Biography

Laddie Ray Melvin is a folksinger and songwriter who has played music in the Pacific Northwest for many years. As a songwriter, he carefully crafts his lyrics and surrounds them with music from the American folk tradition. Country, blues, folk and folk rock are all colors this mature artist works with as he sings of life, death, family, love, hope and our shared humanity.

Ray has produced three independently recorded CDs in the last decade. The first is Rocky Ground (2002) followed by In The Aftermath (2006) a collection of tunes considering what it means to be human in times of trouble. Laddie Rays third CD is, A City Glows In The Distance (2009), and is a collection of songs that are intentionally spare. Each cut a live take, and the stories the songs tell are about how the characters in them see the world they inhabit.

“Laddie Ray Melvin’s songs are like a well-worn heirloom quilt woven together from threads of traditional Americana, country, blues and a bit of Dylan-esque folk rock. His voice is weathered and rich, and his songs are dusty landscapes of life experience written from the perspective of a mature soul.” Get Out! North Idaho: July 2007

Laddie Ray’s songs have been played on the long-running Northwest Public Radio show, Inland Folk, with host Dan Maher, and on the, Singer Songwriters on Sunday, show on Q104, a commercial station in the mid-Columbia, hosted by Dan Ross. KEWU, the inland northwest’s only jazz station, has played cuts from the Rocky Ground CD as well, and Ray has appeared live on Spokane public radio’s program “The Nacho Celtic Hour” hosted by Carlos Alden, and on “Sound Space” hosted by Norvel Trosst. Most recently he has appeared live on KYRS, listener sponsored, Thin Air Radio in Spokane with host Bob Rice.

The Pacific Northwest is home to a vital community of folk musicians, and Laddie Ray Melvin is one of them. Please continue to support live music in your town or city.

For bookings please contact Laddie Ray Melvin at lrmelvin@laddieraymelvin.com

Publicity Photo

Laddie Ray Melvin

Laddie Ray Melvin’s Performance Highlights

The Troubadour, London, UK with the Wayne Drury Project

Wizz’s Sitting Room, The Selkirk, London, UK with the Wayne Drury Project

The Ivy House, London, UK with the Wayne Drury Project

12 Bar Club, London, UK with the Wayne Drury Project

Courthouse Concert Series, Enterprise, OR

Tunesmith Night, Songwriters in the Round, Enterprise, OR

Acoustic Concert Series, The Dalles, OR

Art on the Green, Couer d’Alene, ID

St. Maries Arts Festival, St. Maries, ID

Arbor Crest Wine Cellars, Patio Concert Series, Spokane, WA

Heartsong Retreat Center, Tum Tum, WA

Seattle Folklife Festival

Spokane Folklore Society Fall Folk Festival

Tumbleweed Music Festival, Richland, WA

Three Rivers Folklore Society Coffee House, Richland, WA

House Concerts, Maple Valley, Spokane, WA

Hot Club Coffee House, Troy, MT

First Night Spokane, as a single and with Keeler, Melvin and Morse

Café Mela Summer Concert Series, Wenatchee, WA

Peace Concert, Unitarian Universalist Church of Spokane, WA

Symes Hotel and Hot Springs, Hot Springs, MT

Pend Oreille Lavender Festival, Newport, WA

What Folks Have Said

“. . . born and raised by the Columbia River the stark beauty of the land around him found its way into his music. The sweet grit of his expressive baritone and the rich imagery of his lyrics have a genuine and immediate impact on his listeners. There’s raw tenderness and strength in Laddie Ray’s style that seems uniquely masculine, yet universally human.” Marilyn O’Malley, Victory Review

“You have a unique sound. You don’t sound like anyone else.” A fan at Humble Earth Market

“The lyrics and music have a power and beauty that are unique to you and especially now, needed by your audience. Crows in the Pines is a world-class song.” Dan Davie, graphic artist

A great, great tunesmith.” Carlos Alden, Nacho Celtic Hour, KPBX

“The songs and stories here are compelling. The melodies of a couple of them stuck in my head for day’s. Ray’s musical presentation is direct, warm, rich. I wish I had written some of these songs.” Bill Kostelec, songwriter

“Due to the sparse instrumental accompaniment, the songs on In the Aftermath present as deceptively simple. But as the disc plays the songs carefully reveal characters that become as real as friends, and we eagerly journey with them.” Jim Keenan, filmmaker

“…your stories and lyrics are well crafted. I just love the line in A Song for Jesus – ‘and those handing out the word’ and rhyming with ‘pounding the curb.’ Just one example of some great stuff. ‘In a credit card culture, you are what you lack.’ Brilliant! Love it! ‘Keep that son of a banker away’; that song is really great. The prosody – the grove – is just perfect. I could go on and on because the cd is chock full of great stuff.” m.j. bishop, songwriter

“Laddie Ray weaves humanity, time and landscape into his songs. These songs echo in my soul like the sound of that freight train leaving the yard. Stanton Cobbs, songwriter, musician, recording engineer

“Melvin’s songs are like a well-worn heirloom quilt, woven together from threads of traditional Americana, country, blues and a bit of Dylan-esque folk rock. His voice is weathered and rich, and his songs are dusty landscapes of life experience written from the perspective of a mature soul. His performances are captivating like hearing old ghost stories late at night around the crackling campfire.” Get Out! North Idaho: July 2007

PRESS RELEASE

Singer and songwriter, Laddie Ray Melvin, carefully crafts his lyrics, and surrounds them with music that is a blend of country, blues, folk and folk rock. “Laddie Ray Melvin’s songs are like a well-worn heirloom quilt, woven together from threads of traditional Americana, country, blues and a bit of Dylan-esque folk rock. His voice is weathered and rich, and his songs are dusty landscapes of life experience written from the perspective of a mature soul. His performances are captivating like hearing old ghost stories late at night around the crackling campfire.” Get Out! North Idaho: July 2007

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