Born in Georgia in 1953 and attending high school in Virginia, Robert Cray has his roots throughout the American south.  He studied design in an effort to become an architect, but he soon found that music, specifically blues and soul, was where his true passion lay.  While in school, he formed the outfit Steakface after being inspired by seeing Albert Collins, Freddie King and Muddy Waters live in concert.  The band played the local circuit, churning out covers of Jimi Hendrix, Quicksilver Messenger Service, Fleetwood Mac, and Jethro Tull.

Cray signed to Mercury Records in 1982, showcasing a soulful voice and crisp, clean guitar playing.  It was his third album, 1986’s Strong Persuader, which granted him critical acclaim and won him a Grammy.  The album’s breakthrough crossover single, “Smokin’ Gun,” successfully brought his name to public attention.

He has opened for and played with Eric Clapton on stage, as well as joined John Lee Hooker in the studio for work on Boom Boom and The Healer.  He is generally found strumming a Fender and has released two guitars through them, the Robert Cray Custom Shop Stratocaster, identical to what he plays, and the less expensive Robert Cray Standard Stratocaster.