Joseph Raymond Conniff (November 6, 1916 – October 12, 2002) was an American bandleader and arranger best known for his Ray Conniff Singers during the 1960s. He developed a unique sound taking advantage of stereo LP recording combining wordless chorus with brass and woodwinds reinterpreting American standards. The recorded sounds shifted the balance of instruments in a way that could not be heard in live performance, for example balancing a harp or rhythm guitar against a full brass ensemble.

Biography

Conniff was born November 6, 1916, in Attleboro, Massachusetts, United States, and learned to play the trombone from his father. He studied music arranging from a course book.

Early career

After serving in the U.S. Army in World War II (where he worked under Walter Schumann), he joined the Artie Shaw big band and wrote many arrangements for him. He is buried in the Westwood Village Memorial Park Cemetery in Los Angeles, California with his grave marker bearing a musical score with the first four notes of "Somewhere My Love". Conniff was survived by his wife Vera (April 7, 1944 - January 7, 2018, buried in the same plot as Ray), daughter Tamara Conniff, son Jimmy Conniff (died 2015), and three grandchildren.

Legacy

In 2004, a memorial two-CD compilation set, The Essential Ray Conniff, was released, featuring many rare and previously unreleased tracks. The Singles Collection, Vol. 1 was released on the Collectables label in 2005, The Singles Collection, Vol. 2 in 2007, and Vol. 3 was released in 2009. These collections feature rare singles and previously unissued tracks. His music is also featured prominently in the movie There's Something About Mary.

In 2022, "Bah Bah Conniff Sprach (Zarathustra)", from Conniff's 1973 album You Are the Sunshine of My Life, was featured in a Salesforce television commercial starring Matthew McConaughey.

Ray Conniff Singers membership

In 1959, Conniff started The Ray Conniff Singers (12 women and 13 men).

From 1962 through 2001, membership in the Ray Conniff Singers included:

Original albums discography

The list below shows his studio albums only. Ray Conniff was one of the most successful easy listening artists on the Billboard magazine album chart, placing 30 albums on their Billboard Hot 200 chart up to 1973, and many of the albums charted internationally as well. Ray Conniff went on to record over 90 albums.

  • S Wonderful! (1956)
  • Dance the Bop! (1957)
  • S Marvelous (1957, gold album)
  • S Awful Nice (1958)
  • Concert in Rhythm, Vol.1 (1958, No. 9 Hot 200, gold album)
  • Broadway in Rhythm (1958) No. 10 Hot 200
  • Hollywood in Rhythm (1958) No. 29 Hot 200
  • It's the Talk of the Town (1959) No. 8 Hot 200, No. 15 UK
  • Conniff Meets Butterfield (1959), with Billy Butterfield
  • Christmas with Conniff (1959, platinum album)
  • Concert in Rhythm, Vol.2 (1959) No. 13 Hot 200
  • Young at Heart (1960)
  • Say It with Music (A Touch of Latin) (1960)
  • Memories Are Made of This (1960, gold album)
  • Somebody Loves Me (1961) No. 14 Hot 200
  • S Continental (1962)
  • So Much in Love (1962, gold album)
  • Rhapsody in Rhythm (1962) No. 28 Hot 200
  • We Wish You a Merry Christmas (1962, platinum album)
  • The Happy Beat of Ray Conniff, His Orchestra and Chorus (1962) No. 20 Hot 200
  • Just Kiddin' Around (1962), with Billy Butterfield No. 85 Hot 200
  • You Make Me Feel So Young (1963) No. 73 Hot 200
  • Speak to Me of Love (1963) No. 50 Hot 200
  • Friendly Persuasion (1964) No. 141 Hot 200
  • Invisible Tears (1964) No. 23 Hot 200
  • Love Affair (1965) No. 54 Hot 200
  • Music From 'Mary Poppins', 'The Sound of Music', 'My Fair Lady' & Other Great Movie Themes (1965) No. 34 Hot 200
  • Here We Come A-Caroling (1965, platinum album)
  • Happiness Is (1965) No. 80 Hot 200
  • Somewhere My Love and Other Great Hits (1966, platinum album) No. 3 Hot 200, No. 34 UK
  • Ray Conniff's World of Hits (1966) No. 78 Hot 200
  • En Español (The Ray Conniff Singers Sing It in Spanish) (1966) No. 180 Hot 200
  • This Is My Song (1967) No. 30 Hot 200
  • Ray Conniff's Hawaiian Album (1967) No. 39 Hot 200
  • It Must Be Him (1967, gold album) No. 25 Hot 200
  • Honey (1968, gold album) No. 22 Hot 200
  • Turn Around Look at Me (1968) No. 69 Hot 200
  • I Love How You Love Me (1969) No. 101 Hot 200
  • Ray Conniff's Greatest Hits (1969) No. 158 Hot 200
  • Live Europa Tournee 1969/Concert in Stereo (1969)
  • Jean (1969) No. 103 Hot 200
  • Concert In Stereo: Live at 'The Sahara Tahoe (1969) No. 177 Hot 200
  • Bridge Over Troubled Water (1970) No. 47 Hot 200, No. 30 UK
  • We've Only Just Begun (1970) No. 120 Hot 200
  • Love Story (1970) No. 98 Hot 200, No. 34 UK
  • Great Contemporary Instrumental Hits (1971) No. 177 Hot 200
  • I'd Like to Teach the World to Sing (1971) No. 138 Hot 200, No. 17 UK
  • Love Theme from 'The Godfather (1972) No. 114 Hot 200
  • Alone Again (Naturally) (1972) No. 180 Hot 200
  • I Can See Clearly Now (aka Clair) (1973) No. 165 Hot 200, No. 39 UK
  • Ray Conniff in Britain (1973)
  • You Are the Sunshine of My Life (1973) No. 176 Hot 200, No. 41 AUS
  • Harmony (1973) No. 194 Hot 200, No. 61 AUS