How do you capture a life’s goal in just a few words? I’m going to give you a journey through my life, right now! Why? For the reason of where it’s led me, and for the benefit of YOU!
I am a singer songwriter and I started writing lyrics at the tender age of about seven. In my late teens, I was offered a record contract with a small record label back in the 80s. However, I had other things on my mind at this time e.g. girls and generally living a teenage life! I was writing songs regularly. During this time, I did have some collections of songs on cassette but never an album released!
Fast forward to around about 1996 (I’d continued to write songs but began to create even more around this time) and I began recording some new music. I even took these songs to a couple of A&R people at record companies in London! With some positive reviews. Therefore, during this time, I did have collections of some strong songs but never an album released!
Life was busy for the next few years, myself and my then wife and 2 children moved to the Isle of Lewis, a western Isle of Scotland (our 3rd Child, our daughter, was born ON the Island). I wrote a couple of songs whilst on the Island with a guitarist who I became friends with (we even recorded those songs in a studio when as a family we moved back down South and the guitarist travelled all the way down to record with me). Yet, NEVER an album released!
Moving now to the year 2008 (now our family had grown to 5 children - 3 daughters and 2 sons) and I was diagnosed with throat cancer; discovered my Dad had passed away (I hadn’t seen him since I was 5 years old) and I began to go through marriage separation and ultimately divorce. In 2008, I lost the ability to effectively speak for close to a year! Album released? Definitely NOT!
In 2010 I wrote and eventually released a track to connect with anyone who had experience dark, seemingly impossible times and felt they had NO voice, ‘The Voice Within’ as a single was ultimately born. In 2019 this was re released as a single to support the homeless prevention organisation Shelter and was performed by Zoe Evans who had faced being without a permanent home for herself and her children (search 'The Voice Within' Zoe Evans to download this song in aid of Shelter). Guess what though? No album released!
Between 2010 and 2018 my writing increased, to the point where I had a MASSIVE collection of songs. However, you guessed it, still NO album released!
In the summer of last year 2019, I was given a massive honour and privilege! I was approached by Charles Mattocks (celebrity chef, tv and film maker, producer, diabetes advocate and nephew of the late great Bob Marley) to write a song for his cancer docu series 'Eight days' (currently airing on wgn network in USA & also on the Hope4Cancer centres Facebook page >> https://www.facebook.com/Hope4CancerMexico/videos/897286350716969/ ). 'Your Journey' is available for download as a single in ALL digital download stores and will be featured as the outro song at the conclusion of the LAST episode of 'Eight days'!! At this point in MYalbum journey, about July/August 2019, still no album,..
This story of a lifetime pursuit, is now coming to completion (I won’t say conclusion, because there is SO much more to come). In late 2019 I began to prepare to RELEASE an ALBUM! I chose solid songs. One of those songs was inspired by Soul Purpose strategist Sherry Cannon Jones and her inspiration, helped me to give birth to 'Garden of Life' (this song subsequently became the TITLE track for the album!). Every song I chose for the album had to be with DEEP meaning and energy, some of the songs had been written a couple of years earlier. All of these songs had a common theme - DEEP CONNECTION! Deep connection with self; with love; with our fellow human beings; with our children; with nature and with the earth. As a result the ‘Garden of Life’ grew, flourished and today is being shared TOTALLY, GLOBALLY! The album and a life’s journey will be RELEASED in TWO DAYS TIME - Friday May 1st!!!!!
Available in TWO DAYS TIME for download in ALL digital download stores & also on CD (CD includes 3 bonus tracks. Order YOUR CD from website PRODUCT page NOW)! WOW!!
You are welcome in this garden, we all are! A lifetimes work? Yes! The ‘Garden of Life’ is SO uplifting; SO elevating and enriching! Life has taught me the value of LIFE, and the purpose of life. This purpose & value are what I share with you through my work in this album and beyond. Join me!
In conclusion, the moral of this life story - it is NEVER too late for YOU to plant, cultivate and grow YOUR very OWN garden of life, whatever that may be! Dear friends, make plans, make life, enrich your life with amazing experiences and love deeply and outwardly from your beautiful heart.
Love,
Ray xx
Ps I will see you THIS FRIDAY May 1st 2020 for my YouTube vlog and the complete release of 'Garden of Life'! it will be INCREDIBLY emotional!