Claude Gray | |
|---|---|
 Gray in 1967 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Claude Gray Jr. |
| Born | January 25, 1932 Henderson, Texas, U.S. |
| Died | April 28, 2023 (aged 91) Skokie, Illinois, U.S. |
| Genres | Country |
| Occupation | Singer-songwriter |
| Instrument(s) | Vocals, guitar |
| Years active | 1959–2023 |
| Labels | Mercury |
| Website | Claude Gray Official Website |
Claude Gray Jr. (January 25, 1932 – April 28, 2023), nicknamed "The Tall Texan", was an American country music singer-songwriter and guitar picker best known for his 1960 hit "Family Bible", which has been covered by many different artists. Gray's other hit, "I'll Just Have a Cup of Coffee (Then I'll Go)", was covered and rearranged by Jamaican reggae singer-songwriter Bob Marley, who retitled the song as "One Cup Of Coffee".
Alongside artists such as Ray Price, Jim Reeves, Eddy Arnold, Don Gibson and Chet Atkins, Gray was a purveyor of the Nashville sound, embracing the Countrypolitan movement which paved the way for pop-oriented singers in country music and attracted new audiences to the genre.