The eye-patch wearing and super entertainer Ray Sawyer, vocalist with 1970’s band Dr Hook & the Medicine Show, alas, has died aged 81. Ray passed away in Daytona Beach, Florida, on December 31st, 2018, following a brief illness.
The band are best known for their refrains from the pen of songwriter Shel Silverstein; “Cover of the Rolling Stone”, “Sylvia’s Mother” and Even Stevens lyric, “When You’re in Love with a Beautiful Woman”, latter which was a number one hit in the UK in 1979.
His death was confirmed by his wife Linda, who stated her husband had died “peacefully in his sleep”, adding further that her “heart is broken”.
Born in Chickasaw, Alabama, on February 1st 1937, Ray Sawyer joined Dr Hook in 1969, two years after he had lost the sight in his right eye, following an auto-mobile accident. While not the appointed lead singer in the band, playing occasional percussionist on maracas; it was Ray’s cowboy hat, fun stage antics and idiosyncratic eye patch that distinguished him long into the memory of his multitude of adoring 1970’s fans.
Oh, and a point of information; the band’s dream of getting their picture on the cover of the ‘Rolling Stone’ did eventually come true, but in caricature only.
[Lest we forget, why not click HERE to give “Only Sixteen” a twirl and remember there is always “A Little Bit More” – God be with those days.]
Ar dheis Dé go raibh a anam dílis.
Leave a Reply