Artist Info
Member of
The Village PeopleBiography
Ray Simpson is the younger brother of Valerie Simpson, who with Nicholas Ashford, collaborated on a bevy of hits for Marvin Gaye & Tammi Terrell, the Dynamic Superiors, Gladys Knight & the Pips, and others. The duo also enjoyed a number of hits as singers and was one of the most popular Urban acts of the 70's & 80's. Ray, born on January 15 shares the same birth-date as Martin Luther King, Jr., and Muhammad Ali. Raised in the Bronx, NY he graduated from City College, minoring in Music. Not the composer his big Sis is, but he has written a few songs including one on the Dynamic Superiors second Motown LP. He toured with Nick & Val for years before before getting the opportunity to cut a solo album Tiger Love on Warner Brothers Records in 1978. WB never got behind the album produced by Ashford & Simpson and it went virtually unnoticed.When his solo career never advanced past first base, Ray joined the Village People, the zany Halloween costumed attired group that scored with "Y.M.C.A." Simpson took Victor Willis' place as the policeman in 1979 and enjoyed two large hits with the group "Go West," and "Can't Stop The Music." The disco era was fading and the Village People peaked out, they attempted to revitalize in 1981 but never could top their initial streak of chart success. More recently, in the 90's, original members' David Hodo & Felipe Rose joined by Simpson, regrouped with new members as a disco revival act. ~ Andrew Hamilton, All Music Guide
