In Memoriam Rayburn Anthony

A SUN Legend is gone. Narrations by Tracey K. Houston

It is with deep sadness I am sending out this track by my friend and co-writer Rayburn Anthony who died in the hospital in Jackson, Tn on Saturday April 21st.

Rayburn never had that big top 10 hit that gets you among the big players but he made some wonderful records on many labels. He worked on the road in Billy Walkers band and penned hits for Billy and then did another spell in Bobby Bare’s band and always credits Bobby with getting him on a major label Polydor/Mercury.

As a writer he wrote songs for some very well known names such as Vern Gosdin, Faron Young, Jerry Lee Lewis, John Conley , The Jordanaires and a duet for Conway & Loretta. A mild mannered man with deep religious feelings he still lived in the town he was born in Humboldt, Tn which lies just outside of the much bigger Jackson.

He was a real family man and had 7 children 3 from his first marriage, 4 from his second. He visited  Europe many times playing festivals and shows in Sweden, Norway ,France, Spain, UK, Germany and Croatia.

He sang duets with Sweden’s Cina Samuelson and Tone Wattum from Norway and recorded with other bands from there recording in Sweden and Germany.

We wrote over 50 songs together….hard to pick which song to send out but I always liked this one I Miss Mississippi from his last cd, steel guitar by Lloyd Green……..I will miss him……Jim Newcombe.