worked with several collaborators, most notably, Gene De Paul. Other collaborators included Hughie Prince, Pat Johnston, Harry James, Freddie Slack, Artie Shaw, Charles Shavers and Benny Carter.

The Raye catalog includes “Rhythm in My Nursery Rhymes”, “Why Begin Again?”, “He’s My Guy”, “Cow Cow Boogie”, “Mister Five By Five”, “Milkman, Keep Those Bottles Quiet”, “Star Eyes”, “I’ll Remember April”, “You Don’t Know What Love Is”, “Irresistible You”, “Music Makers”, “The House of Blue Lights”, “Pig Foot Pete”, “A Song Was Born”, “Your Red Wagon”, “They Were Doing the Mambo”, “Down the Road a Piece”, “Scrub Me Mama With a Boogie Beat”, “Beat Me Daddy Eight to the Bar”, “Rhumboogie”, “Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy”, “This Is My Country”, “Traveling Down a Lonely Road”, “Domino”, “Too Little Time”, “Ballad of Thunder Road”, “I’m Looking Out the Window”, “I Know What God Is” and “Gentle Is My Love”.

Don Raye died in 1985.