When I decided to start this journey, interviewing artists, I knew I didn’t want to have a podcast where artists would come on and just promote their work and perhaps share a few laughs. I wanted to engage in honest conversations about how to authentically find your way as an artist. This meant I was going to seek conversations with artists who inspire others and lead with a servant’s heart.
When chatting with other artists it became apparent that they were struggling with the same issues that I struggled with, such as how do you remain in a positive mindset after so much rejection? How do you stay inspired? How do you make your creative vision a reality? How do you manage to have healthy relationships when touring?
I thought, why aren’t we talking in depth and openly about these issues?
My vision is to create a community for artists to come and feel supported and encouraged to keep believing in their dreams. A place where they could come and ‘fill their cup,’ learn and be inspired.
Cue To Cue is a podcast for artists.
Ray Lyell is one of those people. Ray has not only had a lot of experience and success in the industry as a recording artist and vocal coach but is humble and open to sharing his missteps and failures as well, so that other artists can learn from them.
Ray has an innate ability to make people feel that their story matters. He approaches everything with a sense of humour and warmth making everyone who meets him feel instantly comfortable. I think that is a huge part of what makes him such an amazing recording artist/songwriter, and effective vocal coach.
He is a dear friend and has been one of my main vocal coaches for 20 years and my personal mentor. It is with great anticipation that I am able to share this interview with you!
Ray Lyell: Rock Star Life, Songwriting and Social Media
A little about Ray:
Ray Lyell came to prominence with his band, The Storm, in the late 1980s. Ray Lyell and the Storm released their self-titled debut album in 1989. Its first single, Another Man’s Gun, scored No. 6 on the AOR charts. The second single released by Lyell, Carry Me, was a Top 40 hit on the CHR charts and still gets airplay in Canada. Lyell was nominated for a Juno Award for Most Promising Male Vocalist in 1990. Shortly after the nomination, he began an international tour in Australia.
In 1992, Lyell sold the rights to the name “The Storm” after a legal conflict in the United States. Desert Winds, his next album, was released under his own name, even though the members of the band continued to tour and perform with him. Gypsy Wind was the album’s first successful single. In 1994, Ray Lyell traveled to Nashville, TN to begin working on his third album, Working Man, with writers, Billy Crain and Todd Cerney. Working Man was released in 1995. A decade later, Lyell released his fourth album, Running on Faith, with CMC Canada.
In 1996, Lyell developed The Dynamic System of Vocal Teaching. His experience as a performer, with thousands of shows under his belt, meshed perfectly with his ability to coach singers toward better and healthier vocal performance.
In an effort to expand his own knowledge, Lyell has studied with some of the most prominent vocal coaches in North America. He continues to teach, write and record out of his studio.
In 1987, radio station, HTZ-FM sponsored a songwriting contest. Ray Lyell won first place with his song, “Take This Heart”.
Later that year, he co-wrote with Paul Hackman of the band Helix the title track to their album, Wild In The Streets. The success of Wild In The Streets earned Ray Lyell a gold album. He also co-wrote tracks on half-ALIVE and It’s a Business Doing Pleasure with Hackman.
Ray Lyell wrote all of the songs from his four albums, with an occasional collaboration with other writers such as Billy Crain.
Follow Ray!
www.raylyell.com
facebook: @raylyell
Enjoy the first episode of Cue to Cue!
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