The genius of Robert Cray
Robert Cray in concert in 2007
PROVINCETOWN, Mass.
"To say that Robert Cray is a transformational figure for my generation, Gen-X, would not be hyperbole.’’
— "Braintree Jim," the DJ who spins for WOMR , on Cape Cod.
Cray is a singer, songwriter guitarist, known for his unique hybrid of blues and soul. He is a five-time Grammy award winner who has released 19 studio albums, along with an assortment of live recordings and compilations. The Robert Cray Band may not be a household name today, but it has achieved international recognition in the nearly 50 years it, and various iterations, have performed during that time. Cray, who turned 70 earlier this month, regularly visits New England on a relentless, annual touring schedule. He will be spending time here on the Outer Cape during August and into September.
The DJ, who hosts the radio show called Target Ship Radio, further explains his rationale. "I was attending Providence College during the mid-’80’s when Cray's breakthrough album 'Strong Persuader' was released, in late 1986. When I first heard the single 'Smoking Gun' on the radio I simply had to get the album. I was totally taken by it and played it repeatedly. I still have the cassette today."
He recalls that pivotal time for young music fans. "Back then, the ascendant genre was hip hop. Many of my friends were attracted to that whole scene. And by the late 80s, even MTV was showcasing that music. But when I heard Robert Cray, principally a blues guy back then, I went back, not forward. Not only did I buy his back catalog work, which was fantastic, he really helped me discover the blues as a whole other art form.
"Cray, along with Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton -- and even Albert Collins and Billy Gibbons -- were part of this exciting blues revival in the 80s and into the early 90s. For me, Cray played an instrumental part in this movement. Cray was affable, the music was accessible. In fact, his whole persona was quite approachable. He was making MTV-style videos that both young men and women found entertaining. And remember, his first national TV debut was on Late Night With David Letterman. By the ‘90s, he was morphing into a soul and R&B performer. He could deliver searing blues numbers for sure, but his music was adapting. That's why I think he's retained this rather remarkable staying power."
Braintree Jim is planning a Robert Cray retrospective on his next show on the Provincetown radio station. "I really think," he reasons, "that Robert Cray should be a bigger name. He's got an unbelievable canon of work that I wish more people heard. So, I want to dedicate three hours of my next show and pay tribute to his music. And he has collaborated with so many people, like Tina Turner, BB King, and Chuck Berry, just to name a few. And he still rips it up on tour. His voice is still the same after all these years and his guitar chops are also still intact."
The radio host further adds that, "I may have eventually discovered the blues without Robert Cray. But It's safe to say that his music really inspired me to appreciate the art form and dig into its rich history. Many of my generation discovered the blues because of Robert Cray. That alone makes him worthy of a three-hour radio show. But the music is so good that it will be tough to boil it down into that time frame. But I'll have fun doing it! That's the great thing about WOMR. I have this incredible level of autonomy in what I can play. That's virtually unheard of in radio today. I will be representing the station at the upcoming concert, too. It doesn't get much better than this."
The Robert Cray Band will be performing at the Payomet Performing Arts Center, in North Truro, Mass., on Tuesday, Aug. 29, beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets are still available.
Payomet is celebrating its 25th year in 2023 as one of the Cape's leading producers of live music, circus, theatre, and humanities.
The next Target Ship Radio show will be on Sunday, Aug. 20 at 1-4 p.m. The live broadcast can be heard on 92.1 FM Provincetown, and 91.3 FM Orleans, streaming on womr.org and beaming on the free WOMR app.
Cross-generational music from the Outer Cape
Hot summer? Check. Cool tunes? Check.
The Chill & Dream radio show returns to the airwaves on Friday, July 22, at 7-9 p.m., heard exclusively on WOMR (92.1 FM Provincetown, Mass.) and WFMR (91.3 FM Orleans, Mass.) and streaming everywhere on womr.org.
"I just saw the CEO {Chris Cocks} of Hasbro on CNBC the other day," DJ "Braintree Jim," the show's host, said. "And he was talking about this very basic idea that struck a chord with me. The company is having success with what he called 'multi-generational' play and entertainment. If you look at the games, the cars and even the music that is resonating with people today, it is rooted in nostalgia."
He senses that the CEO must have been listening to one of his shows. "The music I play also has this cross-generational appeal to it. Some of the older music is new to Millennials and Gen-Z. Conversely, some of the newer music is old to these very generations. It's fun to see that first light of discovery in music for people. A song may be an oldie but it might be new to someone just hearing it for the first time."
"I find it amusing that not long ago, kids would use their generation's music to rebel against their parents," he muses. "Now, it seems like kids are rebelling against their parents but using their parents' music. We've come full circle. That's the universal appeal with music. And the great thing about WOMR is that there is music for virtually every kind of taste. Whether you are rebelling or not."
WOMR is launching its summer pledge drive beginning July 22 and running for two weeks. It celebrated being on the air for 40 years this past spring. The majority of its operating budget comes from individual listeners and small businesses.
"We'll certainly be in a celebratory mood Friday," Braintree Jim said. "This is a sonic sanctuary. All are welcome. This is radio of the people, by the people, and for the people. And my show is multi-generational."
Enjoy sonic escapism at nonprofit station on the Cape
WOMR, in Provincetown, Mass., is a unique volunteer-driven and member-supported community radio station that broadcasts a wildly eclectic range of music and talk programming at 92.1 FM, in Provincetown, and also via its sister station, WMFR, at 91.3 FM, in Orleans, and streams live on womr.org. Next spring it will celebrate 40 years of continuous broadcasting, a remarkable achievement for a non-commercial station. The station recently added new programs as the pandemic waned. (Let’s hope the waning continues!)
One show caught our particular attention. It is intriguingly called Chill & Dream. The DJ, who goes by "Braintree Jim," recently told us that the music he plays is a form of sonic escapism and aural nostalgia. "People are searching for a refuge from the storm," he said. His show recalls pop tunes from the ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s and mixes those classics with a modern spin, what he calls a fusion of "chill wave" (a nod to so-called yacht rock of the 70s) and "dream pop" (a derivative form of ‘80s pop music). As he says, "it is a safe space from politics, pandemics and put-downs."
His live show on Saturday, Oct. 30, at 9 a.m, will capture that spirit. He plans on something that recalls the ‘70s. "It feels like we are reliving the ‘70s all over again -- talk of stagflation, higher energy costs, comparisons of Afghanistan to Vietnam. What's next? Browns and burnt oranges?" he wonders.
"We got through that period with music so I think recalling the music from 40-50 years ago may help us deal with the present. It will be a fun show, as the ‘70s were a fertile period of creativity. And the music still resonates, which is the main point. Music then had something to say. And it still connects. And we all need an escape. I am not sure I would look good in bell bottoms and platform shoes. But that's OK. We all need to chill and dream."
All shows are streamed live and you can go to womr.org to view the schedule of all the programming.