Ray Davies
On 21/06/1944: Ray Davies was born. Davies was born in Muswell Hill, North London, the seventh child of eight. He became a student at Hornsey College of Art in 1962-1963. During the 1962 Christmas dance at the college he met Alexis Korner of Blues Incorporated and asked his advice about music. Korner introduced him to the manage Giorgio Gomelsky. Gomelsky arranged for Davies to play with the Dave Hunt Rhythm and Blues Band. He would go on to be a permanent guitarist for the band, who were the house band at the Crawdaddy Club, but only for six weeks. The band lost their residency when they were snowed in and Gomelsky offered it to the Rolling Stones, who were just starting out.After leaving college he joined his brother Dave, Pete Quaife and John Start to reform their high school band. The band would go through several names including The Pete Quaife Band, the Bo-Weevils, The Ramrods and The Ravens. The band spent the summer supporting Rick Wayne on tour in America.
In 1964 the band signed a recording contract and became known as The Kinks. Davies would be the main songwriter for the band. The band would be highly successful throughout the sixties and seventies. With Davies being recognised for his songwriting ability writing hits such as "You Really Got Me", " All Day and All of the Night", "Sunny Afternoon", "A House in the Country", "Shangri-La", "Dedicated Follower of Fashion", "Victoria", "Sitting in the Midday Sun" and "Waterloo Sunset" amongst many others.
The Kinks disbanded in 1996 and Davies has performed solo since then.
In 1990 The Kinks into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.
In 2004 Ray Davies was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire by Queen Elizabeth II.
In 2005 they were inducted into the UK Music Hall of Fame.