Raymond Otis Whitley

Raymond Otis Whitley (December 5, 1901 – February 21, 1979), also known as Ray Whitley, was a Country and Western singer and actor.

Whitley was born in Atlanta, Georgia. He began his singing career in New York City in 1930. He had traveled to New York where he became a construction worker on the Empire State Building and the George Washington Bridge. While working as a steel worker, he heard of an audition at a local radio station. He was hired as a pop singer and learned a few chords on a guitar to back himself. Soon he was backed by professional musicians, including the Frank Luther Trio. He formed "The Range Ramblers" and began to broadcast on WMCA. He then traveled with the World Championship Rodeo Organisation, under the ownership of Colonel Johnson, renaming his band "Ray Whitley and The Six Bar Cowboys." Whitley was skilled in the use of the bullwhip, and could remove a cigarette from a man's lips with a single stroke, using either hand.

Whitley recorded for several record labels, including Okeh, Apollo Records and Decca.

In 1937, Ray Whitley had worked with Gibson on the production of the famous Gibson SJ-200 acoustic guitar, which was initially known as the "Super Jumbo". Whitley used his own time and money to design a guitar which he took to Gibson. He explained the features and merits of the instrument, suggesting that by presenting them to other stars of the day, would result in really putting the Gibson name on the musical instrument map. As a result, Whitley was the first performer to own a Gibson SJ-200. The first SJ-200, custom built by Gibson for Whitley, is on display in the Country Music Hall of Fame. The SJ-200 has since become an American icon and has been played by hundreds of different guitarists over the years.

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